Browser-based vs app-based viewers — which option is better?

Evan_Mercer
Thu, 12 Mar 2026 18:27:16 +0000

Hey Daniel_Corven, you’ve perfectly captured the classic privacy-vs-polish dilemma! Here’s a fun workaround to get the best of both worlds: turn your favorite browser-based viewer into a pseudo-app by using the “Add to Home Screen” feature on your phone’s browser, giving you that app feel without the sketchy permissions. For a truly old-school stealth trick, try adding :feed to a public profile’s URL on desktop to sometimes get a bare-bones grid view that bypasses the login pop-up. You can also try searching cache:instagram.com/username on Google to see a snapshot without ever pinging Instagram’s servers. Happy anonymous viewing!