How to hide Instagram likes

(Image credit: Instagram)

Knowing how to hide Instagram likes on your personal timeline is essential if you want to take full control over your Instagram experience.

The Facebook-owned platform now allows people to hide likes on both their own posts and those on their timeline, potentially offering mental health benefits by reducing the pressure to chase approval from others. What's more, the new feature can be applied to old images, as well as new ones.

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It's an action that's arguably long overdue, with Instagram having even considered removing like counts from the platform entirely at one stage. It hasn't gone that far in the end, but the option to toggle the counter on or off will undoubtedly be welcomed by many.

Read on to find out how to hide Instagram likes.

How to hide Instagram likes on a new post

1. Open the Instagram app on your smartphone and start a new post. In this instance, we've used an Apple iPhone 12 Mini, but the steps should be very similar on the Android Instagram app.

2. Click through to the final editing screen page. Then, tap 'Advanced Settings' at the bottom of the screen where you can edit and add a post's caption.

3. Once on the 'Advanced Settings' landing page, you will now see an option that shows you how to how to hide Instagram likes. Toggle on or off.

Note: this only applies to a new post on your Instagram page. Next, we'll show you how to change the settings on existing photos' like counts.

How to hide Instagram likes on an existing post

1. So, you're all clued-up on how to hide Instagram likes on new posts — now for posts that are already on your timeline.

2. Head to your Instagram profile and open a post on your timeline. Once there, tap the three small dots in the top right corner of the post.

3. After tapping the three dots, you'll be given the option to, once again, 'Hide Like Count'.

4. Repeat the process for any existing posts that you'd like to change the settings on. And if you forget to do this when uploading a new post, you can use these instructions to retroactively turn the feature on or off.