Definitions: what is activity on Instagram (likes, stories, reels)
Likes on posts and reels: public vs private accounts
A like is a mark under a post or reel. On public accounts, the list of people who liked a specific publication is usually visible to everyone. On private accounts – only followers can see the list of likes. There is no general list of “what a person liked this month” on Instagram – it is not shown publicly.
It’s important to check one often-forgotten detail: the author of a post can hide the like count. Then the numbers aren’t visible, and the list on click might be unavailable. This is not a bug – it’s by design.
Stories: views and reactions without visible hearts
A story is a temporary publication lasting 24 hours. Who viewed it and who sent a reaction – only the story’s author can see. You cannot find out who liked someone else’s story. At most – you can indirectly guess by a person’s activity in comments or replies to posts.
Reels: personal friends’ feed and 24-month analytics
Reels are short vertical videos. The list of people who liked a specific reel opens by clicking the count under the video. A separate official “feed of reels liked by friends” for everyone doesn’t exist yet – Instagram periodically tests such features, but you shouldn’t rely on it as a stable tool.
Regarding “24-month analytics” – there are no such historical reports on others’ activity in the app. You can download your own data from your account archive and analyze it manually.
| Activity Type | What it is | What you see for yourself | What others see | Where to look |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Post like | Heart under photo/video | In “Your activity – Interactions – Likes” | List of likers on a specific post (if not hidden) | Under the post – click on the count |
| Reel like | Heart under the reel | Same, in “Likes” | List of likers on the reel (if not hidden) | Under the reel – click on the count |
| Story views | List of viewers and reactions | Only the story author sees this | No one | Author’s story view interface |
| Comments | Text under a post | Your own comments in “Your activity – Interactions – Comments” | Public under the post | Post screen – comments block |
How to view someone else’s activity on Instagram: basic methods without services
Manual viewing of likes on public profiles
In practice, this is what people most often do: open the desired public profile, go to recent posts, and check who liked them. If there aren’t many likes – this works quickly. If many – be prepared to scroll.
Step 1: Click on the ♥ count under the post
Open the post and tap the number of likes under the publication. If the post’s likes are hidden – the button might not be there. Then skip this post.
Step 2: Scroll the list and search by username
Scroll through the list. There is no search within the list in the app. On the web, you can press Ctrl+F and search for a username – this will only work on already loaded elements. If there are 100+ likes – it’s easier to check several recent posts than one to the end.
Friends’ Reels feed: new features 2025-2026
If you have a tab/bar with reels liked by friends – that’s a test feature. Don’t rely on it for work. If it’s not there – nothing is broken, the feature is simply unavailable for your region or app version.
Avatars in the corner: quick access to liked videos
Sometimes Instagram shows small avatars of friends on reel cards – this means they liked that video. Tap – you’ll go to the reel. If you don’t see such hints – that’s normal, the feature is not mandatory.
Step-by-step process for viewing using official tools
Your own activity: Profile → Your activity → Likes
If you need to understand the picture quickly – go to your profile, open the menu – Your activity – Interactions – Likes. Here there are filters by date and authors. This is convenient for analyzing your own actions and generating a report.
Filters by date, author, CSV export
Filter the period and accounts. There is no direct CSV export in the app. Do this: Profile – Menu – Your information – Download information – choose JSON – get an archive via email – then convert JSON to CSV in Excel/Google Sheets. This is longer but reliable.
| Task | Android/iOS | Web | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| View your own likes | Profile – ☰ – Your activity – Interactions – Likes | Web version doesn’t show everything – more reliable via app | Use date/author filters |
| Download archive with likes | Profile – ☰ – Your information – Download information | Settings – Privacy and Security – Download Data | JSON format – then convert to CSV |
| Check others’ likes under a post | Open post – tap the like count | Open post – click the count – Ctrl+F on the open list | Only works if the count is not hidden |
Others’ comments and stories: indirect indicators of likes
When direct access isn’t available – look indirectly. Comments under posts, frequent replies to the author, tags in reels – these are signs of interest. This is not equal to a like, but in real work, it helps understand what a person watches and who they pay attention to.
| Sign | Where to check | When useful | Limitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent comments | Recent posts of the profile of interest | When you need a list of “who they interact with” | Comments can be deleted/hidden |
| Reels reposts | Profile’s “Tagged” section | When looking for topics that “resonated” | Not all reposts are public |
| Tags in stories | Author’s archive – inaccessible to you | Practically uncheckable from outside | Only the author sees |
How to see reels that another person likes: services 2026
TOP tools: InstaShpion, Zengram, KogoLike
Honestly: there is no direct legal way to see “all reels a person has liked.” Any services from this list work via workarounds – they parse public data and simulate manual viewing. Use only at your own risk and definitely on a separate technical account.
Registration and monitoring: likes + comments + follows
- Create a separate technical account – not linked to your main one.
- Follow the public targets – so parsing stably collects new posts.
- Set up tracking: likes under posts, likes under reels, new comments, follows/unfollows.
- Set limits: no more than 1-2 polls per minute – otherwise activity block.
Pricing and limits for Ukraine (VPN recommendations)
- Prices for such services fluctuate – most often monthly and by the number of accounts tracked.
- Check if the site opens without VPN. If not – turn on VPN in the browser and log in again.
- Look for a trial period of 3-7 days – test on 1-2 public profiles, check data accuracy.
- Do not enter your main Instagram password – the risk of theft and blocking is too high.
Parsers: Insta-parser, Pepper.Ninja, LiveDune
Parsers collect public data from accounts and publications. Standard application: download recent posts for a set of profiles, collect lists of likes under them, compare intersections. Yes, this is not “someone else’s like feed,” but the result is reproducible and without accessing others’ data.
Is it possible to see when someone liked something on Instagram: privacy limitations
Public posts: visible to all
If a post is public and likes are not hidden – the list of likers is visible to everyone and opens on click. Instagram does not show the time of the like. Only the fact that the person is on the list.
Private: only to followers
If an account is private – neither posts nor like lists are visible without following. I don’t recommend bypassing this via services – high risk of blocking and complaints.
Stories and reels: hidden metrics
Story views and reactions – only for the author. For reels, metrics like “who liked when” are also not in the public interface. At most – the list of people who liked a specific video.
Step-by-step guide for mobile and web versions (Ukraine: current APKs)
Mobile app: Android/iOS steps with screenshots
- Open profile – tap ☰ – Your activity – Interactions – Likes.
- Tap Filters – select dates and accounts – Apply.
- To open the list of likes under someone else’s post – go to the post – tap the like count.
- If the app doesn’t update via the store – download APK from the device’s official store or wait for the update. Install third-party APKs only with full understanding of the risks.
“Oldest first” filter for analysis
When you need to see a trend – turn on “Oldest first” sorting. This way you’ll see early likes and understand how interests changed. For quick tasks, keep “Newest first” – this saves time.
Web version: Ctrl+F in likes lists
In the browser, open the post – click the like count – scroll the list and use Ctrl+F for the username. This only works on what’s already loaded on the screen. To speed up – enlarge the window, load more elements, and only then search.
Table comparing methods and services
| Method | What it shows | Stories | Reels | Money | Speed | Risks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manual viewing | Likes under specific posts/reels | No | Partially | Free | Fast for <100 likes | Minimal |
| Comment search | Indirect activity | No | Indirectly | Free | Medium | Interpretation errors |
| Friends’ Reels feed | Hints about liked videos | No | Yes, if available | Free | Fast | Feature may be absent |
| Monitoring services | Summaries of likes and comments on public posts | No | Yes, post-factum | Subscription | Fast after setup | Block/data leak |
| Parsers | Exports of like lists from sets of posts | No | Yes, for reels | Subscription/one-time | Fast on arrays | Platform rule violation |
| Official archive | Only your own likes | No | Yes, your own | Free | Slow – wait for archive | Safe |
Mistakes when viewing others’ activity and how to avoid them
Ignoring privacy: Instagram block
The most common story – people connect their main account to a service and set aggressive limits. Result – temporary block or request for selfie confirmation. Don’t do that.
Fake services: data loss (Ukraine: verified reviews)
Any service that asks for your Instagram login and password is a risk zone. Check reviews and portfolios, test on a technical account, don’t pay for a year upfront. If the interface is clunky and doesn’t show a demo – pass.
| Mistake | What it looks like | How to avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Aggressive parsing | Many requests in a short time | Set pauses of 30-60 sec, use proxy/VPN selectively |
| Entering password into unknown service | Later “suspicious activity” | Only technical account, two-factor auth, unique password |
| Relying on unstable features | “Friends’ feed” disappeared | Build your main process without depending on test features |
Risks and safety: GDPR, Ukrainian data laws 2026
Account block for parsing
Any automation violates platform rules. Limits or blocks can be applied to an account. Minimize risks: separate account, reasonable intervals, only public data.
Protecting your own likes: hiding counters
- To hide the like count on a post – open the post – ⋯ – Hide Like Count.
- To hide counters by default – Profile – ☰ – Settings – Privacy – Posts – Hide Like and View Counts.
- If you need to close up more – switch the account to private. Then others won’t see your likes on private profiles if they don’t follow you.
Expert recommendations: analyzing 5000+ likes (10 years experience)
Statistics for Ukraine: 62% micro-influencers
In practice, most activity in niches usually comes from micro-accounts – creators with a small audience and live comments. Specific percentages vary. Do a mini-audit in your topic: 20-30 competitor accounts, last 10 posts for each, look at intersections in likes and comments – the picture will become clear.
SMM checklist: competitor monitoring
- Compile a list of 30-50 relevant accounts – competitors, partners, opinion leaders.
- Export the last 20-30 posts for each and collect likes – manually or via a parser.
- Find the top 100 recurring accounts in the likes – this is your hot audience for the topic.
- Check their open interests: who they follow, where they comment.
- Compare post topics with the best reaction – take them into your content plan.
FAQ
Is it possible to see someone else’s story likes?
No. Only the story author sees them. There is no public way.
How to export someone else’s likes to CSV?
Impossible. You can only download your own data via “Download Information.” Others’ data – only manually from post pages, and then compile into a spreadsheet yourself.
Do services work without VPN in Ukraine?
Depends on the service. If the site doesn’t open or complains about the region – turn on VPN in the browser. Be sure to check that the VPN doesn’t break Instagram authorization.
What to do if the Friends’ Reels feed didn’t appear?
Update the app, clear cache, restart. If it didn’t appear – the feature is unavailable for your account/region. Use basic methods and don’t rely on this option.
Is using InstaShpion legal in 2026?
Legally grey. From Instagram’s perspective – violation of rules, possible blocks. From a legal standpoint – don’t share passwords, don’t collect private data, work only with public data.
Checklist: Summary on the topic
- Check the public status of the account you’re viewing.
- Use manual scrolling for posts with up to 100 likes – this is faster.
- For volume, connect a parser/service to a technical account with limits.
- Filter your own likes in “Your activity” – by dates and authors.
- For export – request the archive and convert JSON to CSV.
- Hide your own like counts if necessary.
- Don’t count on test features – keep a basic process.
In short. You cannot fully view someone else’s likes on Instagram – only under specific posts and reels, and even then only if the counter is not hidden. Your own likes and activity history are available in the “Your activity” section and via the official archive. For larger tasks, people use parsers and services, but only with a separate account and careful limits.
If the goal is to understand a person’s or audience’s interests – look not at “magic” feeds, but at simple signals: what they comment on, what topics appear more often in the feed, who intersects with whom in likes. This gives a working picture without surprises.
What’s your task now – to quickly check a couple of accounts’ activity or to gather a picture for a niche across 100+ profiles?
