Getting Started on Instagram: A Guide for Older Adults

Instagram is a photo and video sharing app owned by Meta (the same company that runs Facebook). It's particularly popular for sharing moments from daily life — meals, travel, pets, family events, gardens, and hobbies. Many families use Instagram to stay visually connected, sharing photos of grandchildren, vacations, and everyday moments even when they live far apart.

Getting started is free. Download Instagram from the App Store (iPhone) or Google Play (Android), then create an account using your email address or phone number. You'll choose a username — something like your name or a variation of it works fine. Add a profile photo and a short bio (a sentence or two about yourself is plenty).

Once your account is set up, the first thing to do is find people you know. Tap the magnifying glass icon to Search, and look up family members or friends by name. When you find someone, tap Follow to see their posts in your feed. For public accounts, you'll start seeing their posts immediately. For private accounts, they'll need to approve your follow request.

Your main feed shows photos and videos from everyone you follow. Scroll down to browse. Tap the heart icon to like a post. Tap the speech bubble icon to leave a comment. To share someone else's post to your own Stories, tap the paper airplane icon.

To post your own photo, tap the + icon at the bottom (or top, depending on your version of the app). Choose a photo from your phone's gallery or take one with your camera. You can add a filter (an effect that changes the look of the photo), write a caption, and add location or tags before posting.

Stories are a separate feature — short photos or videos that disappear after 24 hours. They're less permanent than regular posts, which makes them good for casual, everyday moments. Tap your profile circle at the top left of the feed to add a Story.

For privacy, consider making your account Private in Settings so only people you approve can see your posts. This is especially sensible for older adults who don't want their photos visible to strangers.