Can You See Who Views Your Instagram Profile?

Profile photo of Karen Lin, author

Karen Lin

Instagram Tools | Sep 12, 2024

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If you’re running a business on Instagram, it can be especially helpful to know who’s been visiting your page. While you can’t see who views your Instagram profile, you can buy Instagram views to boost your content’s visibility. Users with private accounts may also be curious about who takes a peek at their Instaprofile. So the question is, can you see who views your Instagram account and how?

Person viewing an Instagram post.

Can You See Who Views Your Instagram Page?

Are you wondering, “can you find out who views your Instagram page?” Instagram sends notifications when users give you a follow, send you a message, or like, comment on, and/or share your post. But users don’t get notified when their profile is viewed by others with an Instagram profile viewer update. In social media parlance, “online stalking” is checking out somebody’s profile without engaging with it. It’s a relatively harmless practice that’s often driven by curiosity. So it’s only natural that you might also be curious about whether you’re also getting such inquisitive profile visitors. Additionally, using an Instagram web viewer doesn’t show who views your Instagram profile, as Instagram doesn’t disclose this information.

You might be asking, “Is there a way to view private Instagram accounts?” Instagram’s privacy policies ensure the anonymity of simple profile onlookers. You won’t know who among your followers or even non-followers are viewing your profile, as other users won’t be able to identify you as a profile visitor. You might also be asking, can people see when you screenshot on Instagram? No, people can take screenshots on IG with full anonymity. This is true for all types of accounts: viewing a personal Instagram account, private accounts, public accounts, and business accounts.

For Instagram business accounts, the Instagram Insights tool does provide information on the number of profile visits, alongside other relevant statistics. Yet, the report won’t reveal the random Instagram usernames of these visitors. So while you can’t see who views your Insta, you’ll be able to see the percentage and the exact number of profile visits you received over a preset time. Here’s how:

  1. Go to your profile page and tap the menu on the upper right corner.

Screenshot of Instagram Menu
  1. Select “Insights” and under “Recent Highlights,” tap “Accounts Reached.”

Screenshot of Instagram Insights Recent Highlights
  1. Under “Accounts Reached,” you’ll find “Profile Visits” below “Account Activity.”

Screenshot of Instagram Insights Accounts Reached showing how many people view your Instagram profile.

If you’re a curious onlooker and you’re unable to view someone’s profile and posts, you can find out if someone has blocked you on Instagram. If you’re no longer interested in the posts of someone you’re following but don’t wish to unfollow them, you have the option to mute their account instead. Here is how to mute someone on Instagram. And, if you aren’t sure how to unfollow on Instagram, here is everything you need to know.

Can You See Who Views Your Instagram Story?

Many users wonder, ‘Can someone see if you view their Instagram story?‘—the answer is yes, Instagram notifies the story owner of who has viewed their content. Instagram Stories are, well, another story. Can you see who viewed your Instagram video/story? Yes, you can see anybody who views your story, even if they do not interact with it. Over the 24 hours that your story is live, you’ll be able to see the list of all the people who saw it. You can use this information to determine if you’re reaching the right people and whether or not your content effectively engages them.

Your story’s list of viewers updates in real-time. Simply tap on your story, and then tap on the “Viewers” option at the bottom to reveal your viewers. If you have a business account, you can also find out more about your stories’ performance via Insights. In the Content tab, find the Stories sub-section. From here, you’ll also see how Instagram users spend their time watching your stories. How many users exited a particular story and how many tapped back, forward, and next? Have you accidentally viewed someone’s Instagram story but don’t want them to see you did? Stay calm because it will only be noticeable for 24 hours, or you can try switching your phone into airplane mode immediately after viewing.

Instagram Stories are a great way to increase your visibility and boost engagement. It’s also an effective tool that provides invaluable insights about the types of audience you’re reaching and how many, and what types of stories are most effective. Learning story viewer secrets and tips will give you the upper hand. So if you want to find out who views your Instagram the most, posting stories regularly is a good solution.

Woman on a balcony viewing an Instagram story on her phone.

Can You See Who Views Your Highlights on Instagram?

It’s not possible to see who views your Highlights on Instagram. However, when you add a recent story to your Highlights, you can still access the view count and viewer list for that story in the first 48 hours. After this period, the information will be deleted.

Can You See Who Views Your Instagram Posts?

Can you see who views your Instagram posts so you can check them against those who actually engaged with the posts? Let’s take a look at these two types of posts: Instagram videos and Instagram photos.

Can You See Who Views Your Instagram Video?

If you are asking, “Can you see who viewed your Instagram video” — the answer is only if the video is posted on your Stories. For videos posted on your feed, you’ll only see the view count, likes, and comments. Insights on Instagram videos will give you more information, including the average percentage of videos watched and a graph showing audience retention. Many users wonder, ‘Can you see who watched your reels?‘ and unfortunately, Instagram does not provide this information to maintain privacy. If you are trying to track down ways to obtain Instagram video free views, think again. There are no safe ways to pay for video views or obtain free views other than creating engaging content that people want to share.

Can You See Who Views Your Instagram Photos?

You’ll be able to see who views your Instagram photos only when they like or comment on your photos. You won’t be able to see those who only view but don’t engage. However, you can see the total number of people you were able to reach with a photo from your Insights. The Discovery section of a particular photo post will also tell you how many of the accounts you reached are not yet following you and how many impressions you received based on your hashtag strategy

Person viewing an Instagram photo.

Third-Party Apps That Provide Insights About Instagram Profile Views

Are you asking, “Who’s looking at my Instagram?” You might be tempted to keep digging to find out the identities of your profile and post viewers with the help of third-party tools. Can you see who views your Instagram using these third-party apps? Keep in mind that Instagram has rigorous and robust privacy and security protocols in place to protect its users. 

Instagram doesn’t share personally identifiable information with advertisers without permission. The platform also restricts third-party access to user data. So you must be extremely wary of any free Instagram stalker apps that offer to identify users who view your Instagram. A lot of these third-party Instagram stalker apps are not legitimate and trustworthy. But if you’re really eager to try out a profile viewer app, make sure to do sufficient research to find out if it’s reliable and legit before you start using it. Here are two apps with a decent number of favorable reviews that may be worth looking into.

  • Follower Insight for Instagram, Android
    • This app designed for the Android OS has most reviews rate it as user-friendly. Its services include providing information on who visits your profile, as well as notifications when users follow, unfollow, or block you on Instagram. 
  • Visitors Pro App, iOS
    • For iOS, this app has been well-rated for providing valuable analytics on engagement, i.e., a list of people who frequently interact with posts and stories, so that you can gain more insight about who is interested in your content.

Remember that most third-party Instagram apps that offer engagement insights can only gather data on people that directly engage with your profile and content. The user information an Instagram stalker app aggregates is only limited to people who actually follow you. Users who are not following you but may visit your profile can’t be tracked by these apps, including Instagram stalkers.

Everyone’s Right to Privacy Also Applies to Instagram Users

You might ask, “Does Instagram have profile views now” and “Can you see who views your Instagram?” out of mere curiosity. The Instagram app has the ability to track Insta profile views. But the platform does not share viewer identities — except for Stories or when viewers actually interact with a post. While you may feel that knowing who views your profile sans any interaction can help you modify your targeting marketing strategy, access to this information is construed as a privacy breach.

If you are looking to buy Instagram profile visits, we recommend against it. There are no trusted sites to buy IG profile visits. Focusing on these statistics won’t do anything to boost your growth. You may put your account’s privacy at risk and lose credibility. This goes against Instagram’s policies and can lead to account suspension.

For private and public accounts, Instagram has also implemented several measures to protect its users against harassment, bullying, abuse, or unwanted communication. Users can customize their privacy settings to specify what information can be viewed by the public. They also have the option to restrict or block certain users to manage who can see their posts and information. You can try a free Instagram Profile Analyzer to see the engagement statistics of your accounts and those of your competitors to learn more about their advantages.

How Can I Increase the Number of People Viewing My Instagram Profile?

If you’re actively managing a business Instagram account, Instagram offers advanced analytics tools to refine your audience targeting strategy. Through Instagram Insights, you can track likes, comments, follows, and story views, providing you with valuable data to optimize your profile’s performance. To gauge your Instagram growth and compare it with competitors, consider using a free tool that helps you understand the metrics of your account and others.

For those seeking more advanced audience targeting and increased visibility, partnering with a growth expert like Path Social can make a significant difference. Path Social utilizes proprietary AI targeting technology and an experienced in-house team to enhance your Instagram presence. With our services, you can effectively reach and engage your target audience, leading to more profile views and followers. Explore our solutions, including tools for anonymous story viewing and web profile viewing, to boost your Instagram strategy. Start growing your Instagram profile with Path Social today!