Likes

Hidden Likes on Instagram: Who Sees What and How to Change It

By Olivia Bennett, Instagram Growth ExpertUpdated November 5, 20267 min read

Quick answer

Hidden likes on Instagram hide the like count from other people, not from the owner. When you hide the count on your own post, you still see the total and the list of who liked it, while visitors see only a few names. A separate setting hides counts on every post in your feed. Your likes on other people's posts stay visible to anyone who can see those posts.

Key points

Hiding the like count on your post hides the number from everyone except you.
The feed setting under What you see hides counts on other people's posts for you only.
You can hide counts before sharing under Advanced settings, or later from the three-dot menu on the post.
Your likes on other posts are visible to anyone who can see those posts, even when counts are hidden.
Hidden likes still count, so the post keeps every like it gets.

What are hidden likes on Instagram?

Hidden likes on Instagram are like counts that Instagram stops showing as a number. There are two separate settings: one hides the count on your own post from everyone else, and one hides counts on all posts in your own feed.

Instagram gave everyone these controls on May 26, 2021. Its announcement said people could hide like counts on posts in their feed and hide counts on their own posts, "so others can't see how many likes your posts get."

Setting	Where you find it	What it hides
Hide count on your post	Advanced settings before sharing, or the three-dot menu on the post	The count on that post, for everyone except you
Hide counts in your feed	Settings, What you see, Like and share counts	Counts on other people's posts, for you only

The two settings do not affect each other. You can hide counts in your feed and still show counts on your own posts, or the other way round.

If you hide likes on Instagram, can others see it?

No. If you hide likes on your Instagram post, other people cannot see the total number. They see a line that says "Liked by" a name "and others" instead of a count.

The Instagram Help Center states that the owner still sees the total number of likes on their own posts. You can also still open the full list of accounts that liked the post. Our guide on how to see who liked your post on Instagram shows the steps.

Visitors see: no count, a few names, and the like button as normal.
You see: the full total and the list of accounts.
Likes still work: people can like the post, and each like still counts.

Each post has its own setting, chosen before sharing or from that post's three-dot menu. That means you can hide likes on one post and show them on the next.

Hiding the count does not hide that likes exist. People can still tap the heart, and anyone who opens the post sees some of the names behind it.

How to hide like counts on your own Instagram posts

You can hide the like count on a post before you share it or at any time after. Both routes take a few taps, and you can undo them whenever you like.

Before you share a post

Create your post or Reel and go to the last screen before sharing.
Tap Advanced settings at the bottom.
Turn on "Hide like and view counts on this post".
Go back and share the post.

On a post you already shared

Open the post on your profile.
Tap the three dots at the top right of the post.
Tap Hide like count.

To show the count again, repeat the same steps and tap Unhide like count. On Reels, the before-sharing toggle hides the like count and the play count together. Menus can differ slightly by app version. The before-sharing label comes from the Instagram Help Center, and the Hide and Unhide like count labels match guides from MacRumors (2024) and iGeeksBlog (2025).

How to hide like counts on every post in your feed

To stop seeing like counts on other people's posts, turn on Hide like and share counts in your settings. This only changes what you see; it does not hide anything from anyone else.

Go to your profile and tap the menu (three lines) at the top right.
Scroll to the What you see section.
Tap Like and share counts.
Turn on Hide like and share counts.

The Instagram Help Center notes that this setting hides like counts on posts and Reels you browse, and that you will still see the total likes on your own posts. To bring counts back, turn the same toggle off.

People often turn this on to scroll without comparing numbers. It has no effect on your own posts, so if you want your counts hidden from others, use the post settings in the section above.

Can people see your likes on Instagram? Are likes public?

Yes, your likes on Instagram are public to anyone who can see the post you liked. Hidden like counts do not change this, because hiding a count hides the number, not the names.

The Instagram Help Center explains that anyone who can see a post can see that you liked it, and your followers may see your username under posts you have liked. If you have a private account and like a public post, everyone who opens that post can still see your like.

Public. Your like on any single post, for anyone who can open it.
Private to you. Your full list of liked posts under Your activity.
Not available to anyone. A feed of what you like; Instagram removed the Following tab in 2019.

For the full story of what other people can and cannot track, read how to see what someone likes on Instagram. To remove likes you would rather not leave, see how to delete Instagram likes.

Why can't I see my likes on Instagram?

You usually cannot see likes because a hide setting is on, or because the post's owner hid the count. Check these causes in order.

Your feed setting is on. If Hide like and share counts is turned on, you will not see counts on other people's posts. Turn it off under What you see.
The owner hid the count. You cannot see the number on a post where the owner turned it off. Only the owner can.
You are looking for your own liked posts. Those sit under Your activity, then Likes. The Instagram Help Center says that screen shows your 300 most recent liked posts.
The post was deleted. A post the owner removed no longer appears in your liked posts.
The app is out of date. Update Instagram and restart it, as labels and screens change between versions.

On your own posts, the total always stays visible to you, even with the count hidden. If your own total is missing, an update or a restart is the first fix to try.

Should you hide likes on your Instagram posts?

Hide likes if the number distracts you or your audience; show them if the count helps your post look trusted. Both choices are normal, and you can switch any time.

Hide the count	Show the count
Less pressure when a post starts slowly	Visitors see at a glance that others liked it
Keeps the focus on the photo and caption	A strong count works as social proof
You still see the full total	Brands and partners can check engagement quickly

If you are unsure, hide the count on a few posts and see how posting feels. You can unhide any post later, and no likes are lost either way.

A visible count is social proof: people take a post more seriously when they see others already liked it. Our guide on social proof on Instagram covers when that helps.

Some creators give a fresh post a starting count before showing it. If you buy Instagram likes from SocialGrowthly, you only share the public post link, and the likes still count on a post with a hidden number. Bought likes add social proof to that post. They do not bring real fans or sales by themselves.

Questions people also ask

If I hide likes on Instagram, can I still see them?

Yes. The Instagram Help Center confirms that you always see the total number of likes on your own posts. Hiding the count only removes it for other people. Open the post and tap the line under it that says "Liked by" a name "and others" to see the total and the list of accounts that liked it.

Can others see who liked my post if I hide the like count?

They can see some names. Visitors see a line that says "Liked by" a name "and others" instead of a number, and that line names accounts that liked the post. They cannot see the total. Hiding the count hides the number only, so likes on your post are still not secret.

Does hiding likes on Instagram hide my likes on other posts?

No. Hiding counts on your posts, or in your feed, does not hide your likes on other people's posts. Anyone who can see a post you liked can see your like on it. The only private list is your own liked posts under Your activity, which only you can open.

When did Instagram start hiding like counts?

Instagram announced on May 26, 2021 that everyone on Instagram and Facebook could hide like counts. The update added two choices: hide like counts on all posts in your feed, and hide them on your own posts. You can also choose to hide counts before sharing a post and change the setting after it goes live.

Can I unhide likes on an old Instagram post?

Yes. Open the post, tap the three dots at the top right and choose Unhide like count. The full count shows again straight away. You can switch between hidden and visible as often as you want, and no likes are lost in either direction, because hiding only changes what visitors see.

Why do I see like counts on some posts and not others?

Each post owner decides whether to show their count. Posts with a number have counts turned on, and posts that only show names have counts hidden by the owner. If you see no counts anywhere, your own feed setting is on: go to What you see, tap Like and share counts and turn the toggle off.

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