Not everyone on Instagram wants their social connections to be visible to the public. If you value privacy, knowing how to hide followers on Instagram can help you achieve control over who sees your activity and who does not.
In this article, we share how to hide followers on Instagram without using any social media marketing tools, and also share some additional details that might be helpful for your online presence.
Can you completely Hide Followers on Instagram?
No, you can’t completely hide followers on Instagram. The platform doesn’t provide you with such a setting.
However, you can control who sees your list of followers via two main ways – by adjusting visibility settings or limiting access to accounts that you wish not to follow your Instagram activity.
Depending on your social media marketing campaign, all of these approaches can be effective when working for your online business goals.
Read also: How Social Media Content Calendar Helps You With Consistent Growth
How to Hide Followers on Instagram By Making Your Account Private
The fastest way to hide followers on Instagram is to make your account private. When it is, only accounts you approve can see your followers’ list.
Here’s how to make your Instagram account private:
- Open the Instagram app and head to your profile.
- Tap the three lines at the top-right corner of the screen.
- Click on Settings.
- Click on Account Privacy.
- Then, toggle the Private account option.
Now, with this setup, only your followers can see your list, and further, you can choose who exactly from your list of followers can see your list of followers.
How to Hide Followers on Instagram Without a Private Account
There are several approaches you can use to hide followers without making your account a private one:
- Restrict an account.
- Block an account.
- Remove followers manually.
Let’s see how to approach these.
How to Restrict an Instagram Account
Restricting someone means to disallow an account to freely interact with yours. To do so, follow these steps:
- Go to the Instagram profile you want to restrict.
- Tap the three-line sandwich icon at the top-right corner.
- Tap on Restrict.
They won’t know you have restricted them, but their access to your account will be limited – an approach that is preferred by numerous Instagram users.
How to Block an Instagram Account
Blocking is quite a cardinal measure. Blocking someone on Instagram means that they can’t see your followers, account, or activity at all. In a way, you become completely invisible on the platform from their perspective.
Should you wish to use such a measure, here’s how to proceed:
- Go to the profile you wish to block.
- Tap the three dots icon at the top-right corner.
- Tap Block.
Now you have managed to completely block an account on Instagram.
How to Remove an Instagram Account Manually
Even if you decide to keep your profile active, there’s a way to remove followers you don’t wish to follow you. Here are the steps to do so:
- Open your Instagram followers list.
- Tap Remove next to an account’s name.
These removed accounts won’t get a notification for being removed, but they will also no longer be able to access your followers’ list.
Additional Instagram Privacy Settings
Luckily, hiding your followers’ list on Instagram is not the only way to protect your privacy. The platform provides users with a few more settings that can help them achieve higher levels of protection and security. We share a list with such options.
Hide Your Activity Status
If you don’t want people to see whether you are online or not, you can quickly hide the activity status associated with your Instagram account. Here’s how to do so:
- Go to your Instagram profile.
- Tap the three-line menu icon.
- Head to Settings and Privacy.
- Go to Messages and Story Replies -> Activity Status.
- Toggle off Show Activity Status.
Now you have managed to hide the activity status for your Instagram account.
Set Who Can Comment and Message You
You can control who can comment on your publications and who can send you direct messages (chat). These options can help you keep away from accounts that you don’t want to interact with.
To block the commenting option for a specific user, do the following:
- Via the three-line sandwich menu, head to Settings and Privacy.
- Then, head to Comments.
- After that, select who can comment and block the option for the rest of the accounts.
To block a specific user from sending you direct messages, you can do the following:
- Again, go to Settings and Privacy
- Then, head to Messages and Story Replies
- From there, you can set who can send you DMs and who can not. The option also allows you to select who can add you to groups and who can’t.
Set Who Can See Your Stories
Should you wish to limit the visibility of your Instagram stories, the platform provides you with a quick way to make adjustments:
- Again, go to Settings and Privacy
- Head to Story and Reels
- Select Hide Story From
- Select the accounts you want to block from viewing your Instagram stories.
Tips and Tricks to Manage Your Instagram Profile
We share our best tips and tricks to help you expand your Instagram presence and get the most out of the platform. The tips we share are not in any particular order:
- Remove followers gradually. Avoid getting rid of numerous accounts at the same time, as this might flag your activity on Instagram.
- Constantly check and update your privacy settings. Instagram adds new safety and privacy features constantly. In order not to miss any new options, make sure to periodically check your settings, so as to be up to date with changes and preferences.
- Avoid third-party privacy apps and tools. Oftentimes, such are not reliable at all and can compromise your Instagram account. Stick to Instagram’s features for optimal security.
- Read about some more social media marketing tips to enhance your online presence.