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Instagram has two different controls for hiding engagement numbers: one hides like and view counts from your own view of other people’s posts and reels, while the other hides counts from people viewing posts or reels you publish. These settings are separate, so choosing the first option will not hide the counts on your own content.
Use the instructions below for the result you want: change what you see, hide counts on a new post, hide counts on content already published, or restore the counts later.
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Quick answer: choose the control that matches your goal
| If you want to… | Use this control |
|---|---|
| Stop seeing numerical like and view counts on other people’s posts and reels | Hide like and share counts or Hide like and view counts in Instagram settings |
| Hide counts from people viewing a new post or reel you are about to publish | Advanced settings > Hide like and view counts on this post before sharing |
| Hide counts on a post or reel that is already published | Open that item’s More options menu and choose the available hide-count action |
| Show counts again | Turn off the viewer preference or choose the post’s Unhide like count or equivalent restore option |
Hiding counts does not make your account private, prevent people from liking or viewing your content, or delete the underlying engagement information. It changes whether numerical totals are displayed.
How to hide likes and view counts on posts and reels you see
This is a viewer-side setting. It changes what you see when browsing Instagram; it does not automatically hide those counts from everyone else.
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- Open Instagram and go to your profile.
- Open the menu. Depending on your app version, this may be the three-line menu in the upper-right corner.
- Tap Settings and privacy, or the similarly named settings option.
- Look for Like and share counts, Like and view counts, or a related option under a section such as What you see or post/content preferences.
- Turn on Hide like and share counts or Hide like and view counts.
Return to your feed or Reels tab and check a few items. Numerical totals should no longer be displayed for the posts and reels covered by the preference, although Instagram may still show other engagement wording or controls.
On a computer
Instagram’s official desktop route is:
More > Settings > Like and share counts, under What you see.
Turn on Hide like and share counts. The exact availability and wording can vary between the desktop website, mobile browser, iPhone, Android, and iPad versions of Instagram.
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Use Instagram’s settings search and try terms such as:
- like
- view counts
- share counts
Instagram has moved and renamed this control across releases. You may find it under Settings and privacy, What you see, or a posts/content-preferences area rather than in a section with the exact desktop name.
How to hide counts on a new Instagram post before sharing
Use this method when you want other people to see your post but not its public numerical like or view totals.
- Create your post normally by selecting a photo or video and completing the editing steps.
- Continue to the final screen where you add a caption and choose sharing options.
- Open Advanced settings.
- Turn on Hide like and view counts on this post, or the closest matching label Instagram shows.
- Return to the sharing screen and publish the post.
Instagram says that you can still access the total like count on your own post even when the public count is hidden. The setting changes the visibility of the number; it does not stop people from liking the post or stop Instagram from recording engagement.
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What about a new reel?
Instagram’s labels and available controls can differ between a photo post, video post, and reel. If the final sharing screen includes Advanced settings, look there for a hide-like or hide-like-and-view-count option. If the option is not shown, do not assume that the general viewer-side setting will hide the count on your own reel; those are separate controls.
How to hide counts on a post that is already published
You can change the visibility of counts after a post has been shared.
- Open your profile and select the published post from your grid, or open it from the feed.
- Tap or click the post’s More options menu, usually represented by three dots.
- Choose Hide like count, Hide like and view counts, or the equivalent action shown for that item.
- Confirm the change if Instagram asks you to do so.
The exact command is not identical for every account or content type. A photo, video, or reel may use slightly different wording, and the mobile and desktop interfaces may expose different options. Look for the action that clearly refers to hiding the post’s public engagement count.
If the option is not available
Make sure you are viewing your own published content and that you opened the individual item’s three-dot menu—not the general Instagram settings menu. Also check whether the item is a reel, video, or another content type with different controls.
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Restore counts on an individual post or reel
- Open the post or reel from your profile.
- Open its More options menu.
- Choose Unhide like count, Show like count, or the equivalent restore-count action.
Instagram may use a different label depending on the account, platform, and content type. The relevant option should indicate that the hidden count will become visible again.
Show counts again while browsing Instagram
- Open your profile and the Instagram menu.
- Go to Settings and privacy.
- Open Like and share counts, Like and view counts, or the matching settings page.
- Turn off Hide like and share counts or the equivalent toggle.
This restores your own view of numerical counts where Instagram provides them. It does not override a creator’s separate choice to hide counts on their own post.
Restore a count hidden before publishing
Open the published post’s individual visibility control and disable the hide-count option. Depending on the current interface, this may appear in the post’s More options menu as Unhide like count or a similar command.
What hiding Instagram counts does—and does not—do
It does not make your account private
Hiding likes and views only changes the display of numerical engagement metrics. It does not change who can view your profile or posts. To control who can see your content, use Instagram’s separate private-account and audience settings.
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The general Hide like and share counts preference is personal to the person who enables it. If you use that setting, you may stop seeing counts while another person can still see them. To hide the count on your own post from other viewers, you must use the post-level control.
You can still access engagement information on your own content
Instagram allows the author to see the total like count on their own post even when the public number is hidden. Hiding the number is therefore not the same as disabling analytics or removing engagement data.
People can still like and view the content
The controls affect the visibility of totals. They do not prevent likes, views, or other interactions, and they do not remove the post from Instagram.
Troubleshooting
“I hid the counts, but my friends can still see them.”
You probably enabled the viewer-side preference. That setting changes what you see on posts and reels from other accounts; it is not a public visibility setting for your own posts.
To hide a count from other people, open your own post and use its More options menu, or enable Advanced settings > Hide like and view counts on this post before publishing new content.
“The Like and share counts setting is missing.”
- Open Instagram’s in-settings search and search for like, view counts, or share counts.
- Check both Settings and privacy and the What you see or posts-related sections.
- Update Instagram from your device’s app store and reopen it.
- Try the account on another supported platform, such as the desktop website, if available.
An update may not immediately restore a missing option. Instagram can change its interface and roll out features differently by account, platform, and release.
“I cannot find Hide like count on my post.”
Open the individual post’s three-dot More options menu rather than the general settings page. The label may be Hide like count, Hide like and view counts, or a similar phrase. If you are viewing a reel or video, the available action may differ from the one for a photo post.
“I cannot unhide the count.”
Use the individual post’s More options menu. A post-level hidden count generally requires a post-level restore action, such as Unhide like count. If it is absent, confirm that you are viewing your own post, update the app, and check whether the content type exposes the same control.
“The instructions do not match my screen.”
Instagram changes labels and menu placement across releases. You may see Like and share counts instead of Like and view counts, or Hide like count instead of Hide like and view counts. Follow the closest matching option and use Instagram’s settings search when necessary. The official Help Center can also display platform-specific instructions for Android, iPhone, computer, mobile browser, or iPad.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why Instagram has separate controls
Instagram introduced broad options for hiding public like counts in May 2021. The announcement covered both hiding counts on posts appearing in a person’s feed and hiding counts on that person’s own posts, including a choice made before sharing and the ability to change the choice afterward.
That history explains the distinction still visible in Instagram’s settings: one control is designed to reduce the prominence of popularity numbers in your own browsing experience, while another controls whether numerical engagement totals appear on content you publish.
Before you finish: a settings checklist
- Want to hide counts only from yourself? Use the general Like and share counts or Like and view counts setting.
- Want followers and other viewers to see no number on your post? Use the post-level hide-count option.
- Publishing a new post? Check Advanced settings before tapping Share.
- Already published? Open the post’s three-dot More options menu.
- Want the number back? Use the matching Unhide or Show count action.
- Still seeing a different interface? Search Instagram settings for like, view, or share counts and check whether you are using the mobile app, browser, or desktop site.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I still see the likes on my own Instagram post if I hide the count?
Yes. Instagram says the author can still access the total like count on their own post even when the public count is hidden.
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Does hiding Instagram likes make my account private?
No. Hiding like and view counts changes the display of engagement numbers. It does not change your account’s privacy or who can view your posts.
Can people still like or view a post when its counts are hidden?
Yes. Hiding counts does not disable likes or views. It only hides the numerical totals from the relevant viewers.
Why can I not hide the counts on someone else’s post for everyone?
The general Hide like and share counts or Hide like and view counts setting is a viewer-side preference. It changes what you see, not necessarily what every other Instagram user sees.
Are Instagram’s menu labels the same on every phone?
No. Labels and placement can differ by Android, iPhone, iPad, desktop, mobile browser, app release, account, and content type. Look for the closest matching option or use Instagram’s settings search.
The Bottom Line
Remember the key distinction: the general Like and share counts setting changes what you see, while the post-level hide-count setting changes what other people see on your content. For a new post, check Advanced settings before sharing; for an existing post, use its More options menu. To reverse either choice, turn off the relevant toggle or select the post’s Unhide/Show count action.
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