Instagram pulls its Windows Phone 8 app

Instagram has pulled its official app for Windows Phone 8 devices from the Windows Store without explanation. The photo sharing service is expected to release a Windows 10 Mobile version, but it seems those with older handsets are out of luck.

It’s unclear why Instagram pulled its app — which was still in beta — before the Windows 10 version was made available; the app mysteriously disappeared without warning on Saturday, and searching the Windows Store for it returns no results.

If you use a direct link to visit the Instagram beta page, you’ll find confirmation that the app is no longer available, and that its listing is now “for info only.” This means there is no longer an official way to use Instagram on Windows Phone 8 devices.

Instagram’s support of Windows Phone has always been pretty lackluster, likely because of the platform’s tiny market share (in comparison with Android and iOS). It didn’t support Windows devices until just two years ago, and its only app never made it out of beta.

We don’t expect Instagram to turn its back on Windows 10 Mobile, but for now at least, there is no official solution if you use Microsoft’s platform. However, there are third-party Instagram apps you can use in the meantime, such as 6tag.