How to Hide Likes on Facebook
Settings, then Reaction Preferences, then hide counts on your posts, on others' posts, or both. What it changes, and how to hide the Pages you've liked.
To hide likes on Facebook, tap Menu, go to Settings & privacy, then Settings, and tap Reaction Preferences. There you'll find two switches: one hides the counts on your own posts, and the other hides them on posts from everyone else. You can turn on either one or both. The option arrived in May 2021, when Instagram announced that "everyone on Instagram and Facebook will now have the option to hide their public like counts."
We read Facebook's help center as Google showed it on October 23, 2026, along with Instagram's May 26, 2021 announcement.
"How to hide likes on facebook" gets about 9,900 searches a month, "how to hide like count on facebook" another 4,400, and "how to hide reactions on facebook" 1,600 more.
How do you hide reaction counts on Facebook?
Facebook's help center gives these steps:
- "Tap Menu in the top left of Facebook."
- "Scroll down, tap Settings & privacy, then tap Settings."
- "Below Preferences, tap Reaction Preferences."
- Turn on the switch for your posts, for others' posts, or both.
| Switch | What it hides |
|---|---|
| On your posts | Counts on posts you share |
| On posts from others | Counts as you scroll your feed |
Facebook's help center and a Facebook how-to post, as Google showed them on October 23, 2026.
A Reddit answer from January 2025 quotes the second switch's full name, "Hide reaction counts on posts from others," and the line under it: "Click to turn this setting off at any time." So it's never permanent.
What does hiding likes change?
It's only the number that changes. Facebook's help page is called "Hide or unhide the number of reactions on your posts and reels," so it covers reels as well as posts. People can still react, and the count just doesn't show.
The reason at launch was how the apps feel. NBC Los Angeles quoted the company in May 2021: "We want you to feel good about the time you spend on our apps and this is a way to give you more control over your experience."
How do you hide the Pages you've liked?
That's a separate setting. In the app, Croma's 2024 guide starts from your profile: tap the three dots menu, then Follow settings. On a computer, Lifewire's 2022 guide goes to your profile, then More, then Likes, and the three-dot menu there. Menus move, so if you don't see it, look for the privacy option on that Likes list.
On Instagram too?
Instagram has the same option, and it's in our guide on how to hide likes on Instagram. For the rest of your Facebook privacy, see making Facebook private. Hclout's free tier gives 20 free Facebook likes on a public post, with no password, on the free page. A short Cloudflare check runs before each claim.
Frequently asked questions
Can I hide likes on my Facebook posts?
Yes. Turn on the switch for your posts in Reaction Preferences.
Can I hide likes on other people's posts?
Yes. Turn on the switch for posts from others, and the counts disappear as you scroll.
Can people still react if I hide the count?
Yes. The setting hides the number, and it doesn't stop anyone reacting.
Does it work on reels?
Yes. Facebook's help page covers "posts and reels."
When did Facebook add this?
In May 2021. Meta's own timeline says: "May 2021: We gave people the ability to hide public like counts."
Sources
- Facebook Help Center, "Hide or unhide the number of reactions on your posts and reels," as Google showed it on October 23, 2026
- Instagram, "Giving People More Control on Instagram & FB," May 26, 2021, and Meta's timeline of teen safety tools, as Google showed them
- NBC Los Angeles (May 26, 2021), Reddit r/facebook (January 25, 2025), a Facebook how-to post (October 2026), Croma (June 27, 2024) and Lifewire (June 18, 2022), as Google showed them
- Google Ads Keyword Planner, worldwide, read October 23, 2026
Want the growth without the research?
Real accounts, 30-day refill, no password ever asked for.