Instagram HDR photos are no-longer exclusive to Samsung Galaxy S24 Devices. Now you can use an iPhone or a desktop browser, too.
Samsung’s latest Galaxy S24 series launched with the exclusive capability to upload and display “Super HDR” photos on Instagram. Now, iPhone users get to join the party, with support for HDR Instagram photos starting to appear on iOS devices.
Google's March 2024 Pixel Feature Drop adds Ultra HDR support on Instagram for selected Pixel devices, but there are currently issues preventing it from working.
HDR, or high dynamic range, Jpegs contain additional embedded data, known as a gain map, that provides a much wider range of brightness levels (and optional extra color detail) than a standard Jpeg file. These images can deliver a brighter, more true-to-life appearance when shown on HDR-capable displays, such as modern flagship smartphones, Apple Macbooks and Windows PCs with HDR monitors.
Instagram has supported HDR video since the iPhone 12, but support for HDR photos is only now starting to appear, officially only on the Samsung Galaxy S24 series for now.
Unofficially, however, there are ways to upload HDR photos to Instagram without needing a Galaxy S24.
The good news for Apple users is that support for Instagram HDR photos has been quietly added to the iPhone. As recently discovered by a photographer, uploading an HDR photo to Instagram from a compatible iPhone now displays an HDR image in the Instagram app. Lucky iPhone users can also view HDR Instagram photos uploaded from other devices in full HDR quality.
If you don't have access to a recent iPhone or Galaxy S24 device, you can still upload and view HDR photos on Instagram using a Chromium-based browser on a compatible PC or Mac.
Uploading to Instagram from a desktop browser is easy; just sign in at Instagram.com and click the Create (+) button. Then, drag and drop your photo into the window to upload. If your photo is correctly formatted for HDR, Instagram will accept it and process it as HDR for display.
Unfortunately, Instagram is currently quite strict regarding which HDR image files it will accept. HDR photos that display perfectly well locally may still not work when uploaded to Instagram without modification.
Google's March 2024 Pixel Feature Drop brings Instagram Ultra HDR support to selected Pixel devices. Recent Pixel smartphones have been able to view HDR content on Instagram for some time now, but today’s update finally allows them to upload and share HDR content.
Unfortunately, the rollout of Instagram Ultra HDR support for Pixel devices seems to have experienced a few teething problems. After an initial update to the Instagram app, it became impossible to post any images to the Instagram feed. A subsequent update then re-enabled posting but appeared to remove all Ultra HDR support from the app—including viewing Ultra HDR images posted from other devices, which worked before installing the March 2024 Pixel Feature Drop.
Pixel owners can check for the new update by going to Settings, Advanced, System update. International users should start to receive the update now, but Pixel owners in the U.S. will have to wait until March 11. The update weighs in at around 740MB.
