How the Instagram Likes System Works After the Updates
In 2024-2025, Meta focused on privacy. Likes no longer put pressure on your mental health, but they still influence the algorithm.
What Changed in 2024-2025
- 2024. The “Hide Like Count” option appeared – the author decides whether to show the number or not.
- Early 2025. The like counter moved to the “Activity” button (heart icon) and got a “threshold of 1000”.
- April 2025. Instagram is testing a “Most Active” label, which ranks users who liked a post based on their interaction strength.
If you want to quickly understand how to view likes in Instagram after the update, remember: all the information is hidden under the number or the word “Likes” below the photo.
Why You Sometimes Can’t See Likes Under a Post
- The author has hidden the counter.
- Slow internet – the data didn’t load.
- You’re using an old app version below v 325.
- The post is part of the “Hide Like Count by default” test – Instagram randomly hides likes for 24 hours.
How to Find Out Who Liked a Post If the Counter Is Hidden
You can’t, unless it’s your own post. The owner sees the full list: Activity tab → “Likes”. For everyone else, the phrase “Liked by X and others” is displayed. This definitively answers the question – how to find out who liked your post on instagram if the author decided to keep things private.
How to See Who Liked Your Post on Instagram
Where to Find the List of Users Who Liked
- Open the photo or Reels.
- Tap the heart icon or the number below the post.
- You’ll see a list of names and a search bar to quickly find a specific person.
How the Limit on Displayed Names Works
Instagram shows a maximum of 1000 accounts. If there are more likes, scrolling will stop, but the number under the heart will keep the exact count (+ a general “and 22,134 others”).
What to Do If Not All Likes Are Displayed
- Switch to Wi-Fi – the “heavy” list loads faster.
- Update the app.
- Clear the cache: Profile → Settings → “Account” → “Recent Searches”.
Now you know how to see who liked my post on instagram, even if the number seems “cut off”.
💡 Lifehack: Switch to a Business account – the Insights tab will show the TOP-5 profiles that liked your posts over 7 days.
How to View Your Likes on Instagram
Instructions – Where to Find Your Liked Posts
- Profile → ☰ menu.
- “Your activity” → “Interactions”.
- “Likes” – a feed of the 300 most recent posts you’ve liked.
Limits: How Many Posts Instagram Saves in Your Like History
Exactly your last 300 likes are stored. Older ones disappear. Create a “Favorites” collection and save important posts there.
This feature answers the question – how to view my likes on instagram without third-party services.
How to View Someone Else’s Likes on Instagram
Is It Possible to Find Out What Someone Else Liked
There is no direct way – the “Following” tab was removed back in 2021. However, you can open a post, tap “Likes” and type your friend’s username in the search field – Instagram will show if they liked that specific photo.
Why Instagram Limited the Visibility of Others’ Activity
Meta is combating stalking and fake like-farming. By hiding the list of likes, the platform reduces toxicity.
Are There Workarounds and Should You Use Them
Third-party services parse HTML code. Risks:
- token blocking,
- account hacking,
- violation of ToS.
So, when thinking about how to view someone else’s likes on instagram, it’s better to use the manual method with username search.
⚠️ Never enter your login and password on third-party sites promising to “see all likes”.
Why You Might Not See Who Liked a Post
Hidden Likes – The Author’s Privacy Setting
The author has toggled on “Hide Like Count”. You will only see a list of a few friends first.
Technical Bugs, Delays, and App Updates
Version 324.1 had a bug that zeroed out the name list. The solution is to update to 325.0.
Limits on the Number of Likes Displayed
The threshold of 1000 names is fixed. Large blogs will always have “and others”.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How to Bring Back Like Display on Instagram?
Profile → Settings → Privacy → Posts → turn off “Hide Like Count”.
Can You View Likes Without Logging Into an Account?
No, Instagram requires at least a guest profile.
Why Are Likes Sometimes Visible and Sometimes Not?
The author changes the “Hide Like Count” setting, or Instagram is testing a new layout.
How to Find Out Who Likes Your Stories?
Open the story → swipe up → viewer list. A like appears as a heart next to the username.
How to View Likes on a Post in the Instagram Web Version?
Open instagram.com, click on the number of likes – a list of names will pop up just like in the mobile app.
How to Control Likes on Instagram and Understand Engagement
- The “Activity” button stores the list of people who liked a publication.
- “Your activity” shows your likes.
- The algorithm takes likes into account but values saves, comments, and watch time more.
Remember: analyze likes as part of a bigger picture and optimize other metrics – then your reach will grow.
