- Instagram is a smartphone-first social media service, meaning its features and functions are built around use on smartphones and tablets.
- But the Facebook-owned service recently pivoted toward desktop use through the web as more people than ever are stuck indoors using computers.
- The latest move comes to Instagram’s live videos, which are now available to watch on the web.
- It’s perfect timing, as everyone from celebrities to sports stars are streaming live on the service.
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Tired of trying to watch Instagram Live videos on your phone screen, as comments and emoji reactions overwhelm whatever you’re watching?
Great news: Instagram Live is now available through the web, and the viewing experience is far more comfortable.
Instead of overlaying comments and emojis, the web version of Instagram separates them out to the side – similar to how services like Twitch work, with a separated user response column to the right side of the video feed.
And finding live videos is exactly as easy as it is on the app:
In your Stories section, Live videos are labelled as such - as you can see above, there's a little magenta-colored rectangle that says "LIVE."
Functionality on the web is seemingly identical, with the ability to comment and/or add emoji reactions in real time.
That said, there is still no way to publish your own content through the web, nor is there a way to go live or add to Stories through the desktop site.