Since we are all fantasised by the accolades we receive online then we need to guide our mental health before it’s too late. So, if you are an Instagram [to be influential] it’s advisable to protect your mental health by hiding your likes on Instagram. So, in this guide, we will take a look at how to hide likes on Instagram reels and posts.
The increasing prevalence of social media in our daily lives has an impact on our mental health, well-being, and self-perception if checks are not in place. And recently, a study has shown the effect of Instagram likes on teenagers and it is pretty disturbing.
Focusing on the number of likes you receive on your Instagram reels or posts when compared to popular influencers and celebrities, can have negative consequences for your self-worth and could stampede your spirit.
Due to reasons like this, Instagram decided to start hiding likes, but after a while, they found a middle ground by offering users the choice to hide likes on their own posts or on others’ posts.
So, in this article, you will learn how to hide likes on Instagram reels and posts before and after you have published your content on the platform.
Why Should You Turn Off Likes on Instagram
As a social media marketer/Digital marketer, you might be interested in this information, but for individual users, it might be a different case since most users love the likes as it gives them some sense of validation or self-worth.
If you base your self-worth on the number of Instagram likes you are getting, you should turn off likes on your Instagram account to build up first at least for a while.
This decision might not initially sit well with you, but over time, it can be beneficial to your self-esteem. That being said, here are some of the reasons why you should hide your likes on your Instagram.
Here are the reasons:
- When you use it to validate yourself with another person’s influence.
- When it makes you lack self-worthiness due to the competition on Instagram,
- If you feel stress and anxiety when you open the app
- If you feel Instagram is taking much of your time away from doing the things you have to do
- If you feel isolated and depressed.
- If you think Instagram likes to make life better.
- If you stop building in silence before you are not attracting enough attention from your audience.
How to Hide Likes on Instagram
Instagram has introduced the option for users to hide likes on both their own posts and the posts of the accounts they follow.
This feature is aimed at addressing concerns about the negative impact of social media on mental health and self-esteem, particularly among young people which is quite impressive.
However, by following the steps below you will learn how to hide Instagram likes after posting your video on mobile and PC.
Android and iPhone
By following the steps below you will learn how to hide your Instagram likes if you are using an Android or iPhone.
- Open the Instagram application on your Android or iOS device.
- Tap the Profile icon.
- Choose the post for which you want to hide likes.
- Tap on the three-dot icon in the top-right corner.
- Select the Hide Like Count option from the menu bar.
- You will see “Like Count Hide” on the video screen.
Henceforth, the selected video likes will be hidden until you choose to unhide the video likes by following the same steps.
How to Turn Off Likes on Instagram Before Posting
Instagram users have the option to hide the likes on their individual posts, which can be done before or after publishing.
Unfortunately, there is no setting available to hide all post likes at once. This feature only allows you to do it per post.
To hide the likes on a post before publishing it, follow these steps:
- Launch the Instagram app on your device.
- Click on the “+“ icon to select the video you want to upload and click on the “Next” button.
- Click the “Advanced Settings” located at the bottom of the new post page.
- Scroll to “Branded Content” >>”Likes and Plays” and turn on the “Hide Like count on this post.”
- Hit the “Arrow Back” and click on the “Share” button to publish the video on your Instagram reel on your timeline.
So, with the steps above, you can hide your Instagram likes before posting it.
How to Hide Likes from Other Instagram Account Posts
Apart from hiding the likes on your own Instagram account posts, you can also hide the likes from another person’s account if the person’s account makes you feel uneasy about yourself.
It might not be the same for digital marketers; however, the goal is to aid your overall mental health, not affect it.
Having said all that, here is how you should go about it:
- Launch the Instagram app on your device.
- Go to your “Instagram Profile.”
- Select the three-line icon on the top right.
- Select the Settings and Privacy option.
- Under the What You See section, tap on the Hide Likes option.
- In the Likes and Views section, switch to the Hide Like option.
With the steps above, all likes on all Instagram posts will be hidden from you so you will no longer view the likes on Instagram posts.
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How to See Someone’s Hidden Likes on Instagram
While hiding the like on other people’s posts might be of great help for someone dealing with self-worth issues, it could be needed if you are using the metrics to make a marketing decision.
So, if you bump across an Instagram post with a hidden like, apart from using tools such as Hootsuite or Instagram Business if you have one, here is a simple way to uncover the like in such a post.
- Launch your Instagram application, then choose the post you want to view the likes for.
- Tap the three-dot icon on the post.
- Click on “See where to share and link.”
- Select the “Copy Link” choice to copy the post link.
- Open any browser on your device.
- Paste the copied link in the browser’s search bar.
- Now, you should be able to see the Likes option available on your post.
How to Hide Your Likes on Instagram Reels
Instagram has recently rolled out a new feature that allows users to hide the like count on their reels, which are short-form video content on the app.
This feature is designed to alleviate the pressure of receiving likes and create a healthier social media environment for users. It’s similar to the option available for regular Instagram posts, where users can hide likes.
By hiding the like count on Reels, users can concentrate on creating content that they enjoy and engage their followers without being preoccupied with the impact of likes on their mental health.
Below, I will how to hide your likes on Instagram reels.
- Launch the Instagram application and go to the profile page.
- Choose the reel that you wish to conceal the like count for.
- Press the 3-dot icon at the lower right-hand corner.
- Tap the Manage option and select the Hide Likes alternative.
- The like count will now be hidden for all viewers. However, you can still view the like count by tapping the numerical text beneath the like button.
How to Turn off Likes on Instagram for All Posts
Unfortunately, Instagram does not currently offer a feature that allows you to turn off likes for all posts at once. You would have to go into each individual post and hide the likes manually.
By following the steps below you will learn how to turn off likes on Instagram on all posts.
- Launch the Instagram app and access your profile.
- Select the post for which you want to hide the likes.
- Tap on the three-dot icon in the top right of the post.
- Choose “Hide Like Count” from the available options.
- Confirm your choice by tapping ‘Hide Like Count.’
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If you Hide likes on Instagram, can others see them?
When you opt to conceal the number of likes linked to your posts on the social media platform Instagram, the general public won’t be able to see them.
Not only them, but your content also remains accessible to the masses and yourself unless you make use of private insight tools.
Finally, bear in mind that this change only hides the number of likes associated with your personal posts; any likes given to posts created by others on your feed will be visible.
How to See What Someone Likes on Instagram
Your Instagram privacy settings determine whether others can see the posts you have liked or not. Usually, your followers cannot see your likes, but there are a few exceptions.
Public posts can be seen by anyone who visits them, including your friends.
Your liked posts will also be visible to anyone visiting your profile if they’re public and you haven’t removed them from your activity log.
However, if you have liked a post from a private account, only the followers of that account will see that you have liked it.
Conclusion
To sum up, hiding likes on Instagram can alleviate the pressure to receive more likes whilst also promoting a healthier social media environment.
By hiding likes, users can concentrate on creating content they enjoy and connecting with their followers without worrying about likes.
Although there is no way to automatically hide all the likes in all your post at once, You have to hide the likes on each post individually before or after publishing.