Instagram cheat sheet

I’m sure you’ve noticed my ever-growing addiction to Instagram. I might need an intervention soon. For those who don’t know what Instagram is, let me enlighten you. It’s an app for your iPhone {Android users – the app is now here! Download it here.} to share beautiful photos. You can upload photos, put a pretty filter over them and share them with other people. It’s a lot like Twitter, but with photos. You can also comment on other people’s photos and have people comment on yours.

I’m often asked how things are done, so I thought perhaps I should pull together a little something-something to share. So here it is, your guide to Instagram! Enjoy.

P.S. For those not on Instagram, I promise to stop talking about it soon! x

87 thoughts on “Instagram cheat sheet”

  1. Those are all great tips. I got my iPhone in November and instagram was the first app I added! I have really enjoyed your photo-of-the-day challenges because they are great prompts for photos. I have been exploring iPhonography, and so far I love it!

  2. Great guide! Though I'm 'blaming' you already for my current instagram obsession! 😉 Got into to do the febphotoaday challenge and loving it 🙂 The airplane mode tip is brill, will be using that!!! Ta x

  3. I've been on instagram for a while & I even learned a few new things! Thanks for all the tips 🙂 I love your photo-a-day monthly challenges. I'm a new follower of yours & am loving your blog.

  4. Oh this was awesome!!!! I thought I understood Instagram, but I only had the basics, lol. There's a lot more to it than meets the eye. And I'm loving your photo a day challenge! I'm so glad I ran across it the other day. 🙂

  5. Thanks for the airplane trick!

    Also for newer users – it is possible to keep your photos more private – that is require approval before people can follow you.

    But remember that photos on the web stay there and as Chantelle posted on the other day, they can be easily stolen. So only share what you are willing to let go.

  6. I love to “instagramafy” old photos to print and frame but get sick of having to delete them off my feed so thank you for the airplaine mode tip! Perfect.

  7. these are great, thanks heaps. best 2 tips for me were the airplane mode and taking all photos with phone and then uploading to instagram…awesome!

  8. You know I love instagram – may need that intervention as well – still a little behind with the hashtag thing – I know the photoaday one but could never be bothered to add any extra's – do you think it matters? Leanne x

  9. This is such a fantastic list of tips. I just joined instagram today, after getting my first iphone last week… and I must say I was totally lost with how to utilise it. Not anymore, thanks heaps Chantelle xo

  10. Tip twelve is awesome, sometimes I want to hold off posting and always thought there had to be a way, but would never have thought that was the way!!! Thx

  11. So nice of you to share your little secrets and to calm down us poor android users 😉 Can't wait till we get the app too!

  12. I've known about Instagram for ages but only started a couple of weeks ago and love it! Totally hooked. Thanks for these tips, there are some good ideas here – cross processing and airplane mode – great tips!

  13. tip 10 & 11- if you're deleting comments on your own photo all you have to do is swipe on the specific one with your finger and delete will show up without having to hit the settings wheel and do those steps….same as if you've commented on someone else's photo you can swipe on your comment and delete it…
    easy peasy

  14. Lovely post ! Love Instagram but even though it looks basic, sometimes not so user-friendly…so needless to say – too happy that you shared !!! And love the layout of your post. Fun. Thanks

  15. Great that you did this. I'm a seasoned user but even I learnt a couple of things – tips #10 and #12. I know many others who keep saying they've no idea how it works so this helps. If I may suggest, you could add deleting is also possible by swiping right to left over a comment. And between tips 6 and 7 a little blurb about how to write a caption for photo plus a few pointers on sharing maybe. For example, I only recently realised I could choose which FB page my images go to which is really helpful as a blogger who has both a personal profile and a fan page. I realise you have to stop somewhere with the cheat sheet though. Are you also planning some tips on 3P support for IG such as followgram.me and statigr.am?

  16. Ok, so I am a relatively new to iPhone and IG. Tip six~ I haven't figured out how to do this, HELP!!! I've only been able to use pics taken thru IG. Thanks!!!

  17. what version of instagram are you using? ive already updated my ig but still there's no lux! 🙁

  18. Thanks for the tips…have been playing around with Instagram a bit the past month for March photo a Day, but am going to share my April pics on Instagram as well as my blog, and this really helped, thanks 🙂

  19. This is a great cheat sheet Chantelle! I'm a massive Instagram fan, but I always process my photos in another editor first – it used to be Photoshop, but no I use Photoforge 2 which gives you more control over individual aspects.

    If you want to delve into even MORE stats, you can use Statigr.am to get optimum times of the day to post, see which filters are most popular, etc…

    Toby. xx

  20. This is great! I'm a new user on IG, with an Android, but unfortunately the app for Android does not have the raindrop feature 🙁

  21. Yes, it does have the raindrop! I don't know how long it's been there, but after seeing this cheat sheet I actually looked for it, and it's there.

  22. thanks for putting all the tips together. now i'll be able to give the link to this post to people who have questions about how instagram works.

    one tip that i would recommend be included in this collection (and i see it happen often) is about using the @username for comments and replies. so, if other people comment on your photo you will always get notification of that comment but if you reply to commenters you must include their @username or they won't be able to see your reply. it's different from facebook in that way but similar to twitter in how that works 🙂

  23. I am a life coach. I would like to use Instagram to attract people who are interested in having more Time and Freedom in their lives. Who should I follow? What brands should I follow? What photos should I post? Is it a good idea to follow other life coaches with the same niche?

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