Instagram has officially given users the opportunity to hide their post’s like counts. Though the feature’s been tested as early as 2019, it never became widespread for everyone’s accounts.
For close to two years, the app seemed to pick and choose random users to suddenly receive the update. Most recently, numerous accounts were left without likes as part of a larger experiment this spring. However, this latest development leaves the option to hide likes entirely in the user’s control.
The newest feature is currently available for Instagram users to decide what works best for them on social media, originally intended to depressurize people’s Instagram experiences. We all know the feeling—that push to post every day to stay relevant in people’s feeds, hopefully earning more followers and more likes. When Instagram received feedback that not seeing likes was beneficial for some and not for others, they decided to put the choice in their user’s hands (literally).
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Today, all Instagram users have the option to hide like counts on all of their personal and feed posts. Here’s how it works: When you go to “Settings,” there’s a new section titled “Posts.” Simply slide the button next to “Hide Like and View Counts,” and voila! You can no longer see like counts on your feed. Turning on the same feature in Advanced Settings will also let you hide likes on your posts as well.
It’s worth noting that the option isn’t permanent. You can choose to hide likes on a post before or after sharing it, and the feature is adjustable. That way, everyone has more flexibility. It isn’t just stopping at Instagram, either—the brand revealed that both of these options will be coming to Facebook within the next few weeks. The new feature joins a range of new customizable tools that Instagram’s introduced in recent months—like filtering offensive language in DM’s—in addition to filters, favorites, and selective commenting controls on their Facebook News Feeds.
To increase positive experiences on Instagram, the app’s team is also working with experts to understand how IG can further empower and inspire people. An Instagram Guide for managing pressures online is forthcoming, made in collaboration with The Jed Foundation. Instagram is also funding research about people’s Instagram experiences, and is currently requesting global academic and non-profit research proposals—which can be submitted on Facebook’s Research website.
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