Instagram now lets you create Stories without the app
Instagram's website just became a much more viable alternative to the full app.
The company is adding the ability for users to create Stories right from the mobile version of its website. The feature is starting to roll out now, along with the ability to save posts from mobile web.
Though many users in the U.S. and Europe rely on the app, Instagram has been steadily increasing the functionality of its mobile site in recent months as it looks to grow its users in developing markets where the app may be too data or resource intensive for many users.
And, unlike Facebook and Messenger, there isn't yet a dedicated "lite" version of Instagram, though the app is working on offline functionality.
Until it does, though, Instagram is relying on its mobile website to carry it to the 1 billion user mark and beyond. The company previously added the ability to post photos from its mobile site in May.
Now, adding Stories creation -- arguably one of Instagram's most popular feature -- is an important next step toward making Instagram.com a viable alternative to those who wouldn't otherwise use the app.
Topics Instagram Social Media
Karissa was Mashable's Senior Tech Reporter, and is based in San Francisco. She covers social media platforms, Silicon Valley, and the many ways technology is changing our lives. Her work has also appeared in Wired, Macworld, Popular Mechanics, and The Wirecutter. In her free time, she enjoys snowboarding and watching too many cat videos on Instagram. Follow her on Twitter @karissabe.
