All I can say is that there were multiple good ones but Instagram crippled them, devs have repeatedly expressed their frustration and gave up practically. So no there is no frontend for Instagram that’s works anymore. Thanks meta!
this post was submitted on 02 Jan 2025
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What works best for me is the web version on desktop with an ad blocker. Runs relatively smoothly, no annoying ads.
The web version works without an account? That'd be news to me.
It works as long as you’re on an IP address that Meta approves. If you’re using a VPN (or even PiHole iirc) it doesn’t work.
So I have to use their malware on my phone when someone sends me a DM on there.
I saved and older post where this was mentioned: https://imginn.com/ Seems like it's still working and comments are available
Enshitification made third-party apps disappeared. Prefer true open source project instead like Pixelfed for example.
I am more interested a self hosted Instagram solutions. I wish immich supports comments and emoji.
As a dev, I think of the potentially years of work wasted on clients for corporate services who could pull the rug out from under you at any moment. Poof, years of labor in the trash.
I'll never understand people writing apps / clients for them.
did you try pixelfed? It's basically a selfhostable, federated instagram
Of course I took a look. I like pixelfed's comment feature, but it lacks other features from immich and photo prism. Pixelfed is also written from php. I don't know how many new developers will learn php and contribute to pixelfed. Thanks for the recommendation though.
Open source? Probably not, but the new instander beta (only available on telegram) is really promising and works well.
There isn't a functional open source frontend that I'm aware of, the best you can get is modded like MyInsta or Instaflow (or Revanced if you want open source mods)
I thought the revanced projects were dead/took back by a shady group ?
no they're chill, but Instagram only has one patch to block story ads so it's not much good
So what is the preferred way to access those apps now if you don't mind ?
On Telegram, MyInsta is "instasmash", Instaflow is "instaflowupdates"
Thank you very much
I'm not an IT person but I use instagram lite and Facebook lite (which has built in messenger) on android to save data and make it less addictive. I just download the apk. Is there a better way?
Isn't Facebook lite dead?
It works for me still, it's just not on play store
I prefer to use alternatives instead of front ends for Instacrap, eg. Pixelfed (OpenSource, federated and decentralized)
Well that doesn't solve their problem at all
that's ok if you want to publish content. but frontends are for a different purpose: you were never able to use them for that, they are for viewing instagram content
I know what is a front-end, but not really needed if you want to use it only to see the content to stay private. Posting on any Zuckebot crap no front-end will protect you. Use a VPN and a good ad/tracking blocker, eg. uBO, so you don't need a third party app to visit pages of Big Brother companies, which also can log your data and add more fingerprint data as before.
Use a VPN and a good ad/tracking blocker
Have you tried going to Instagram with a VPN on? You can't see shit unless you log in, and I don't want to make an account.
I'd rather lick my elbow before creating an account on this shit, but sometimes you come across links to certain posts on this site that require you to view them.