Instagram users like Instagram Reels because they have small bits of information, entertainment, and inspiration. But, unlike the mobile app, the desktop version only lets users access Reels through their profiles. There are ways around this, though, and you can use a desktop to use the mobile app version of Reels.
How to Watch Instagram Reels on a Windows PC
The desktop version does not allow you to browse Reels that are not on people’s profiles. However, using an emulator or a Google search will give you access to a broader range of games.
Type “Instagram Reels” into Google to find them.
Enter a Google Search for Instagram Reels
This way gives you access to Reels about a certain topic.
- Go to Google.com.
- In the search box, type SITE: InstagramReel. There will be a display of thousands of Instagram Reel winners.
- Now place your cursor at the end of the search query you’ve just entered and hit the space bar twice.
- Type in your Reel topic of interest beside the query, for example: SITE: InstagramReel dancing.
- Hit Enter, then click on a result to be taken to the Reel footage on Instagram.com.
Use BlueStacks 5 Emulator
You can also use an Emulator to access the mobile app version of Reels from your PC if you prefer not to enter Google searches to find Reels. Emulators like GameLoop, LD Player, MEmu Player, and BlueStacks 5 are available. You can watch Instagram Reels on your PC without any issues by installing an Android emulator like BlueStacks 5.
BlueStacks will work well on your computer if it meets these conditions.
- Windows 7 OS and above
- Intel or AMD Processor
- At least 2GB of RAM
- 5GB Free Disk Space
- Update-to-date graphics card driver
Download and Install BlueStacks
- Go to the BlueStacks 5 for Windows 11 page on the main website.
- The Download BlueStacks button is located in the top right corner. Click it. The setup file for the BlueStacks software will be downloaded.
- Right-click on the setup file and choose “Run as administrator.”
- From the BlueStacks setup window, you can click Install Now or Update. Now, the BlueStacks 5 Emulator will start to install.
- The Emulator will launch once the installation is complete.
Install Instagram App in BlueStacks
- When you open BlueStacks, the Play Store icon will be on the home screen.
- Sign into your Google account after clicking on it.
- Find the Instagram app, then install it on your phone.
- Open Instagram after installation, then sign in.
How to Watch Instagram Reels
With BlueStacks installed on your PC, you can watch Instagram Reels just like you would with the app on your phone. Here are three quick and easy ways to access and watch a Reel.
- Look via your feed until you find a Reels video. Tap the icon to watch the video, which will display in the bottom left corner.
- Tap the magnifying glass icon to go to the “Explore” feed. At the top of the screen, a large Reels video should show. To see more Reels movies, tap “Reels” and swipe down.
- Or, if you have shared Reels, you can watch them by wiping the “Reels” icon on your profile page.
How to Watch Instagram Reels on a Mac
When you use a desktop to access Reels, the only way to see Reels is to open the profiles of Reels subscribers. However, you can get the mobile app experience on your Mac by searching for Reels in Google or installing an Emulator.
Enter a Search Query in Google
- Find your way to Google.com.
- Type InstagramReel into the search box on the site.
- Put the cursor at the end of the search query and switched the space bar twice.
- Type a Reels topic of interest next to the query. For Reels about “dancing,” the complete query should read SITE: InstagramReel dance.
- Hit Enter, then connect on a result to watch it on Instagram.com.
Use BlueStacks 5 Emulator
If you choose not to use Google, you can emulate an Android phone and access Instagram’s mobile app using BlueStacks 5 Emulator. There are also GameLoop, LD Player, and MEmu Player, which are all Android emulators. BlueStacks for macOS is easy to set up and will work well if your Mac meets these system needs.
- macOS 10.12 (Sierra)
- Intel or AMD Dual-Core processor
- Intel HD 5200 or higher
- 4 GB RAM
- 8 GB of available disk space
Download and Install BlueStacks
- Go to the official BlueStacks website and click on the button that says “Download BlueStacks for Mac.”
- After you’ve got the installer file, double-click it to open it.ooooo
- In the BlueStacks Installer window, double-click on the BlueStacks icon to start the installation.
- You will be prompted to confirm whether you wish to use the BlueStacks Installer. Click Open to continue.
- In the new BlueStacks window, click on Install Now.
- You’ll be asked to verify your username and password. Fill in the required information, then click on Install Helper.
- In the System Extension Blocked popup window, click on Open Security & Privacy.
- In the Security & Privacy settings window from the General tab, click on Allow.
- If you’re running macOS 11 Big Sur, do the following:
- Click on Restart to reboot your Mac. If you receive a “BlueStacks interrupted” message, click Cancel, then close BlueStacks.
- Go to the Security & Privacy menu, then Restart.
- If you’re running macOS 10.15 Catalina or below, open the BlueStacks app.
Install Instagram App in BlueStacks
- In BlueStacks, open Play Store.
- Sign in to your Google account.
- Enter a search for the Instagram app, then install it.
- Open Instagram, then sign in to your account.
- If you can’t see the Reels icon, try closing Instagram and re-opening it.
How to Watch Instagram Reels
With BlueStacks installed on your PC, you can watch Instagram Reels just like you would with the app on your phone. Here are three quick and easy ways to access and watch a Reel.
- Look via your feed until you find a Reels video. Tap the icon to watch the video, which will display in the bottom left corner.
- Tap the magnifying glass icon to go to the “Explore” feed. At the top of the screen, a large Reels video should show. To see more Reels movies, tap “Reels” and swipe down.
- Or, if you have shared Reels, you can watch them by wiping the “Reels” icon on your profile page.
How to Watch Instagram Reels on a Chromebook
When you use a desktop to access Reels, the only way to see Reels is to open the profiles of Reels subscribers. However, you can get the mobile app experience on your Mac by searching for Reels in Google or installing an Emulator.
Enter a Search Query in Google
- From Google.com, enter SITE: InstagramReel into the search box.
- Put the cursor at the end of the search query and switched the space bar twice.
- Type a Reels topic of interest next to the query. For Reels about “dancing,” the complete query should read SITE: InstagramReel dance.
- Hit Enter, then connect on a result to watch it on Instagram.com.
Use BlueStacks 5 Emulator
Alternatively, if you prefer not to enter Google searches, you can use an Emulator to mimic the mobile app Instagram experience. With an Android Emulator like BlueStacks 5, you can watch Instagram Reels from your Chromebook.
Installing BlueStacks is easy once your computer has the following requirements.
- The latest ChromeOS version
- Intel or AMD Processor
- At least 2GB of RAM
- 5GB Free Disk Space
Download and Install BlueStacks
- Go to the official BlueStacks website and click on the button that says “Download BlueStacks for Mac.”
- Right-click on the setup file to Run as administrator.
- From the BlueStacks setup window, click on Install Now. The BlueStacks 5 Emulator will kick off the installation process.
- Once the installation is complete, BlueStacks will launch.
Install Instagram App in BlueStacks
- Open the Play Store app in BlueStacks. Sign in to your account on Google.
- Find the Instagram app by searching for it, then install it.
- Open Instagram, then go to your account and sign in.
- If you can’t find the Reels icon, try closing and reopening Instagram.
How to Watch Instagram Reels
With BlueStacks, you can access Instagram Reels and watch them like you would on your phone. For quick access to the Reels video, here are three choices.
- Check your feed until you find a video from Reels. To watch the video, tap the Reels icon in the screen’s bottom left corner.
- You can use the “Explore” feature of the feed by tapping on the magnifying glass icon. At the top of the screen, there should be a large Reels video display. Tap “Reels,” then swipe down to see more movies.
- You can watch your Reels by tapping the “Reels” icon on your profile page.
Time to Access Reels From Your Desktop
With restricted desktop access, Instagram Reels can only be accessed fully through the mobile app. By entering specific Reels videos into Google searches, you can access a larger range from your desktop. Or, you can emulate a mobile device with an emulator like BlueStacks 5 and then install the Instagram mobile app to see more Reels. BlueStacks used to only work on Windows but now works on macOS and ChromeOS.
Did your desktop give you access to more Reels videos? What method did you use? Tell us in the area below for comments.
