Can You See Who Viewed Your Instagram Video? Your Questions, Answered

Instagram provides us with a glimpse inside the life of others, from friends and family to celebrities and influencers. The social media app serves as a great way to have interactive conversations, share your favorite things and re-connect with others. Previously, most content sharing was done solely through feed photos. However, videos now play a major part in the app’s popularity and success. In fact, videos are a great way to level up your social media game and get more Instagram followers. As with anything posted on Instagram, videos often come with a question regarding viewership. One of the most commonly asked is this – can you see who viewed your Instagram video? On the flip side, you may also be wondering if people can see when you view their videos.

Of course, there is a lot that you can see when it comes to Instagram. For one, you already know who is following you on the app. The usernames of your followers – and people you are following – are easy to find from your profile page. Additionally, you also know who has liked or commented on your feed posts or sent you a direct message. But what about any video content that you post, share or reshare? Can you see who viewed your Instagram video? The answer is, well, sort of. The thing is, the answer really all depends on how you are posting videos to Instagram. Let’s make things a bit more clear and explain further below. Keep scrolling and make sure you have your phone handy to test out these tips, tricks and methods.

What Is an Instagram Video?

Before we discuss the question of can you see who viewed your Instagram video, let’s take a few steps back. First, you need to get up to speed on what a video on Instagram really is and, of course, how to post one. When it comes to creating a video and posting it on Instagram, you have a few options. First, you can upload video content that you’ve pre-recorded. If it’s accessible on your camera’s photo album, you can add it to Instagram. For another option, you can use Instagram’s built-in camera to record both video and video sound. Ready to show off your newly minted video? You can either post your content as an Instagram story or an Instagram reel. Below, allow us to break down the difference between each option. And of course, we’ll get to the most important point. Can you see who viewed your Instagram video?

Since their introduction in 2016, Instagram stories have reigned as one of the most popular ways to share content. This feature lets you quickly post your share of activities and moments throughout the day. In fact, you have the option to post in both photo and video format. This content appears together as a slideshow format to create your story. Stories offer an easy way to interact daily with your followers. Similarly, Instagram reels let you post engaging and fun videos to share with a broad interactive audience. This is a newer feature to the powerful platform known as Instagram, launching in 2019 to almost immediate success. So, just what exactly is a reel? It’s a short, 15-90 second multi-clip video that lets you add audio and other effects. You can create reels in a quick series of separate clips or in one continuous video stream.

Learn How to Post a Video as an Instagram Story

First things first. You’ve got to know how to post a video before you can see who has viewed it, right? If you’ve never posted to your story before, we are here to help. Ready for the easy-to-follow steps? Grab your phone and let’s start on this quick tutorial before we probe into can you see who viewed your Instagram video.

1. Open your Instagram app. Tap the plus sign square icon in the top left hand corner of your screen. You can also swipe right anywhere in your feed.
2. Look towards the bottom right hand corner and select story.
3. Tap on the circular record button icon in the bottom middle of the screen to take a picture. Or, tap and hold this button down to record a video.
4. You can also choose to use a photo or video that is already saved to your phone. Simply swipe up anywhere on the screen or select the camera roll icon on the bottom left hand corner. You’ll need to ensure you have given the app permission to access your camera roll.
5. From here, use the edit icons on the top right hand side of the screen to add on extras. You can add text, doodles, filters and more. Click on the three dots icon to access the draw tool and save your story to your camera roll.
6. You can also swipe up to access stickers as well as the ever-popular selection of GIFs and emojis. Geo-tag your current venue with the location sticker or add a catchy tune by selecting music.
7. When you’re done, simply select the next arrow and choose who you wish to share your story with.

Congratulations, you’ve successfully created and shared your first story. Now it’s time to move right along and talk all about Instagram reels.

Learn How to Post a Video as an Instagram Reel

We know you are wondering, can you see who viewed your Instagram video shared as a reel? First, let’s quickly talk about how to make a reel. You are essentially combining pictures and video snippets. It just takes a little bit of editing magic to tie it all together. Follow the below steps and you’ll be an expert poster in no time.

1. Open your Instagram app to your profile page. Click the plus sign button on the top right hand side of the screen. Select reel from the bottom row of options. You can also access the reels editor by swiping left to open the Instagram camera from your home screen. From here, select the reel option located at the bottom of the screen.
2. Click the camera roll icon on the bottom left hand side of the screen. You can also swipe up from the live camera view for quick access. Tap on the photo or video you wish to add to your reel. Also, feel free to use Instagram’s built-in camera to record video in real-time.
3. Next, you can adjust the length of time you want this photo to appear in your reel. Drag the slider to choose your preferred time under the default and maximum length of 5 seconds.
4. Click add. This will take you back to the live camera view of your reel creator.
5. Want to add more pictures to the same reel? You got it. Simply repeat steps 2 through 4.
6. Got everything lined up and timed up to your liking? Edit your content by adding music, stickers or special effects. Click next to preview your reel and next again to complete the finishing touches.

Now that you are up to speed on creating reels, let’s get right to answering the main question at hand.

How Can You See Who Viewed Your Instagram Video Shared as a Story?

Alright, it’s finally time for the big reveal. Can you see who viewed your Instagram video that you posted as a story? If you are hoping you can, then you’re in luck. The answer is yes. Now, are you eagerly asking how can you see who viewed your Instagram video shared as a story? It’s easy, we promise. To access this feature, simply pull up a frame of your story. This is easily done by clicking on your profile photo on the upper left corner of your main feed page. Next, you’ll want to swipe up from the bottom of the screen. This will show you the total number of people who have viewed that part of your story, along with usernames. From this screen, you’ll also have options. Clicking on the three dots next to their name will let you, among other things, restrict, block or view their profile.

There’s a couple things to remember. First, people can view the different segments of your story at different times throughout the course of the day. So, you’ll want to repeat the above steps on each portion of your Instagram story. Of course, be sure to check back frequently within the 24 hour time period to catch any new viewers. If your story has already expired, don’t worry. You can still check out your viewers for up to 48 hours by accessing your posts and stories archives. Follow the same swipe up steps as when your story is live and you’ll see the complete list. And rest assured, you are the only one who can see this information. We already know that the answer to can you see who viewed your Instagram video shared as a story is yes. However, the actual list of viewers is only accessible to you.

Can You See Who Viewed Your Instagram Reel Video?

You already know the answer when it comes to stories, but what about reels? Can you see who viewed your Instagram reel? If you are hoping for another yes, then you may be a bit disappointed. With reels, the answer is no. This Instagram feature does not currently track and show viewers. While this may be something that the app changes up in the future, it doesn’t seem likely. Wondering why? Popular reels can get thousands, if not millions of views. A complete viewer list would be extremely lengthy and may slow things down. Additionally, Instagram often recommends reels for you to watch based on their algorithm. Sometimes viewing them is involuntary and viewers may not want their username connected to certain videos. Although you may have wished for a different answer, consider this. Not tracking viewers means you can freely watch all the reels you want – without being seen.

Although you can’t see the username names, you can see a few other things when it comes to Instagram reels. Allow us to explain further. Similar to feed posts, you can view the usernames of people who have liked your video. This means they’ve double tapped on it or hit the heart icon. Another helpful piece of information that the app shares? You can tell exactly how many times the reel has been viewed. This tidbit is especially helpful to brands or businesses who are wondering how to increase their engagement. It allows them to gauge how their content is performing and capitalize on what is working for them. This can lead to better visibility and a larger following. However, when it comes to the question of can you see who viewed your Instagram video shared as a reel, the answer is no.

Can You See Who Viewed Your Instagram Video and Other Notifications

Chances are, you are familiar with the Instagram notifications that pop up on your phone from time to time. A new friend request, a direct message or photo like – the social media app constantly keeps you updated. But perhaps you are wondering if there’s a notification that supports the question of can you see who viewed your Instagram video. At this time, there is no notification for this. Although you can see who viewed your Instagram stories, you will not be notified every time there is a new viewer. You will have to access each story segment in order to see the list of viewers. And, remember, that is only for videos that are shared as stories.

However, there are some notifications you’ll receive from the social media app in regards to videos. Currently, those are for when someone likes it, reacts to it or comments on it. You’ll also receive a notification if another user tags you in their story. Remember, all these notifications are easily customizable to fit your needs and wants. Of course, you can easily change these notifications at any time. Want to double check your current settings or make a few updates? Accessing your setting is easy. Pop on over to your Instagram profile and select the three lines icon from the upper right hand corner. Next, tap settings then notifications. This will give you full control over what notifications you receive and from who.

At Path Social we’ve built up an in-house platform of Instagram influencers and a proprietary AI targeting algorithm over the past decade. That’s how we reach organic users who are targeted, interested, and engaged. And that’s why no one can replicate our results, which means you’ll build an Instagram community that lasts! Start growing and gaining Instagram followers today.