How to Hide Likes on Instagram: Complete Guide

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We live in an era where Instagram likes and Facebook post reactions have become the digital currency for teenagers out there. Some of your Instagram posts might go viral, while others fail to do so. Amid growing concerns about the effects of social media on mental health, Instagram considered hiding likes from your post in 2019. And now, nearly after two years, the feature is available for all to try. Here’s a detailed guide on how to hide likes on Instagram. 

Hide Likes Count on Instagram

Using the new Hide Likes option from Instagram, you can interact with a post without judging it based on the number of likes it has received so far. 

1. Open Instagram app on your iPhone or Android. 

2. Tap on the Profile icon at the bottom. 

3. Tap on the hamburger menu at the upper right corner and select Settings. 

4. Navigate to Privacy > Posts. 

5. Enable Hide Like and View Counts toggle. 

That’s it. From now on, you won’t see the number of likes and views on posts shared by other Instagram accounts. But what about your own posts? Yes, the likes count is still visible to others on your posts. Here’s how to disable it. 

Hide Likes on Your Past Instagram Posts

1. Open the Instagram app and go to your profile menu. 

2. Select any of your past posts and open it. 

3. Right now, you can see the number of likes on a specific post. 

4. Tap on the three-dot menu at the top (often referred to as Advanced options menu) and select Hide Like Count from the pop-up menu. 

The person posting the image or video can still see how many people have liked the post, but the number of hearts it receives remains hidden from other users. 

How to Hide Likes Before Posting on Instagram

The trick above works for all existing posts of yours. But what about future posts? Instagram offers an option to hide like count before posting a beautiful memory on the platform. 

1. Tap on the + button at the bottom in the Instagram Home and create a new post as usual. 

2. Select the image, add a filter, and write a caption. 

3. From the same menu, tap on the little Advanced settings option at the bottom. 

4. Enable Hide like and view counts on this post toggle. 

Only you will see the total number of likes and views on this post. It will remain invisible to others on the platform. 

You can change this later by going to the Advanced Options menu at the top of the post. 

Why Sudden Change

Instagram has been studying the Hide Like Count feature internally for two years now. The add-on is mostly aimed at the young audience. According to Instagram, the whole idea is to try and depressurize Instagram, make it less of a competition, give users more space to focus on connecting with people that they love, and things that inspire them.

On the flip side, the Hide Like Count practice can be annoying to some, particularly because people use like counts to get a sense of what’s trending or popular on the platform. 

Wrapping Up: Hide Like Counts on Instagram

As a responsible social platform, Hide Like Counts is a welcome feature from Instagram. It’s up to you how you want to use the function. Users now have more total control over their Instagram experience which is a step in the right direction.

On the other hand, too many options for users can be confusing. Be prepared to see the Instagram Home with a mix of posts showcasing/hiding like count in upcoming weeks as more users experiment with the feature.