When an app is feature rich to contain a lot of data, we get the Lite version of those apps. Be it Facebook, Messenger, Twitter or TikTok. Even Instagram had a Lite version, but it was phased out in May 2020. To the surprise of many, Instagram Lite has resurfaced after going through some treatment on the development front. Now Facebook has relaunched the Instagram Lite app in India for a later global rollout. Although the latest version of the main Instagram brings design changes very often, it’s natural to wonder if you should just use the Lite version. But what is the difference between the Instagram app and the Instagram Lite app versions? We will understand this in this article.
Lite or Go apps (as Google likes to call them) are tons of versions of real apps designed for phones with low storage and memory. It is designed to work better on low-speed mobile and internet networks.
So should you uninstall the main Instagram app and switch to Lite? Let’s meet.
Difference in Application Size
One of the most important distinguishing factors between the main Instagram and the Lite version is its size. The standard app weighs around 30MB. Can you guess the size of the Lite app? Only 2MB.
So, if your Android phone is running out of storage space and you don’t want to stop using Instagram, you should uninstall the Instagram app and use Instagram Lite instead.
availability
Instagram Lite currently works on Android phones. While it is designed for low-memory phones, there are no restrictions if you are also using it on a premium or high-end Android phone.
Also, Facebook is testing the waters with its Lite app in the Indian market before rolling it out globally, just like Facebook Lite. If you don’t want to wait, you can install it with APK from trusted sources.
user interface
You might think that the Lite app will look very different from the main Instagram app. However, this is not the case. The Instagram Lite app is the same as the main app. However, fonts may look slightly different. All icons and features are available in their respective places. Stories and Inbox are at the top, then the tabs (search, notification, and profile) are at the bottom.
Fly: Notification and Search tabs have been moved to the top right corner for some Instagram users. If this change in the main application bothers you, you can use Instagram Lite.
As expected, you won’t find all Instagram features in the Lite app. If you’re a fan of the old Instagram that only focuses on posts and stories, the Lite app can be your savior. You won’t find dedicated tabs for newly promoted features like IGTV, Reels, and Shopping. So you can expect a cleaner experience and interact with people you follow or want to follow.
Fly: Find out what’s the difference between Instagram Stories and IGTV.
However, that doesn’t mean you can’t play existing IGTV or Reels. If someone has posted an IGTV video or Reel as a post, you can still play it in the Lite app. Did you notice the little video icon in the posts? Lite app shows same icon for all videos like regular videos, IGTV or Reels.
The Lite app also lacks the much-loved dark mode. Besides that, you cannot make video calls with contacts using the Lite app. However, other messaging features such as message undo, sending GIFs or stickers, and messages disappearing work normally. If you think about old Instagram posts again, you get everything. But Instagram messages recently got a big update on the main app. These features (extinction mode, chat themes, etc.) are not yet available in the Lite app.
Fly: You can also add multiple accounts to the Instagram Lite app.
Experience Difference
Your experience will depend entirely on your expectations and usage. Mostly because the Lite version pulls out certain features as mentioned in the previous section. Everything required in Instagram Lite works perfectly. You can upload photos, videos and stories without any hassle. If you’re browsing your feed or watching stories, the experience will be similar and slightly better to the main app. The reason being the interface seems less cluttered and more obvious.
However, you will notice the difference between apps when the Lite app needs to load something. For example, if you tap on a profile, it will open slightly slower in the Lite app than in the main app. I’m not saying the load time is extremely slow or unusable, but judging from the main Instagram app you notice the difference. And it’s made more obvious by the progress bar that appears at the top when the Lite app needs to load something.
Similarly, videos may take some time to load. Again, it’s not terribly slow, but it doesn’t go unnoticed given how the main app indulges us.
Is There Another Alternative?
If your Android phone has low storage space, you can switch to Instagram Lite. However, as you can see, it lacks some features. If you want to use these features without installing the main application, you must add Instagram’s website as a shortcut. To do this, open Instagram.com from your phone’s browser. A popup will appear asking you to add the shortcut to the home screen. Tap on Upload. Now you can use another variant of Instagram’s Lite app without Lite or the main app.
Next: Want to take your Instagram experience to a new level? Check out the tips and tricks mentioned in our next post.
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