How to Watch Instagram Live Videos in a Browser

If you spend a lot of time on Instagram, you’ve no doubt seen Instagram Live videos. But can you watch Instagram Live videos in a browser? The answer is yes and no.

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The first thing you need to know is that logging into your Instagram account on a web browser on your PC or Mac won’t be of any help. Instead, you’ll need to download an extension.

Chrome IG Story used to be the go-to method for watching Instagram Live videos, but it’s no longer available. So, what are the Chrome IG Story alternatives you can use instead?

How to Use Desktop for Instagram

If you’re on a PC or Mac, your options for watching Instagram Live videos are extremely limited. So much so that we actually recommend you watch Instagram Live videos through the Instagram mobile app. If you want detailed instructions on how to do so, check out the Instagram help page for more information.

However, just because the options to watch Instagram Live on a computer are extremely limited does not mean that there are no browser add-ons for the app. There are tons of Instagram extensions for Chrome that offer increased functionality for the site’s other features.

One of the best that we’ve tested is Desktop for Instagram, by Devanco.

Using this app, you can search Instagram for recent videos and pictures. You can watch people’s stories, post your own videos to IGTV, and download videos and pictures from Instagram to your desktop.

The developers claim that this extension lets you do everything you would normally do on the mobile Instagram app, including watching Instagram Live videos. However, after testing Desktop for Instagram, we don’t think it quite lives up to the hype.

Even worse is the fact that we tested a lot of different extensions to find one which lets you watch Instagram Live videos in a browser, and Desktop for Instagram is the best option. So, again, we recommend using the mobile app for that specific purpose.

Additional Apps Worth Trying

If you’re determined to find an alternative way of watching Instagram Live videos, there are other apps worth trying…

There’s a tool called Loola.tv that allows you to stream live videos from your desktop to multiple platforms. However, Loola is strictly geared towards content creators, not followers who want to watch Instagram Live on PC. This means it’s not suitable for watching Live Videos in a browser.

Another extension—the Instagram Windows App for PC—also allows you to use Instagram on a desktop. For a while it was recommended as another go-to option for anyone using the social media site through a computer.

Unfortunately, the Instagram Windows App doesn’t appear to support Instagram Live on PC. The app also has a much lower rating than Desktop for Instagram. So keep this in mind if you decide to check it out.

The Instagram Mobile App Is the Best Option

As we said at the beginning, there’s no easy way to watch Instagram Live videos in a browser. So the Instagram mobile app remains the best option. But if you’re desperate for another solution, try Desktop for Instagram and see if it works for you.

In the meantime, if you’re new to Instagram, you should read our guide to IGTV and how it works in order to get yourself more acquainted with the platform before doing anything else.

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