Guide

How to Navigate Instagram: A Beginner's Guide to Using It

You can navigate Instagram with a handful of icons: the feed, search, Reels, messages and your profile. This guide explains what each screen does, how to post and how to keep control of who sees your account.

Navigate Instagram: the main screens

Instagram has rearranged its icons more than once, so look at your own screen. You will find the home feed, a search and explore page, Reels, messages and your profile. Create a post with the plus button.

Post a photo, a Reel or a Story

Tap the plus button and choose Post, Story or Reel. Pick or record the media, add a caption and share. Posts stay on your profile, Stories last 24 hours unless you save them to a highlight, and Reels are short videos.

Follow, like, comment and message

Follow accounts you like, and their posts appear in your feed. Tap the heart to like, the speech bubble to comment and the paper plane to send a post or a message. A message to one person is called a DM.

Set up privacy

In Settings you can make your account private so only approved followers see your posts, limit who can message or tag you and turn off the activity others see. Do this before you post if you are unsure.

Start posting without the daily scramble

Switch to a professional account if you want to schedule posts, since apps can only publish to professional accounts. Dripost then posts for you at the time you pick.

Questions

How to use Instagram for the first time?

Sign up, add a picture and a short bio, follow a few accounts and look around the feed, search and Reels. Post when you are ready.

Is Instagram free?

Yes. Instagram is free to use, with paid options for ads and some creator features.

Do I need a business account?

No. A personal account is fine to start. Switch to a professional account when you want insights or scheduling.

Try it on your own post.

Start free

Every account starts with 14 days of Pro. No card.