How to Hide Likes on Instagram: 4 Settings Explained

Instagram has four separate like settings, and they do different things. You can hide the count on a post before you share it, hide it on a post that's already up, stop seeing counts on everyone else's posts, or choose who can see the posts you've liked. Everyone has had the option to hide like counts since May 2021. Meta's own timeline says "We gave people the ability to hide public like counts" that month. You'll still see your own likes, though, and the account that posted always knows you liked it.

We read Zolyp's October 15, 2026 guide, which checked each step against Instagram's Help Center, through our server, and Instagram's help pages as Google showed them, on October 23, 2026.

Which setting do you need?

What you want	Where it is
Hide likes before posting	More options on the share screen
Hide likes on a live post	The post's options, then Hide like count to others
Hide likes on a reel	The reel's options, then Manage, then Hide likes
Stop seeing likes on others' posts	Menu, then Like and share counts
Hide what you've liked	Menu, then Likes you've made

Zolyp (October 15, 2026) and Instagram Help Center pages as Google showed them, read October 23, 2026.

How do you hide likes before posting?

1. Create your post as usual.
2. Before you share it, tap More options at the bottom.
3. Turn on Hide like counts on this post.
4. Share the post.

How do you hide likes on a post that's already up?

For a feed post, tap the options button in the top right of the post, then tap Hide like count to others. To show it again, tap Unhide like count to others. For a reel, open it, tap the options button in the bottom right, then Manage, then Hide likes. Zolyp says the help pages it checked "only describe hiding the count post by post," so there's no switch for all your posts at once.

How do you stop seeing likes on other people's posts?

1. Tap your profile picture in the bottom right.
2. Tap the menu in the top right.
3. Below What you see, tap Like and share counts.
4. Turn Hide like and share counts on or off.

This only changes what you see. Instagram's Help Center describes it as changing "whether you see the total number of likes on posts and reels that appear on Instagram."

How do you hide the posts you've liked?

This is a different setting. Instagram's Help Center says "you can control who can see your likes on other people's posts and reels." Tap your profile picture, then the menu, then Likes you've made. Zolyp lists the choices as "everyone, people you follow, close friends, or no one." Whatever you pick, Zolyp notes that "the account that posted something can see that you liked it."

Does hiding likes hurt your reach?

Not that Instagram has said. Zolyp says "Instagram's help pages on hiding likes don't say it changes how your post is shown. It only changes what other people see." Instagram started testing hidden counts in 2019 "to see if it might depressurize people's experience," NBC Los Angeles reported when the option launched on May 26, 2021.

You'll still see the full number on your own posts, so you don't lose any data. If you'd like a few extra likes on a public post, Hclout's free tier gives 12 free Instagram likes with no password, on the free page. A short Cloudflare check runs before each claim. Our guides on who viewed your Instagram profile and who unfollowed you cover the other things people want to know.

Frequently asked questions

Can I still see my likes if I hide them?

Yes. Hiding the count only hides it from other people.

How do you unhide likes on Instagram?

Open the post's options and tap Unhide like count to others. For posts you see, turn off Hide like and share counts.

Can you hide likes on all your posts at once?

No. Instagram's help pages describe hiding the count one post at a time.

Can people see what posts I've liked?

You choose who can, under Likes you've made. The account that posted can always see your like.

When did Instagram let everyone hide likes?

On May 26, 2021, after testing hidden counts since 2019.

Sources

• Zolyp, "How to hide likes on Instagram," October 15, 2026, read through our server on October 23, 2026
• Instagram Help Center, "Hide or unhide like counts on Instagram posts and reels" and "Manage who can see your likes on content on Instagram"; Meta's timeline of teen safety tools; and Instagram's May 26, 2021 announcement, as Google showed them on October 23, 2026
• NBC Los Angeles, May 26, 2021, as Google showed it on October 23, 2026
• Google Ads Keyword Planner, worldwide, read October 23, 2026