Instagram lets you hide like counts, and honestly, it can make the app feel a little less noisy. Some people do it because they do not want others focusing on numbers. Others just do not want to see like counts while scrolling.
You can hide likes on your own posts, and you can also hide like counts from posts you see in your feed. These are two different settings, so it helps to know which one you actually want.
What does hiding like actually do?
When you hide likes on your own post, other people will not see the total like count under that post. They may still see that some people liked it, but the big number is hidden.
When you hide like counts from other people’s posts, Instagram stops showing you the like numbers while you scroll. It does not change anything for other users. It only changes what you see on your account.
How to hide likes before posting on Instagram
If you are about to publish a new post, you can hide the like count before it goes live.
- Open Instagram and create a new post.
- Choose your photo or video.
- Go through the editing steps.
- On the final screen, tap Advanced settings.
- Turn on Hide like and view counts on this post.
- Go back and share your post.
This setting only applies to that one post. If you want to hide likes on another post later, you will need to use the setting again.
How to hide likes on an old Instagram post
You can also hide likes on posts you already published. This is useful if an older post is getting too much attention or you just want your profile to feel cleaner.
- Open the Instagram app.
- Go to your profile.
- Open the post you want to edit.
- Tap the three dots in the top-right corner.
- Tap Hide like count.
- Check the post again to make sure the count is hidden.
If you change your mind, open the same menu and turn the like count back on. Instagram usually makes this easy to reverse.
How to hide like counts from posts you see
This setting is for your feed. It hides like counts from other people’s posts when you are browsing Instagram.
- Open Instagram.
- Go to your profile.
- Tap the menu icon.
- Go to Settings and privacy.
- Look for Like and share counts or a similar option.
- Turn on Hide like and share counts.
Instagram changes menu names sometimes, so the wording may not be exactly the same for everyone. If you cannot find it, use the search bar inside settings and type likes or like count.
Why the option may not show
If the hide likes option is missing, update the Instagram app first. Also try closing and reopening it. Sometimes features show up after an app update or after switching accounts.
Some account types or regions may see slightly different settings. That does not always mean anything is wrong. It just means Instagram is showing a different settings layout.
Conclusion
To hide likes on Instagram, use Advanced settings before posting or open the three-dot menu on an existing post. If you want to stop seeing like counts from others, change the like count setting in your account settings.
It is a small setting, but it can make Instagram feel more relaxed. You know, less about numbers and more about the actual post.