Get Started with Preview App: Plan your Instagram Feed like a Pro

| Apr 17, 2017

Plan Instagram feed with Preview app
Stop! Click here to see the NEW tutorial.

Hi Instagram lovers! For this tutorial I’m going to show you how to use Preview app to plan your Instagram feed.

If you don’t have the app yet, you can click here to download it so you can follow the tutorial with me.

Ready? Let’s plan your feed.

How to use Preview App

  1. Load your recent Instagram posts to plan your feed
  2. Add photos in Preview
  3. Rearrange your photos
  4. Edit your photos
  5. Plan your caption and save your hashtags
  6. Schedule your Instagram posts
  7. Post on Instagram

I will also show you how to:

Do you need help creating a cohesive Instagram feed? You’ll love our step-by-step guide:
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Step 1. Load your recent Instagram posts to plan your feed

This step is optional.

You don’t need Internet or to login to start using Preview. You can just start adding photos straight away (go to Step 2).

However, you can load your recent Instagram photos in Preview if you want. This way you can plan your feed on top of what you have already posted. To see you recent Instagram posts, you need to login to your Instagram account:

  • Tap the “Settings” icon
  • Select “Login with Instagram”
  • Turn on “Load recent posts”
Do you have trouble logging in? Read this blog post.
Note: Instagram doesn’t allow anyone to rearrange or edit photos that have already been posted on Instagram. You have to add new photos in Preview first to start planning your feed.

Step 2: Add photos in Preview

To add photos in Preview:

  • Tap the “+” icon
  • Select “Add photos / videos”

Android: Select “Photos” or “Recent” apps.

As you can see below, there are many other options. You can also:

Click on the hyperlinks to see the tutorials for that.

Step 3: Rearrange the order of your photos

Like I said before, Instagram doesn’t allow any apps or websites to rearrange or edit photos that have already been posted on Instagram. You have to add new photos in Preview first to start planning your feed.

Once you have added your new photos in Preview, you can move them around to design your feed! This way you know exactly how your feed will look like before you post on Instagram.

There are 3 ways to re-arrange your photos using Preview:

  • Drag & Drop
  • Swap
  • Shuffle

To drag & drop:

  • Select a photo
  • Press & hold
  • Move it on top of another photo
Sometimes I like to take my time designing my feed. I will use the “swap” option when I’m not sure yet where to move the photo. This way I don’t have to hold down my finger on the screen for a long time to re-arrange the order of the photos.

To swap and shuffle photos, select 2 or more photos and hit the “Swap” icon:

Step 4: Edit your photo

Time to edit your photo.

  • Select a photo
  • Tap on the “circle” icon that is in the middle of your menu bar
You can now see 2 icons on top of your screen.

The first icon on the left is the Photo Editor.
The second icon is the Filter Packs section.
You can also apply filters.

The Photo Editor

Tap on the Photo Editor icon.
You will see all the editing tools you need: brightness, contract, borders, whitening tool, blemish remover and more.

Read this blog post for a step-by-step tutorial on how to use the Photo Editor.

The Filter Packs

Tap on the Filter Packs icon.
You will see all the filter packs.

Preview comes with 2 free filter packs: the Preview filter pack, and the Essentials filter pack.

The other filters are premium filters.
You can buy them individually, or you can subscribe to Preview Pro to unlock ALL the filter packs and ALL the other features of Preview.

Step 5: Plan your caption and save your hashtags

On the bottom bar, you will also see a “Speech Bubble” icon.

Tap on it to write your caption.

Here you can also:

Once you have saved your favourite hashtags in Preview, all you have to do is tap on the group to add them automatically in your caption.

If you’re looking for specific hashtags based on different topics or categories, use the Hashtag Finder:

Step 7: Schedule your Instagram posts

Turn on “Schedule Post” to set a day and time.
Remember: Instagram does not allow any other apps to post automatically for you. It is against their Policy and can get your account banned or blocked (read this). We do not want to risk that.

You will receive a notification from Preview when it is time to post.

Step 7. Post on Instagram

When it is time to post:

  • Select a photo
  • Tap on the “Export” icon
  • Select “Instagram”

Your caption and hashtags are automatically copied by Preview.
All you have to do is paste them in your caption on Instagram, and post.

Other features you need to know to plan your feed

There are 2 other features I want to show you. You will need to get Preview Pro or Premium to unlock them.

Manage multiple Instagram accounts

You can manage multiple accounts in Preview.
I use new galleries to manage other Instagram accounts, experiment with new themes and schedule my Insta Stories.

To add another Instagram account:

  • Tap on your current gallery name (as you normally would to switch between Instagram accounts)
  • Select the “+” button to add an account

Monitor your Instagram Analytics

To see your Instagram Analytics:

  • Tap on the “Bar Charts” icon
Update: Due to Instagram’s latest API changes, the Spy feature was removed from the app.
To see the Analytics of ANY other Instagrammer:

  • Tap on the “Spy” icon

Your turn to plan your Instagram feed!

Enjoy planning your feed! You have unlimited grid to design your feed – that’s unlimited room to schedule your posts and unlimited creativity.

Until next time, see you on Instagram (@preview.app) for everyday Instagram tips & tricks, fun and theme ideas!

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 Download on App Store
► Get it on Google Play

+400,000 Instagrammers are already using Preview App to edit, plan & schedule their feed. If you haven't tried it, you're missing out.

29 Comments

  1. Paola
    Paola on March 26, 2017 at 6:10 pm

    Is it possible to sync my information inside the app between the iPhone and the iPad version? I have being trying to do it, without results… Since Instagram has only the iPhone versión, I think there is no reason for the iPad version without these posibility

    • Alexandra
      Alexandra on March 26, 2017 at 10:51 pm

      Hi Paola! No you can’t do it at the moment but we are working on adding this new feature.

      • Paola
        Paola on March 27, 2017 at 2:32 am

        Disqus

        So van you tel me what is the iPad version for? I feel kind of lost here… I loved the app and I am willing to start using it. Since it is more confortable working in the iPad rather than in the phone, how can I know when the sync option between my devices is going to be ready?

        • Alexandra
          Alexandra on May 2, 2017 at 2:00 pm

          You can use Instagram and Preview on your iPad now. It’s hard to say when the sync feature will be ready because we are working on other features before that. I’ll update everyone here on the blog and on our Instagram page (@preview.app) when we’re close to release.

  2. Elisabeth
    Elisabeth on April 29, 2017 at 7:57 am

    Is there a way I can drag and drop an image without it switching places with the photo in the square I want to drop it into? like if I want to put it next to another photo, but not just swap the positions of the images. Does that make sense?

    • Alexandra
      Alexandra on May 2, 2017 at 1:57 pm

      Hi Elisabeth, we haven’t implemented that feature yet because it shifts your whole feed, which it makes it hard to stick to a theme. But we will look into it and might add it in the future.

  3. Angel Orozco
    Angel Orozco on June 10, 2017 at 8:12 am

    Why is this not aviable for my tablet :S

  4. hadey
    hadey on June 27, 2017 at 7:22 pm

    it’s not letting me re-arrange my previous posts on insta!! what should i do?? are there any other apps that let you do that

    • Alexandra
      Alexandra on June 28, 2017 at 2:53 pm

      Hello! Instagram doesn’t allow any app or website to rearrange photos that have already been posted on Instagram. Add new photos in Preview app first, then you can rearrange them. Check out our step-by-step tutorial above 🙂 I’ve just updated it.

  5. august
    august on July 1, 2017 at 2:34 pm

    I can’t edit photos there’s only one icon just for filter packs

    • Alexandra
      Alexandra on July 1, 2017 at 9:52 pm

      Hi! Please update to Android 6 in your phone settings. Then you will see the photo editor 🙂

  6. Ramollo Camollo
    Ramollo Camollo on July 6, 2017 at 8:41 pm

    Hey there! I have two Instagram accounts and logged into the wrong one.. not really so: I wanted to try Preview out and just logged in with my main account thinking I could log out of it.. now that I found that Preview has just the feature I need (scheduled posts), I’d like to log out of my main account and log in with the other one but I can’t find out how to do that. Any help?

    • Alexandra
      Alexandra on July 6, 2017 at 10:08 pm

      Hello! You have 2 options:
      1. Unlock the multiple accounts feature to manage multiple Instagram accounts.
      2. Uninstall Preview, install it again and login with the right Instagram account. Note that uninstalling Preview will delete all your photos on Preview.

  7. georgiana franks
    georgiana franks on July 7, 2017 at 1:47 am

    Does anyone know why my associate can’t see any photos I schedule or upload? Is this feature only available on the paid plan?

    • Alexandra
      Alexandra on July 7, 2017 at 10:12 am

      Hello! We just replied to your email. Check your inbox 🙂

  8. Martika
    Martika on July 11, 2017 at 8:28 pm

    Dear all, I don’t know if I am doing something wrong, but my instagram account does not take over any texts or hashtags I saved in the preview app. It is only the formatted picture that will be imported. What can I do..? Thanks

    • Alexandra
      Alexandra on July 12, 2017 at 11:15 am

      Hello Martika, Are you pasting your caption in Instagram? Preview copies it automatically when you send your post to Instagram. Then you just have to paste. Let me know if that works 🙂

  9. Jennie Sutherland
    Jennie Sutherland on August 12, 2017 at 9:36 pm

    hello i wish to cancel preview. when i emailed they told me to cancel on my app on my phone but there is no feature to do this. i dont ise it but am still paying each month i need to cancel asap please.

    • Andrew Shini
      Andrew Shini on August 12, 2017 at 11:48 pm

      Hi Jennie,
      You can manage your subscriptions like this on iOS: https://support.apple.com/en-au/HT202039.
      On Android go to Google Play Store app -> Menu -> Account -> Subscriptions

  10. Lyn Tally
    Lyn Tally on August 25, 2017 at 5:26 am

    Hello, Preview. My partner and I manage our business instagram account together. We wanted to be able to use Preview. For some reason she is unable to see the preview photos I created. Shouldn’t she be able to see it if she is logged into her phone?

  11. philipp
    philipp on September 4, 2017 at 4:01 am

    Hi Guys. I switched from an only instagram account to a new instagram account. the old one isnt used (and also not accessible anymore) however it is still linked in my preview app.. how can I remove it and link my new account instead?

    Philipp

    • Andrew Shini
      Andrew Shini on September 4, 2017 at 12:29 pm

      Hi Philipp, do you have Preview Pro or have you unlocked the multiple accounts feature? Then you can just add another account. If not then just resintall Preview and login with your new account.

  12. Lilit Sharkhatunyan
    Lilit Sharkhatunyan on September 10, 2017 at 7:00 pm

    Hey, how can I login if my Instagram logs in via Facebook??

  13. Lilit Sharkhatunyan
    Lilit Sharkhatunyan on September 14, 2017 at 5:42 am

    Thanks for the update Andrew. Will this disconnect me from logging in via Facebook afterwards?

    • Andrew Shini
      Andrew Shini on September 14, 2017 at 1:39 pm

      No it shouldn’t.

  14. Agi Cka
    Agi Cka on September 18, 2017 at 5:27 pm

    Hello, Preview. My partner and I manage our business instagram account together. We wanted to be able to use Preview. For some reason she is unable to see the preview photos I created. Can this be solved? Please advice, thank you!

    • Andrew Shini
      Andrew Shini on September 19, 2017 at 11:09 am

      Hi Agi, please send us an email to [email protected].

  15. Angel Go
    Angel Go on September 19, 2017 at 10:51 pm

    hi, preview accidentally deleted my app is there anyway to restore the images there? thank you!