Let us be real, stalking people on Instagram is a crime that many of us are guilty of. Whether it is to see your ex, a new crush, or someone you have recently met, viewing their Instagram profile multiple times is a normal practice.
If you’ve ever wondered, can someone tell that you viewed their Instagram page how many times?, you’re not alone. Most Instagram users find themselves checking some profiles—whether an old friend, a favorite influencer, or someone they just can’t get out of their head. But does Instagram notify users of these visits?
TL;DR: No, you can’t know how many times a person has looked at their profile on Instagram. That being said, if you want to remain fully anonymous, here’s the thing you should know.
Can Instagram Users Track Profile Views?
The quick answer is no—there is no way for Instagram to track profile views. Whether you look at a profile once or a dozen times, the owner will neither receive any type of notice nor alert concerning your visits. The only way they can learn that you’re crawling through their profile is if you accidentally like a age old picture. So make sure there are no finger slip ups on that end.
Instagram has deliberately kept this information personal to keep users anonymous and enhance the browsing experience. In contrast to LinkedIn, where one can view profile viewers (if one is not in private mode), Instagram lacks this feature.
However, even if Instagram does not display profile views, there are some activities which will lead the user to believe that someone is viewing your profile.
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What Can People See on Instagram
While Instagram never tells users when someone has visited their profile, it does send a notification when there is engagement of another sort. Below are the main ways your activity can be traced:
1. Instagram Story Views
When you watch someone’s Instagram Story, the viewer is able to view your name from the list of viewers. Instagram Stories disappear after 24 hours, and those who viewed them are listed, which can be viewed by the person who created the story.
But while the person can see that you glanced at their story, they cannot see how many times you viewed the story. Your username will appear only once, regardless of how many times you watch the story.
However, one can ascertain how frequently you visit their profile based on how quickly you view their story after they upload it. So, if you want to stay low-key, hold your temptations and view their stories after an hour or so.
2. Reels and Video Interactions
If you watch an Instagram Reel or a video, the creator cannot see you have watched it since merely watching a reel doesn’t show up on their notifications. However, the Instagram algorithm does take note of the content you enjoy or retain to watch and may push similar content your way, including posts, reels, and videos made by the accounts you frequently visit.
If you like, comment on, or share the post, your activity is visible In contrast with Stories, Instagram does not make it look like who watched a video and how many times they watched it.
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3. Live Video Notifications
When you are going live on Instagram and you join their live session, your Instagram handle will be in the viewers’ list. But if you leave and rejoin continuously, they will see your name just once—not the frequency with which you joined the session.
4. Likes, Comments, and Follows
When you comment or like on someone’s post, your name is exposed to them. The same happens when you follow or send a DM, and you become more prominent and they make take a quick notice to your online presence around their profile.
5. Instagram Highlights Views
Instagram Highlights are permanently saved Stories that stick around on a user’s page. When you look at a Highlight in the first 24 hours that it was published, your name will be shown on the viewers list. However, after 24 hours pass, story view counts vanish and the user won’t be able to see who looked at them.
How Private Is Instagram Browsing?
Instagram respects privacy of users, and therefore they do not offer individuals an opportunity to see profile visits. It is also the same with pages such as Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok, and none of them offer a view of profile visits.
Why Does Instagram Keep This Private?
- User Anonymity: Instagram would want individuals to browse anonymously without a sense of being monitored.
- Preventing Privacy Issues: If profile views were released, it would more than likely be the cause of problems such as stalking, uninvited drop-bys, or concern over who is monitoring an account.
- Encouraging Engagement: Instagram is more concerned with engagement metrics such as likes, comments, and sharing than with passive profile views.
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Are There Third-Party Apps to Track Profile Views?
Third-party apps claim to monitor who is looking at your Instagram profile, but those apps don’t work. Instagram’s API prohibits third-party access to a profile. Further, these gimmicky apps only cause more harm to your account’s security than any actual good.
They can be damaging in the following ways:
- They ask for access to your Instagram account, and your information is put at risk.
- Most of them violate Instagram’s terms of service, which means your account is suspended.
- They are not a reliable or truthful source of data.
How Is Instagram Different from Other Social Sites?
Here’s a comparison of how Instagram’s privacy policies differ from other social sites:
| Platform | Can You See Profile Views? | Can You See Story Views? | Other Notable Features |
|---|---|---|---|
 No |  Yes | Reels and videos do not show viewers. | |
| Yes | No | Only visible unless the viewer is in private mode. | |
| No | Yes | Facebook Live shows who joins. | |
| TikTok | No | Yes | Likes and comments are visible. |
| Snapchat | No | Yes | Shows who screenshots Stories. |
Tips on Private Instagram Browsing
If you wish to access Instagram in a more discreet manner, try the following tips:
1. Enable Airplane Mode
To be able to view someone’s Story without showing up on their list of viewers, you can first enable Airplane Mode before checking it out. This is only possible, however, if the Story has already been loaded prior to going offline.
2. Create a Finsta (Fake Instagram Account)
A Finsta (a fake Instagram account) allows individuals to look at profiles and stories without revealing their authentic main account identity. Although, using this method is a little tricky because if you’re trying to look into a private account, they might not accept your follow request if they’re unaware of your real identity.
3. Avoid Engaging
If you don’t need someone to recognize that you viewed their profile:
- Don’t comment or like their post.
- Don’t check their Instagram Stories.
- Don’t follow them or engage with their posts.
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Conclusion
So, can another person see how many times you looked at their Instagram profile? The answer is still no.
Instagram does not record or show profile views, and it is thus possible to surf anonymously. Although some activities such as story views, live video engagement, and liking are detectable, total profile visits are entirely anonymous.
In case privacy worries you, by adhering to the above rules of private browsing, you will be able to surf Instagram with no digital footprint left behind.
