Can Other People See Your Likes on Instagram in 2024
Learn how Instagram like visibility works in 2024, the changes from past features, and how to control who sees your likes across posts, Reels, and comments.
Can Other People See Your Likes on Instagram in 2024
Instagram remains one of the most influential social media platforms, and likes are still central to engagement. Many users now ask: can other people see your likes on Instagram in 2024? The answer has evolved thanks to privacy updates, new features, and policy changes. In this guide, we’ll explain exactly how like visibility works today, how it’s different from the past, and what you can do to control your privacy.
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How Likes Worked on Instagram Before Privacy Updates
When Instagram first launched its like system, visibility was completely open:
- Any user could view the total number of likes on every post.
- Anyone could tap “liked by” to see the list of accounts that engaged with the post.
- Through the now-removed “Following” tab, friends could monitor your like activity in real time.
Before 2019, there was no option to hide like counts unless your entire account was private. The openness sparked debates about social pressure, anxiety, and mental health, as likes became a visible measure of popularity.
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Current Instagram Policy on Like Visibility (2024)
As of 2024, Instagram has restructured how likes appear:
- Hiding Like Counts: You can choose to hide total like counts on your own posts. Others can still see your name among the likers if they open the list.
- Post-Level Visibility: Viewers can tap “liked by” on public accounts to see who liked a post; private accounts restrict this to approved followers.
- Different Content Types: Like visibility varies on feed posts, Reels, and comments.
- Activity Feed Removal: The public “Following” activity tab is gone, so your likes are no longer broadcast in a separate feed.
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How to Check If Others Can See Your Likes
If you want to know whether your likes are visible to others:
- Open a post you’ve liked.
- Tap the “liked by” link under the content.
- If the other person can access the post (due to privacy or mutual following), your username will appear in that list.
Rule of thumb: Likes remain visible unless you unlike the post or it’s inaccessible to that person due to account privacy.
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Differences Between Likes on Posts, Reels, and Comments
Like behavior differs depending on the feature:
| Content Type | Who Can See Your Like | Can Hide Like Count? |
|---|---|---|
| Feed Posts | Anyone with access to the post | Yes (total count only) |
| Reels | Anyone with access to the Reel | Yes (total count only) |
| Comments | Anyone viewing the comment | No |
Comment likes cannot be hidden—your interaction is marked with a heart icon whenever someone views that comment.
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How to Hide Likes on Your Own Instagram Posts
To hide like counts on existing content:
- Go to your Profile.
- Open the post you want to adjust.
- Tap the three dots menu.
- Select Hide like count.
Before posting:
- At the final step before sharing, scroll down to Advanced Settings.
- Enable Hide like and view counts on this post.
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How to Hide Like Counts on Other People’s Posts
If you want to avoid seeing others’ like metrics in your feed:
- Go to Settings and privacy.
- Tap Privacy → Posts.
- Turn on Hide like counts.
This removes counts from your view while browsing, though you can still access the full liker list manually.
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Can Followers See What You’ve Liked on Other Accounts?
Since removal of the “Following” activity tab in 2019, followers can no longer see a feed of your likes. However:
- If you like a public post, anyone visiting the post and checking the list can find your username.
- Liking a private account’s post limits visibility to that account’s followers.
Example: If you like a celebrity’s public post, your name will be in the “likes” list for all to see.
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How to Review and Manage Your Likes History
Instagram provides a “Your activity” feature to help monitor and manage your likes:
- Open your Profile and tap the menu icon.
- Go to Your activity → Interactions → Likes.
- View your full history.
- Select unwanted likes and Unlike them.
This is useful for maintaining a curated digital footprint.
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Privacy Limitations and Risks
- No bypass: Private account likes are inaccessible to non-followers.
- Screenshots: Even when counts are hidden, someone can still see and capture that you liked a post.
- Insights: Business accounts can track engagement analytics for their own posts only.
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Business vs Personal Account Like Visibility
- Business accounts: Analytics tools allow tracking of engagement metrics, but visibility rules for likes are identical to personal accounts.
- Personal accounts: Can be set to private to limit like visibility on private content, but public post likes remain visible.
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FAQs About Instagram Likes Privacy
Q: Can I hide all my likes from everyone?
A: No. You can hide counts, but your likes on public content remain visible to viewers of that post.
Q: Does hiding like counts lower engagement?
A: Usually not—Instagram’s algorithm does not penalize hidden counts.
Q: Is the post owner aware if I hide like counts?
A: Hiding counts only affects viewer display; the owner still sees exact numbers and usernames.
Q: If I unlike a post, will the notification disappear?
A: Yes, although if the other user has already seen it, the memory of it remains.
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Conclusion: Control Your Instagram Like Privacy in 2024
While Instagram allows more control than ever over like counts, complete privacy isn’t possible—your individual likes on accessible posts remain visible. For better control in 2024:
- Hide like counts on your posts and feed.
- Be selective about what you like, especially on public accounts.
- Regularly review your activity log to remove unwanted likes.
- Consider a private profile to restrict who sees your private account interactions.
With these steps, you can navigate Instagram’s evolving privacy features while keeping your engagement more discreet.
Action Step: Review your Instagram settings today to align your like visibility with your personal privacy preferences.
