Hallelujah! Instagram is officially coming to Windows Phone in the “coming weeks”

The day has finally arrived, folks. Instagram is officially heading to Windows Phone in the “coming weeks”. Announced this morning in Abu Dhabi during Nokia World 2013, the longtime thorn in the heel for Microsoft’s struggling platform has finally been pulled.

Kevin Systrom, CEO and co-founder of Instagram had this to say of the announcement:

"Our ultimate goal is to bring Instagram to everyone who wants to use it…We're looking forward to watching the Windows Phone community use Instagram to capture and share beautiful moments in the coming weeks."

That is undoubtedly a big turnaround in the company who famously gave the cold shoulder to Microsoft, despite the platform’s recent heavy focus on imaging i.e. the Lumia 1020. Granted, Windows Phone users have had quite a few Instagram clients available to them, including the highly rated 6tag from developer Rudy Huyn. But nailing an official title, especially one as important as Instagram, gives the necessary validation to Redmond’s struggling platform.

6tag still appears to best the official app in terms of raw features, but in the end it is all about consumer choice and that companies recognize Windows Phone as a legitimate mobile platform. With an official Instagram app developed by Microsoft coming in the next few weeks, the Windows Phone community can finally move on to their next big challenge. Victory, is here.

Congratulations, to the Windows Phone community.

Daniel Rubino is the Executive Editor of Windows Central, head reviewer, podcast co-host, and analyst. He has been covering Microsoft here since 2007, back when this site was called WMExperts (and later Windows Phone Central). His interests include Windows, Microsoft Surface, laptops, next-gen computing, and arguing with people on the internet.

343 Comments

Hell has frozen over.
Might try it. but not leaving 6tag. Rudy supporter till the end!!
Agree, 6tag is a better featured app
+720
How can you say its a better app when you haven't even seen it?
We already know because instagram is owned by Facebook and Facebook don't like Windows Phones.
Right on brother
+1520
Actually that's false. Facebook has a better relationship with MS than it does Apple. Zuck stated he isn't involved with direct decisions of instagram management.
Because there is an official app on other platforms.
99% of wp users I meet do not even know what 6sec or 6tag are, they search for original instagram/Vine Apps (but many have Instagraph).
Rudy was nice, but c'mon, we have 100% FREE official apps here (no more fake filters, hashtag problems and password resets :)
Really apologize for him, but I'm really, really, really happy for WP :) !!!!
Yeah, I'm sure the new apps will be nice. But seriously, I've never had an issue with 6tag or 6sec. They are beautifully designed applications and I'll continue using them.
Agree. I just hope Instagram being official doesn't drive out the excellent 6Tag and other offers from Windows app store.
Then they aren't TRUE WP users. If they were, they'd know about the lack of "must have apps" on this platform. Developer prejudice is what I call it.
Dude, when you search for Instragram on windows store, the first result you get is 6tag which has 32000+ reviews! where as Instagraph is in not even in the top 5 list and got only 788 reviews with avg star of 3.5 only.
Wake up from your dream and know the fact.
How could you say that when the app hasn't been released yet.
+920
except it doesnt have video filters; this is why I would use the official one.
+720
I gave Rudy my money, but our pic shares are limited due to instagrams filtration, if that's out, yes I'll keep on using 6tag
^this..!! I feel exactly the same way..
True dat! Besides, we don't "really" need an official instagram app that much, now that 6tag really surpasses the the official app itself by standards in comparison with iOS or Android, it doesn't even come close. Sure we still need the "instagram" platform to get in, but Rudy hit the home run with his 6tag app!!! Well done Rudy!!!
+720
+808
Agreed, 6tag is phenomenal.
Anyone that uses windows needs to use 6tag because it is the new standard for instagram app. The only that the official will have is the name: official.
But hash tags don't work correctly so instagram is needed
agreed
Will stay with Rudy till the end \o/
Yeah, I'll keep using 6tag, I like it.
This more to lure in future windows phone buyers, not to convert 6tag users to instagram. And I also wonder if 6tag will get ads? This might be another reason for the official app. Instgram may losing ad money with 6tag not showing ads. Just a guess.
Agreed. Screw Instagram!
+920x1020x1320x1520
This times 925 =?
Sorry, should have included 925 and 928 as well :-)
What if 6tag IS the Instagram app in disguise. :)
Rudy for President!
Well then you better give Obama some C# lessons first !!
I completely agree. I got an iPhone a week ago (for development purposes for my job), and I'd say I would w prefer 6tag over the official instagram app
Hell not leaving 6tag for it.6tag defines windowsphone.
What are all those Apple-sponsored reviewers going to moan about now?? haha!!!
They'll have something up their balls.
YouTube
6tag awesome but to the potential new customers, gotta have the official. You tell them what 6yag is and they'll never compute.
Exactly! I like 6tag, but we need official apps if we want WP to succeed.
lol, thank goodness!
Yeah!!!
Hell Yeah❕❕❕❕❕❕❕❕❕❕❕❕❕❕❕❕❗❗❗❗❗❗❗❗
Shhhhh! Keep it down. I'm trying to sleep.
Damn though. i was expecting snapchat but didnt expect to see instagram here
Rudy tweeted today about spending about 4 hours in developing a bare bones snapchat app already. haha We'll see if he plans to push it forward like 6sec/6tag or not...
What's Rudy's twitter account?
People can finally shut up about instagram
Amen
That's the best part of seeing this news.
+1, will not miss the instagram whiners one bit
this.
Yep, and I can't wait to get my hands on the Phablets.
Yes, I can finally shut my trap.. Your welcome..
Hallelujah
My welcome what?
❔
You said "your welcome", not "you're welcome", and they don't mean the same thing.
Who gives a flying rats ass mister.. Lol❕❔❗❓❔❗❓
Who? Let's see... people who aren't illiterate, people who like to communicate effectively, people who pay attention to detail... the list goes on! :P Ö Ü ⇪
Oh, geeezzzzzz.
Really? Finally?
FP.
+1
I came here to say that! I have absolutely no interest in Instagram, but I want it on WP so everyone will shut the hell up about it on every article.
Amen, bro.
It'll be just like Pandora. I had expected TENS of thousand of happy positive reviews! As of late, it sits at 5241 reviews. WTF! So it leads me to think, its not the app itself that's important. To many, its just having the official available that rattles their bones.
Well... you could say that 1% of people even bother to leave a review, so it could represent a much bigger number. Also, you don't see reviews from other markets, it was released for WP8 only, and it's not even available world-wide! I can't get it in Australia :S
What are you talking about, Pandora is in Australia, I've been using it since its launch.
Not Pandora itself, but the official app. Says "not available in your region" for me
I never cared, but if it brings in converts, so be it. With that being said, SCREW Instagram!
No they wont.
They'll whine because it's not available as a W8.1 app.
So just to get it out there, allow me to be the first....

<whine>
eeehh! When the hell are we gonna get Instagram on W8.1 app store? eehh!
</whine>
Yeah, but what about VSCO cam...!?
:)
I hope this happens I use their Lightroom presets and they are awesome
I bet 925 that it won't happen...
Oh Rudy Huyn you did all this job just for this ?
No, imo i think its thanks to Rudy and all the other devs who made Instagram clients that showed instagram what wp can achieve. Well done guys.
^--this. 6tag will probably continue to lead the way with features that the official client will probably never have. Rudy has already done that in the latest version with built in collage, manual blurring, etc.
Agreed
'Coming weeks' sounds surprisingly soon!
Yeah, fingers crossed for March 2014 :|
LMAO...i was thinking exactly the same thing! Hilarious.
Technically isn't any week that hasn't arrived yet a "coming week"?
Well, as long as AT&T isn't testing it they may actually release it in the coming weeks
screw them, I'm sticking with 6tag :)
+720
Me too, but going to download it all the same. Just to show it's a demand...
bout time
Yey no more moaning!
Oh there will be. I predict the next moaning will be about how AT&T users will not get Lumia Black (Bittersweet Shimmer).
Nah... Verizon gets the shaft this time. First TMO, then AT&T, and now Verizon. Everyone gets a turn!
That's the best news I've heard so far today. Of course its only 1:34am right now.
It would be sad if Armageddon happened today...
Never thought I'd see the day...
OMG, is all I can say right now!!!
Okay, now talk about Nokia Beamer, looks like a mirroring app for L1520
Are you happy now hipsters?!
10 years later, nice though.
finally!!!...

I dont use instagram... but surely a good news for WP
Now we can shut those fandroids and ios mouths! Bring it on nokia!
Actually, people on iOS will not shut up. When Instagram for Android was released, hell broke loose on various parts of the internet because they were so sure that Fandroids were not hipster enough to take decent/classy pictures and they still complain to date. So how will they think of Windows Phone users now that the official app is coming?
I would have to say WP users are a new bread of Hipster...and I've seen some pretty amazing photos on Oggl...so don't count out the WP users. I've also seen some pretty bad pictures from iPhones...from Hipsters...the term isn't relative anymore grandmothers use iPhones...my Mom (and I love her) is neither hip or stirred.
Man that's fast!
Yawn.

Didn't 6tag kill this thread? :)
Molly Wood is now pissed.
Still waiting for Molly Wood to straight out deny its coming
How does she keep her job not having any tech literate background?
Because CNETs are iWh0res. LOL
RUDY HUYN. Your job helped instagram realize how big our community is. thank you for your service. Some of us will continue to use 6tag, but this news came because of devs like you who is putting us on the map. We are growing!!!
+1520
+720
+920
+520
+1020
+2520. Exactly what I was gonna say, thanks to devs like Rudy who have made instagram open their eyes. However for most us tooo late instagram, we have 6tag and instance now :P which are way better. Having said that this will finally shut up people who actually use "you have no official instagram app" to bash Windows Phone... why people are so latched onto an app is beyond me, when especially there are clearly awesome third party alternatives.
@TechFreak1 +8X! I just started using 6tag because my gf wanted to start sharing pics on instagram and its pretty awesome. I still have no real interest, but a side by side comparison of her iPhone to my Windows Phone made it clear that 6tag > instagram at the moment.
Top post, agree completely.
Agreed!!
+N95 you are 100 percent correct. Instagram saw all of the uploads from 6tag and finally saw the light!!
6tag +1
6Tag +1000000
Wow !! great news!! Thanks Nokia!!
yeah, yeah, but when is Instagram coming? Oh, wait. Wow! Now everyone will shut up about it. That said, I highly doubt that the official Instagram app will be anywhere near as good as 6tag or even Instance. okay, so what should we clamor for next? I say Jet Set Radio and Chu Chu Rocket.
i like the way you think segafan
well microsoft is helping build the app and Rudy is helping Microsoft with a secret project. :)
No doubt they'll block 6tag when it gets released like they did with all the 3rd party Facebook apps
There are a lot of Facebook apps
+520
yup there are still hellova lot of facebook apps in the store lol.
late by a few months haha. 6tag has taken over :P
December!
Oh thank god. But I wonder what people will complain about now.
Bittersweet Shimmer
Yeah, rollout early next year.. but that can be plugged as anyone can get the update 3 preview, which Greg Sullivan (director at windows phone) confirmed on Windows Weekly (episode 333, 17th of October) that is the final code albeit without the bug fixes and firmware updates the oems will apply ontop of it.
Never used, never will.
Hm, I'm the same. I have never used Instagram. Maybe I will in the future, but I just can't see myself ever using it at the moment. Still, it is great to see another official name coming to the Store!
While this will stop the painfully ignorant "you can't use Instagram on Windows Phone" comments, the official app will be hard pushed to better 6tag.
+720
Microsoft is the one developing the App? Well, I think we can be sure that Rudy's 6tag will still be a better App then.
Aww yeahh! I thought the same too! Why don't this stupid Mark's Facebook and Instagram develop an app on their own for WP? Although I am hopeful of receiving a Facebook app from Facebook soon sometime after the official Facebook for Windows 8.1 app (which needs an update desperately as for now). I really want the stickers and all and better chat experience on WP's FB app. :/
FINALLY! But 6tag still has several more features than the offical app even has! But it's great for personal choice and what people prefer!
HOLY BALLS THE UI IS AWESOME!
http://i.imgur.com/tF8i8ex.png
Seeing that only gives me more and more the impression that I'll stay with 6Tag.
Its really not. What's so particularly special about it? Theyre just going to copy, paste and dump the Droid UI onto the app
Instagrammm ! Video support ? I'm afraid , it will limited like android . Only ICS and above will have the video function .
Who cares, 6tag owns!
+720
Windows 8.1 App Hopefully :D
Fuck it, they can't beat 6Tag anymore. They're too late. Rudy, I'll keep supporting you!
1320....720p
Awesome. Thanks for filling the gap when nothing was available Rudy and Daniel! About time instagram!
Yeah...Vine, Instagram, Temple Run 2
Now that is the biggest surprise
Who needs this pathetically late arrival which has shunned the platform when you've got 6tag? Serious question...
Too little, too late, Rudy stole all your thunder and he ain't giving it back
6tag will still have more features then the official app will. Who wants to bet Instagram won't utilize live tiles, camera tiles, quick-share, etc, etc.
Its being developed by Microsoft so it will have every possible feature I'm guessing.
yeah just like the facebook app. LOL hahahahaha
Well their YouTube app was top notch until Google cut it off...
So happy!
Does anybody know if this is just for windows phone 8 or will they make instagram for wp7.x devices?
Don't get your hopes up Daddy's Big Dick...
:(
Tough decision... but unless the official app is really good, I'll stick with 6tag.
Win for the platform. Major WIN!
Much awaited moment. Not cuz i want to use the "official" instagram app but because i am sick of