Are you curious about how to hide your likes on Instagram? In this post, we’ll be diving into hiding Instagram likes for posts, reels, and videos.
We’ll also go over some of the benefits of hiding your likes. Keep reading to learn more!
If you want to hide Instagram likes on all accounts and posts that show up in your feed, here are the steps:
How to Hide Likes on All Instagram Accounts
1. Open Your Instagram Profile
Launch the Instagram app on your mobile device.
2. Tap on the Three Black Lines in the Top Right
Go to your profile page and look for the three horizontal lines (hamburger icon) in the top-right corner of your profile page. Tap on it to access the settings menu.
3. Select Settings
In the “Settings” menu, you should see various options related to your account’s privacy and security. Look for an option like “Privacy” or “Account.”
4. Turn on “Hide Likes”
In the privacy settings, you might find an option related to “Likes” or “Posts.” This is where you would typically find the option to hide likes on your posts.
Depending on Instagram’s current interface, there might be an option to toggle the visibility of likes on your posts. This could be labeled as “Hide Likes” or something similar. Toggle this option to hide likes from being visible to others.
Sometimes hiding likes on all of the posts on our feed can be good in terms of focusing on the content rather than the “popularity” of the post.
After all, Instagram is a community meant for sharing, not a popularity contest, right?
How to Hide Likes On Your Own Instagram Posts
Hiding likes on our own posts can be good for our own mental health. It’s easy to get caught up in trying to be in a popularity contest with our friends.
You may post something and then for the first 5 minutes, check every minute to see how fast it’s getting likes. This is okay to do, but if it is affecting you negatively when a certain post doesn’t get as many likes as another one, then it’s time to do something about it.
Here are the steps to hide likes on your own posts:
1. Create a New Post
2. Select a Photo You Want to Post
3. On the Pre-Post Page, Select “Advanced Settings”
4. Turn on “Hide Like and View Counts on This Post”
Do this for every new post you are about to post if you don’t want there to be likes on the post.
How to Hide Likes on Instagram Posts You’ve Already Posted
If you want to hide like on Instagram posts you’ve already posted, here are the steps:
1. Go to the Post You Want to Hide Likes On
2. Tap the Three Gray Dots in the Top Right
3. Select “Hide Like Count”
Rinse and repeat those steps for every post you’ve already posted if you want to hide the likes.
How to Unhide Likes on Instagram Posts
If you want to unhide likes from other Instagram accounts or unhide likes on your own Instagram posts, then follow the same steps listed above to disable the feature after you’ve enabled it.
How to Hide Likes on Instagram Reels
Unfortunately, there is no current option to hide likes on Instagram Reels.
Instagram is always updating its app, so this might be a feature in the future.
How to Hide Likes on Instagram Video
Unfortunately, there is no current option to hide likes on Instagram Videos.
You used to be able to, but since the update where IGTV and Video posts are combined, hiding likes on Instagram Videos is no longer an option.
You can turn off comments on Instagram Videos, but not likes.
If You Hide Likes on Instagram Can Others See It?
The whole point of hiding likes is that no one can see it but you!
Hiding likes is a personal preference and if you want to do it, go for it.
There is no shame in wanting to hide your like counts.
What Are the Benefits of Hiding Likes on Instagram?
There are many benefits of hiding likes on Instagram.
1. Self-Care
Some people might say that hiding likes is a form of self-care.
We are constantly bombarded with images and videos of “perfect” lives.
2. Focus on the Content
Hiding likes can help us focus on the content rather than the popularity of the post.
3. Mental Wellbeing
It can also be helpful in managing our mental health.
If you’re someone who gets anxious or stressed about the number of likes you get, then hiding them can be a good way to manage that.
Hiding likes can also help us focus on our own content rather than compare ourselves to others.
It’s easy to get caught up in comparing our lives to others, but if we’re not seeing the like counts, then it’s easier to focus on our own content and what we’re posting.
What are the Downsides of Hiding Likes on Instagram
Some cons to hiding like on Instagram include:
1. Hard to Measure Engagement
It can make it harder to measure the engagement of your posts.
You can still see the amount of likes a post received even if you choose to hide it from others, but if someone looking to engage in a collaboration with you wanted to take a quick glance at your profile, it would be hard to get an overview of your engagement level.
2. Might Decrease Like Count
If you disable the ability for others to see your like count, it might actually deter them from liking or engaging with your post since “it wouldn’t matter.”
If you see a like count, then people like to click on the heart button to see the like count raised by 1 to feel like they engaged/participated in something.
Can People Like My Instagram Posts If I Hide the Like Counts
If you enable the option to hide the like counts on your Instagram posts, then people can still “Like” it, they and your followers just won’t see how many people liked it.
Only you will be able to see how many likes your post has received.
Why Can’t I Hide Likes on Instagram?
If you’re asking yourself why you can’t hide likes on Instagram, it might be for a few reasons.
If you can’t hide likes on an Instagram post, then you did not follow the steps listed above correctly.
If you can’t hide likes on an Instagram reel, it’s because there is currently no option to do so.
If you can’t hide likes on an Instagram video, it’s because there is currently no option to do so.
How to Hide Likes on Instagram
Want to hide your likes on Instagram? Here are 5 steps to do so.
Tools
- Instagram App
- Phone or Computer
Instructions
- Go to your profile and hit the hamburger-style icon in the upper right corner of your screen.
- From the Settings menu, hit Privacy. Then, hit Posts.
- At the top of the Posts menu, you’ll see a toggle labeled Hide Like and View Counts.
Final Remarks
In conclusion, hiding likes on Instagram can be a good way to protect your mental health and focus on your own content.
If you’re struggling with the pressure of getting likes, then hiding them might be a good option for you.
Remember, you can always unhide them later if you change your mind!
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do people hide likes on Instagram?
People may choose to hide likes on Instagram to alleviate the pressure of seeking validation through the number of likes received on their posts. It can help shift the focus toward the content itself and promote a healthier relationship with social media by reducing the emphasis on popularity metrics.
When did Instagram allow to hide likes?
Instagram began testing the feature to hide likes in 2019. The feature was gradually rolled out to select users and continues to be available as an option for users to hide the like counts on their posts.
Nate Torres is an entrepreneur, growth marketer, and photographer and writes mostly on those topics. Nate runs his own professional photography business and photography blog called Nate Torres Photography. Nate enjoys learning about new digital marketing strategy and new ways to think creatively. He is also a photography speaker and author on Photofocus.