One of the popular platform updates was hiding the number of likes on IG posts. This caused a wide resonance among users. So, many people wonder how to hide their IG likes. Others are interested in how to see the hidden likes of others while remaining anonymous. In this guide, we will look at how to hide and how to see hidden likes on Instagram. Ready to discuss?
Why Do People Want to See Hidden Likes on Instagram?
Instagram hiding like counts sounds like a small UX change — but it created a genuine frustration for a large group of users. Before we get into the how, it's worth understanding the why, because the situation you're in determines which method makes sense for you.
You're tracking a competitor or brand. Marketers and social media managers rely on engagement data to benchmark performance. When a competitor hides their like counts, you lose a key signal. Knowing whether their posts are actually resonating — or just getting comments — matters for your strategy.
You're monitoring someone's activity. Whether it's a partner, an ex, or someone you're simply curious about, likes tell a story. Who they're engaging with, what content they're reacting to, how active they are — all of this becomes invisible when like counts are hidden. If this is your situation, our guide on how to see activity on Instagram covers the full picture beyond just likes.
You're researching an influencer. Before partnering with a creator, brands need to know if their engagement is real. Hidden likes make that harder — but not impossible.
You're just curious. Sometimes there's no complicated reason. A post blows up, everyone's talking about it, and you want to know the actual numbers. That's valid too.
We've tested every method in this guide — including third-party tools. The advice below is based on what actually works, not what sounds plausible. Some results surprised us. We'll be upfront about the limits of each approach.
Why Are Likes Hidden On Instagram?
When Instagram rolled out the option to hide like counts, it caused a wide reaction among users. Likes had become an integral part of social media — a way to measure engagement, show appreciation, and gauge how content was being received.
The reasoning behind the change was to promote a healthier online environment and reduce social pressure. Users can now post without worrying about how many likes they'll get. The focus shifts to content quality rather than numbers. For some users this is a relief — for others, it removes a metric they genuinely relied on.
The result is a split: some people hide their likes by choice, others don't touch the setting. And a third group wants to view hidden likes on Instagram from other people's posts — which is where this guide comes in.
The Problem: Instagram Gives You No Official Way
Here's the frustrating reality: Instagram provides no native way to view hidden likes on Instagram from someone else's post. If the account owner has hidden their like count, you simply won't see it in the app — full stop. There's no workaround button, no "request to see likes," no public data endpoint.
The only person who can always see the full like count is the post owner themselves. Everyone else — including people who liked the post — sees nothing when likes are hidden. This is particularly frustrating when you're trying to understand who someone interacts with on Instagram and likes are a key part of that picture.
This is the gap that tools like Peekviewer are designed to fill. Some free methods give you partial signals. One paid option gives you the actual data. The right choice depends on how much information you need and how regularly you need it.
Quick Comparison: Methods to See Hidden Likes
| Method | Shows actual like count | Anonymous | Pricing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Check comments | ✗ No (indirect signal only) | ✓ Yes | Free |
| Engagement rate estimate | ✗ No (approximation) | ✓ Yes | Free |
| Peekviewer | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes | Subscription (per account) |
How To Hide Your Likes On Instagram
Before getting into viewing, here's how the feature works — useful context if you're trying to understand what you're dealing with.
Before publishing a post:
- Start creating your post as usual.
- On the caption screen, scroll down to Advanced Settings.
- Toggle Hide like and view counts on this post.
After a post is already published:
- Go to the post.
- Tap the three dots in the top right corner.
- Select Hide like count.
That's it — the change takes effect immediately and can be reversed the same way.
Hiding likes is post-level, not account-level. A person can hide likes on some posts and show them on others. So if you're trying to see hidden likes on Instagram, some posts from the same account may be visible while others aren't — it depends entirely on what the user chose for each individual post.
How To See Someone's Hidden Likes On Instagram
Check Engagement Through Comments
The like count may be hidden, but comments are always visible. You can use comment volume as a rough proxy for engagement:
- High comment count on a post with hidden likes usually signals strong engagement.
- Look at who is commenting and how often — this tells you about the audience quality.
- Check if the same accounts comment repeatedly — a sign of a genuinely engaged following.
Comments are a useful signal but a poor substitute for actual like data. A post can have 50,000 likes and 12 comments, or 200 likes and 300 comments. They measure different things. Don't rely on comments alone if you need accurate engagement numbers.
Use an Instagram Hidden Likes Viewer
When you need the actual like count — not a proxy — a dedicated instagram hidden likes viewer is your only real option. These tools access engagement data that the app hides from regular users, letting you view hidden likes on Instagram without the account owner knowing. For a broader overview of how these tools work, see our Instagram like viewer guide.
The most complete instagram hidden likes viewer available is Peekviewer private account viewer. Here's what it does:
- View hidden like counts from both public and private accounts.
- Completely anonymous — the account owner is never notified that you checked.
- No Instagram account required on your end — just the username of the account you want to monitor.
- Works on private profiles — no need to follow them or request access.
- Subscription-based: each plan covers one specific account. If you need to monitor multiple profiles, each requires a separate subscription.
- Real-time data: see likes as they come in, not just historical snapshots.
Not all instagram hidden likes viewer tools deliver what they promise. Many claim to show hidden like counts but actually just display publicly available engagement metrics — which you could find yourself. A genuine instagram hidden likes viewer needs to monitor the account proactively. If the tool wasn't watching the account before the post went up, it likely won't have the like data either.
How to Use Peekviewer as an Instagram Hidden Likes Viewer
Using Peekviewer to view hidden likes on Instagram takes a few steps:
- Visit Peekviewer and click Try Now.
- Choose whether the account is public or private and click Next.
- Sign up using your email or Google account.
- Choose the subscription plan that fits your needs.
- Enter the username of the account you want to monitor.
- Browse their posts, likes, stories, comments, and more — all anonymously.
Peekviewer works best when you know in advance which account you want to monitor. The one-account-per-subscription model means it's designed for focused, ongoing monitoring — not for casually checking multiple profiles. If you need to track several accounts, you'll need a separate subscription for each one.
Benefits
Here’s why using Peekviewer is so advantageous:
- View Content Anonymously: Access content from both public and private accounts without following or leaving any trace. Your activity stays completely invisible, so the account owner will never know you’ve viewed their stories or posts.
- See Instagram following activity — who they're engaging with.
- Cross-Device Compatibility: this Instagram post viewer works seamlessly on all devices, and it’s both safe and easy to use.
- High-Quality Content: View and download photos or videos of excellent quality. All content is saved securely in the cloud for up to 3 months.
- Notifications & Multiple Accounts: Get notified about all activity of the accounts you follow, and track several accounts simultaneously.
- No Instagram Registration Required: You can access content without registering on Instagram—even if you’ve been blocked or restricted by the user. The tool ensures complete privacy.
Conclusion
Instagram's hidden likes feature was designed to reduce social pressure — and for many users it works exactly as intended. But for marketers, researchers, and curious users, it creates a real information gap.
The free method — reading engagement through comments — gives you a rough signal but not actual numbers. The only way to genuinely view hidden likes on Instagram from someone else's post is through a dedicated instagram hidden likes viewer like Peekviewer, which monitors accounts anonymously and surfaces engagement data the app keeps hidden.
Just keep in mind: Peekviewer is subscription-based, tied to one account per plan, and works best when monitoring starts before the content you're interested in is posted.
FAQ
Instagram hides likes to reduce social pressure and encourage users to focus on content quality rather than chasing engagement numbers. It's a mental well-being initiative that's been rolling out gradually since 2019.
Yes — you can hide likes on all future posts through Advanced Settings when creating a post. You can also hide or show likes on individual published posts at any time via the three-dot menu.
Yes. A dedicated instagram hidden likes viewer like Peekviewer accesses engagement data anonymously — the account owner is never notified. There is no official Instagram way to do this.
No. Instagram's like-hiding feature is all-or-nothing per post. You can hide likes from everyone or show them to everyone — there's no option to hide from specific users.
Instagram may adjust features based on user feedback. For now, the option remains in place. Users who want to see their own like counts can always do so — only other people's visibility is affected by the hide setting.
Peekviewer monitors accounts in real time, so the data reflects actual engagement as it happens. However, it needs to be actively monitoring an account to capture data — it cannot retroactively retrieve like counts from posts that weren't being tracked when they were published.