Instagram Adds Web Search

Instagram has rolled out its boosted search support to the browser, having improved the Discovery tab of its mobile apps last month. The updated search now hunts through hashtags, users' accounts, and general terms for those times you'd rather go browsing on the desktop rather than fiddling with your phone. However, it's not quite so full-featured as what the mobile app offers.

For instance, while you get a count of the number of hashtag uses, for instance, you don't get all the other niceties of the Explore tab in the Instagram app. There are no trending tags shown in the browser version, and nor do you get the suggestions of accounts to follow or photos to view.

Still, it's a welcome improvement over the relatively spartan web interface Instagram has traditionally offered. It'll also make sharing content a little easier: you can now link to hashtags along with locations.

It's worth noting that you'll need an Instagram account in order to access web-based search, since the site requires you to log-in before the box appears.

If you actually want to share a photo, mind, you'll still need to use the smartphone too.

In the background is Instagram's new search engine, which the company has promised will "dramatically" improve the quality of the results it surfaces.