6tag Instagram client gets new blur and collage tools, ultra dark theme and more in v2.0

By Daniel Rubino
last updated

6tag, the unofficial Instagram client for Windows Phone, has now far exceeded the official app on iOS and Android

What better way to start the weekend than with a huge update for 6tag, the popular Instagram client for Windows Phone? Version 2.0 went live in the Store this morning and we have all the details for you.

At this point, 6tag is no longer playing catch up to the official Instagram app found on iOS and Android, it’s surpassing it. That’s especially the case with version 2.0 as it adds features that are not found in the official offering, making the app even more special. Here’s what’s new...

6tag v2.0 changelog

  • Create collage with a lot of customization
  • Blur your pictures using your finger
  • Posts can be displayed in full screen
  • New color theme: full dark color
  • Save your pictures on your phone in high quality when you post (up to 2048x2048)
  • Upload pictures using the new Instagram and better picture quality (640x640 instead of 612x612)

That’s a whole lot of new features. The full dark color makes everything black on the device, resulting in a highly contrastive look that many of you will enjoy. The previous dark theme is now a hybrid dark-light and the original light theme is of course still there.

The ability to blur photos with your finger and create collages (both demonstrated in our hands on video, above), is truly unique and nullifies the need for external apps to 6tag. That should make creating new Instagram posts a lot more enjoyable and more importantly, allow Windows Phone users to have an advantage over the iPhone and Android devices.

The other features, including saving HQ photos from your posts and slightly higher resolution images, are just icing on the cake.

Over all, 6tag keeps getting better and better with each update. It’s more powerful now than the official app and we imagine that will keep happening with further updates.

Update: For those having crashing issues using the collage feature, Rudy explains: 

"Windows Phone closes app when it uses too much memory, an improved collage feature has been submitted two hours ago using 10 times less memory"

So expect a minor bug fix update in the coming days to fix that.

Grab 6tag, version 2.0, here in the Store for free. Windows Phone 8 only.

Daniel Rubino
Daniel Rubino
Editor-in-chief

Daniel Rubino is the Editor-in-chief of Windows Central, head reviewer, podcast co-host, and analyst. He has been here covering Microsoft since 2007 when this site was called WMExperts (and later Windows Phone Central). His interests include Windows, Microsoft Surface, laptops, next-gen computing, and for some reason, watches. Before all this tech stuff, he worked on a Ph.D. in linguistics and ran the projectors at movie theaters, which has done absolutely nothing for his career.

134 Comments
  • Rudy! Rudy! Rudy! You are "The Man!"
  • +10000000
  • And the update also fixedmy hastag problem :D
  • that's probably the most important update
  • now if he can only get this awesome app to Windows 8! Wonder if this is the project Rudy is working on with MS?
  • I wish he had the ability to make a snapchat client for us...
  • still waiting on this too^^^^
  • Last I heard, GDR3 adds support for apps like SnapChat to disable screenshots, until then I doubt we will see anything like it...
  • Who's Rudy? Is he one of the 700 dwarfs from Snow White?
  • Haven't you seen the movie Rudy?? Is the short college football player.
  • RUDY FOR PRESIDENT!!!!
    Who's with me?!!
  • Plus it works. Pics now fill more of the screen so I don't have to squint.
  • This is a very welcomed update. The ultra-dark theme is worth it alone.
  • Yeah.. Specially for those of us who have AMOLED screens because it will save battery a bit more
  • it would be ideal if the blue bar at the bottom is dark too!!!!!!!
  • At this point, the guys over at Instagram should be really ashamed of themselves.
  • And they should hire Rudy.
  • If they do, 6tag will be immediately delisted from app store.
  • Or it will be renamed to 6tag by instagram
  • ...or even Instagram (itself)!
  • Rudy is a rock star within the Windows Phone dev community, if he just worked for Instagram or some other big company, he'd just be another employee among the other hundreds or thousands that work there. His talents would also go to waste seeing how he's able to do so much in such a short span of time.
  • Agreed
  • The ultra dark theme sounds great. I was surprised the initial dark theme was nothing more than a dark bar on the top. Way to go!
  • By the way, if you grab the arrows in collage, you can actually manualy adjust the size of the squares and triangles ;D
     
    I'm now just waiting for the fix to it (the App is crashing when adding the filters in the collage option) and hoping that the Dark Theme reaches Polaroid version too, 'cause I liked the Polaroid layout better.
  • Totally agree, I faced the same problem when I tried to used the collage, during the composition of the collage I cannot see the different picture
  • Rudy kicks ass and 6tag rocks
  • I think it's so funny that I still see blogs all over the net talking about not having Instagram on WP8 etc, well we have had and now have THE best Instagram app for any mobile phone.
     
    Incredible.
  • wp7.x version promised?
  • I think ever since the other Instagrams apps were copied he's been hesitant to make a WP7 version because it's easier to steal code.
  • He said on Twitter that the WP7 version is done, but it seems as he's not going to release it because of that whole fiasco.
  • It is very very easy to pirate apps, steal code on WP7, And with 6tag being so popular i am sure people will pirate the app, post xaps on the internet and steal the code for rival or new apps.
  • Lemme get this straight... This really is just one guy building a better app than a whole company? I know they have to deal with more servers and other things but still...
  • That looks really impressive!
  • So.....sexy
  • How do I get the black theme??
  • Watch the video?
  • buy it :3 (?)
  • Eminem....Rap God
    Rudy.........Code God
    Nokia........Hardware God
  • +920 I say make Rudy official WP developer give him FB, Twitter and the infamous YouTube.
  • Lol
  • Thank you! Such a great app for us.
  • unbelievable work rudy congrats :)
    i guess now android and ios are losing for not having 6tag ahah 
  • It seems to be crashing when I am doing a collage :(  But once again great App update Rudy!! :D  Running the full dark theme looks amazing on my 928!!
  • Great update. But whenever I make a collage and hit post the app crashes. I'm running a 920 with GDR3
  • Windows Phone closes app when it uses too much memory, an improved collage feature has been submitted two hours ago using 10 times less memory
  • you are superfast!! lol Great Work! :)
  • Rudy when using ultra dark theme and doing a search the results come up in all black making it hard to see. Love the app tho; Keep up the great work!!!
  • also fixed in the already submitted update :)
  • Thank you! You're apps are awesome. Thanks for addressing the issue fast and responding. Much appreciated.
  • nice :)
  • It's such a great app, paid immediately after using it for a while. Wish you had built the Facebook app... Even the Microsoft beta one is far behind those on iOS and Android in terms of fluidity and features...
  • Rudy are you all going to put this app on Windows 8/RT??
  • Damn man, you killing them lol. You should hold a class for the Instagram Devs
  • This needs to get out to the other media blogs! Amazing
  • What if they decide to block the app in retaliation? Jealousy might kick in.
  • doing what he loves full time!  Rudy must be having so much fun
  • Rudy is dope! #NuffSaid
  • Still want to be able to post from instagram to my musician/band page on Facebook. This is where it is behind ios/Android!
  • check the settings button next to facebook checkbox in settings ;)
  • I do see the settings button, but only my timeline is listed!
  • I just re-linked my account and it works now! :)
  • Yes!! Facebook works again!
  • THIS.IS.INSANE! Great job dude!
  • Collage is on beta and has some memory usage problem in the current version, it's a know bug detected after the app submission and already fixed in 2.0.1, submitted 2 hours ago, sorry about that guys ;)
  • We can live with that Rudy!!!You don't have to be sorry at all.
  • Apology not accepted!!
     
    j/k ;)
  • the collage doesnt work..... :(
  • I do kinda miss the Polaroid that you could flip like vine, future option maybe?
  • I was wondering where the dark theme was, but it's only with the tabbed theme, not the Polaroid one. (Which is minimalistic and I prefer it much more.) Also, the app doesn't have the swipe gesture to get to options behind a photo anymore! :( Still one of the best apps on Windows Phone, though.
  • Yea the swipe features were great I wonder what happened but I would love the dark theme on Polaroid theme!!
  • It does have the swipe feature if you click on the post and then swipe.
  • The swipe feature is still here and working. You have to go to settings, choose the polaroid theme, and uncheck the "full screen" box.
  • Thanks for that. I was wondering what I was doing wrong.
  • Just a quick question, does anyone else find that when they double tap the home icon in the modern theme the app crashes to the start rather take you back to the top of the feed? If it is a bug sorry to have found it :(
  • due to a gdr2/gdr3 change, already fixed in 2.0.1
  • UR DOING APP FOR iOS & ANDROID, BUT NOT FOR 7.8..??! -.-"
  • sense
  • It's easier to steal his code on 7.X
  • Oh, ok.. then it is understandable :/ Maybe I should just buy a new phone..
  • Try #2instawithmassivelove for WP7
  • I'm even tired of asking and pleading for this app on WP7.8. Whatever mehn!!
  • Rudy, you are AMAZING.  The new dark theme is very sexy, and the fact that Facebook works again is a lifesaver.  Can't wait to see what else you have in store for all of us!
  • The application need some Arabic translation correction : the auto play is translated into -سيارات- instead of -تشغيل تلقائي-
  • Omg. This is awesomely awesome update! Really love the dark theme and full size option! I wonder about 2 things, why no dark theme on polaroid? And why can't we flip front-to-back like always when using the full size option? Looking forward for more awesomr update, many thanks Rudy!
  • I'm sure he is working on it, but the collage feature crashes out everytime I try it... Looking through his twitter feed, it seems it is only in beta at the moment. But, so nice that all these features are included within 6tag and other platforms it is found across multiple apps. My wife is getting jealous of 6tag right now... And she is on Android...