How to Hide Followers, Following and Likes on Instagram

Instagram does not have a simple hide followers button. These are the real options and what each one does and does not hide.

By Siddharth ShankarUpdated October 21, 2026

People search for how to hide followers because those lists reveal who you know. Colleagues, family and friends can all be traced through them, so it matters.

Public and private accounts

Instagram’s help centre explains that by default anyone can see your profile and photos and videos unless you are under 18, and that you can make your account private so only approved followers can see what you share.

Making the account private

A guide by Online Tech Tips says that turning on Private Account under Account privacy creates a more closed network in which, paraphrased, only people you approve can see your followers. The downside is that you must approve every new follower request manually.

Remove a follower

The same guide says you can remove a specific person from your followers list. That limits their access to your lists, stories and posts, and it works best with private accounts. They can still see your follower count.

Block someone

On a public account, the guide describes blocking specific people as the only way to hide followers from them. You have to do it profile by profile, and a determined person could create a new account to get around it.

Hide or show like counts

Instagram’s help centre has a page on hiding or unhiding like counts on posts and reels. It says you can change whether you see the total number of like and view counts for posts. The page we could open did not list the steps, so look in your Instagram settings for the like and view count option.

What you cannot hide

• There is no official hide followers feature for general users.
• Removing followers leaves your follower count visible.
• Business accounts cannot be set to private, so blocking is the only option the guide gives them.

A short action plan

Think about who sees your lists

Followers and following lists reveal your relationships. Employers, ex-partners and strangers can use them to find family, colleagues or friends. If you care about that, make the account private, review who follows you every few months and avoid following accounts that tie to your home, workplace or school.

Teens and Instagram

Young people may be set to private by default, but they can still change it. If you are a parent, talk to your child about who they accept as followers and why. See a parents’ guide to a child’s digital footprint.

Comments and tags

Hiding followers is only part of the picture. Comments, tags and mentions can also show who you know, and who you spend time with. Review who can tag or mention you, turn on approval for tags if you want to check them first, and remove old tags that point to places or people you would rather keep private.

Check what the public sees

Open your profile in a private browser window, or ask a friend who is not connected to you to look. Check your bio, your highlights and your profile picture, because those remain visible in many cases, even when the account is private.

Related guides

See how to make Instagram private, what to do if Instagram is hacked and a parents’ guide to a child’s digital footprint.