Do Instagram likes, like, even matter anymore? Let’s explore how to hide likes on Instagram in 2022.
Instagram now offers all users the option to hide or unhide the like count on posts. That implies that instead of the default numerical value you’d usually see under a photo, it merely names a few users and provides “and others.” Here’s an instance from four-legged fashion icon @baconthedoggers:
Hiding your like count on Instagram is easy and reversible to do. And in some instances, it might have a positive influence on the way you experience the app. Here’s the way to do it.
The way to hide likes on Instagram
Instagram offers you the choice to hide the like counts on everyone else’s posts in just a few steps. So, you won’t view the like count as you scroll through the app. You may also hide the likes on your posts.
The way to hide likes on different people’s Instagram posts
1. Go to your profile and hit the hamburger-style icon within the upper right corner of your screen. From there, hit Settings at the top of the menu.
2. From the Settings menu, hit Privacy. Then, hit Posts.
3. At the top of the Posts menu, you can see a toggle labeled Hide Like and View Counts. Change that toggle to the “on” position (it should turn blue). Now, you’re set—the like count from all of your Instagram posts will now be hidden.
The way to hide likes on your Instagram posts
There are two methods to hide likes on individual Instagram posts. If you’re posting a brand new photo or video and don’t need the likes to show, you have an option to hide the number of likes before publishing your post.
Start creating your post as you often would, but once you arrive at the screen where you’ll be able to add a caption, hit the Advanced Settings option at the very bottom. From there, you’ll be able to turn on the Hide like and view counts on this post toggle.
To turn off the like counts after you’ve already posted, go to your post and faucet the three dots within the top right corner of your screen (the same path you’ll take to delete or archive the photo or video). From there, choose Hide like count. Voila!
Why is Instagram giving users the option to hide likes?
You might ask why hiding likes is even an option.
To put it simply, it’s for our good. According to a statement, the company began hiding like counts for certain nations to see if it would “depressurize people’s experience” on Instagram.
Analysis shows that we are likely to equate our online success—followers, comments, and like counts—with our self-worth, especially in our teens. In 2020, a study of 513 teenage girls in Brazil discovered that 78% of them had tried to hide or change a part of their body they disliked before posting a photo. Another discovered that 43% of teens with low social-emotional wellbeing have deleted social media posts because they received too few likes. It’s also notable that in 2019, 25% of teens admitted to being the victim of cyberbullying.
The internet is usually an unfriendly place. Some people have built their careers on Instagram. However, whether you’re an influencer with a mega-following or a ghost who does not often post, the seemingly harmless count may be doing a number on your mental health.
After experimenting with hiding likes, Instagram concluded that the results were “helpful for some and annoying to others.” So in March 2021, parent company Meta announced a Miley Cyrus-worthy best of both worlds: users have the option to hide or unhide their likes.
Will hiding your likes on Instagram affect the performance of your posts?
To hide or not to hide, is a question that you should wonder. Does it make a difference?
On Instagram’s end, not really. You’ll be able to hide likes from yourself and other users. However, the app will still track likes and use them as a ranking signal for the algorithm (for more information on that, here’s a deep dive into how the Instagram algorithm works today).
Briefly, the algorithm decides what content you see first (on Stories, posts, and the Explore page). How the order is decided is specific to the person; it depends on what you like, watch and comment on.
So that one superfan who’s always hyping your brand up in your comments might be always going to see your posts, no matter whether or not you hide your likes. And your Instagram crush’s extraordinarily uncool but weirdly mesmerizing cup-stacking videos are still going to show up in your feed, even if you have his likes hidden and you completely don’t even care how many likes he has or whatever, it’s cool, you’re cool.
On a social/emotional/mental health level, hiding likes may be—as Instagram says— “helpful” or “annoying” for you. If you’re feeling a bit obsessed with your like count, and find that it’s affecting your ability to post content that feels authentic to you, try hiding likes for a week or two. If it positively impacts your experience, keeps that toggle on.
On a business level, like counts imply how strong social proof is. Individuals who first come into contact with your brand on Instagram can instantly get a feel of how big — or local — your business is based on your like counts. However, at the end of the day, high-quality content, a consistent aesthetic, and thoughtful interactions with your community in comments matter way more than how many likes your posts are getting.
Instagram Insights
Instagram’s in-app analytics solution provides a summary of your account’s metrics. It includes information on how many accounts you’ve reached, the demographics of your audience, how your follower count is growing — and how many likes your posts get.
To view Instagram’s Insights, you should have a Business or Creator profile. This is free and easy to switch to: just go to your Settings, hit Account, and then hit Switch account type.
From your Creator or Business profile, go to your Instagram profile and hit the Insights button located underneath your bio. From there, scroll down to the Content You Shared section. Then you can see the variety of posts you’ve made within the last 7 days. Hit the > arrow symbol on the right side. (If you haven’t posted within the last 7 days, you’ll be able to still hit the button).
Instagram will then show you a gallery of posts that can be filtered to show specific metrics: reach, comments, and likes are included.
You may also choose what kind of posts to show (photos, videos, or carousel posts) and in what time frame (the last week, month, three months, six months, year, or two years).
To choose likes, tap the drop-down menu in the middle of your screen (it will default to showing Reach first). Then choose Likes.