With popular trends and social sites, many of us have seen and even own an Instagram account directly. With the growth of social networking platforms, privacy and security have become trending issues. Among these privacy concerns, this article looks into how to hide following in Instagram application.
Unlike Facebook applications, these apps lack some privacy settings. As of 2021 latest data, people are more concerned about their privacy. Therein, you can even go for alternatives like making the account private, blocking unwanted followers, or using third-party apps to hide following in Instagram. Still, some of the other options are explained in this article if you are looking for any of those.
Quick Summary About Instagram
In this age of the internet, Instagram has become a popular social network application. This app has more than 60 million registered users and more than 40 million daily active users. With such a high number of active users, this app has bridged the global network.
With the increase in popularity, this app has become one of the competing platforms to increase followers. The risk of losing privacy is directly proportional to the number of followers. Because the higher your number of followers, the higher you will be in the spotlight. However, one of the raising questions concerning people is how to hide the followers on IG.
Do You Know the Difference Between Followers List And Following List?
Both seem pretty similar but carry a different meaning slightly. However, followers list is the section where we can see who follows us, checks our content, and the public details of our profile. Whereas, the following list is the one that shows the profiles of people we follow with whom we are sharing our content.
Moreover, You can view the follower’s list and following list by tapping on your profile section. To hide the following in Instagram, it comes within this section of the profile.
Why Would One Want To Hide Following In Instagram?
Instagram is all about sharing and posting. To a certain degree, the number of followers shows the level of popularity accessed. In addition, user account and profile details everything is publicly shared over the Internet.
So, users can have some issues showing off their profile publicly. For example, users might feel discomfort or embarrassed about revealing their Privacy. Consequently, going through such an issue can be a reason to seek secondary options to hide following in Instagram.
For example: Imagine your crush checking on your IG profile and comes to see you have few followers. Naturally, you will feel embarrassed, so you seek options to hide your following in Instagram.
Ways To Hide Following In Instagram
If you don’t want to share your following list, you need to go through this article. Then, you can check the guidelines that will help you to hide your following list. However, the explained procedure is not the official post on Instagram’s official website or webpage but follow to know ways to hide following in Instagram.
Hide Following By Making your Account To A Private Account
If you want to hide any of your content, switching your account to private can make your way. Because when your account is publicly visible to the public, then hiding your activities can be impossible. Since, you are not under any influencer or business account holding section, making your account private can help hide following in Instagram.
Step 1: Launch Instagram Application
On your device’s home page, you will see an Instagram icon. Next, tap on the icon and open your Instagram application.
Step 2: Go To Your Profile
Tap on the “Profile icon,” which you can find at the bottom right corner of your screen. The, onn tapping on the profile icon, you will switch to your profile page.
Step 3: Tap On The Three Horizontal Lines
To go to your settings page, tap on the three horizontal (…) you can see at the top right corner of your screen.
Step 4: Go To Settings Page
By clicking on the option of this page, you can manage the Settings and Privacy of your account. After which, tap on the settings, and under that section, tap on the “Privacy” section.
Step 5: Tap on Private Account Option
Enable “Private Account” by tapping on the Private Account options. Your account will switch from a Public account to a Private account.
Quick Note: Only approved users can see your future posts and stories after switching to a private account. Hence, the users need to get your approval to view the following list. Hashtags added to your posts on the public Instagram feed will also be hidden so only your followers can enjoy your companionship.
Hide Following In Instagram By Changing Privacy Option To Your Posts
Did you know that you can hide your following by changing your post privacy? By doing these, you can hide your content from specific users with who you do not want to share your post.
Follow up the steps to hide the following list if you want to go through your post privacy section.
Step 1:Launch Your Instagram Application
On your device’s home page, you will see an Instagram icon. Next, tap on the icon and open your Instagram application.
Step 2: Go To Your Profile
Tap on the Profile icon. You can find the profile icon at the bottom right corner of your screen. The, on tapping on the profile icon, you will switch to your profile page.
Step 3: Tap On The Three Horizontal Lines
To go to your settings page, tap on the three horizontal (…) you can see at the top right corner of your screen.
Step 4: Go To Settings Page
By clicking on this option of this page, you can manage the Settings and Privacy of your account.
Step 5: Go To Posts Settings
Tap on the” Posts” option. Next, on clicking on the post option, you can change your privacy settings. Similarly, you can also manage your likes, view, and tags options under this section.
Quick Note: On changing the Privacy settings on your posts, your profile will be only visible to your current followers. Unfortunately, your following list still is visible to your current followers.
Hide Following In Instagram By Account Restriction
Account Restriction is limiting access to your account for specific users. Likewise, enabling this feature restricts them from following you, checking your post, and sending you messages. In addition, until you approve for others to see, comments on your post by the restricted users will be limited to themselves only. Moreover, they won’t be able to know if you have seen or read the messages sent. So, let’s see the steps to restrict accounts for specific users.
Step 1:Launch Your Instagram Application
On your device’s home page, you will see an Instagram icon. Tap on the icon and open your Instagram application.
Step 2: Go To Your Profile
Secondly, tap on the “Profile icon,” which you can find at the bottom right corner of your screen. On tapping on the profile icon, you will switch to your profile page.
Step 3: Tap On The Three Horizontal Lines
To go to your profile page, tap on the three horizontal (…) you can see at the top right corner of your screen.
Step 4: Go To The Settings Page
Then, by clicking on this option of this page, you can manage the Settings and Privacy of your account.
Step 5: Go To Restricted Accounts
Under this section, you will see the “Restricted Accounts” options. On tapping “Restricted Accounts,” you will be redirected to another page. Next, tap on Continue to add restricted users. Next, search for the account you want to restrict. Likewise, after typing the account you wish to restrict, you can see the “restrict” option on the side of the account. Finally, tap on “Restrict,” and that account will be restricted.
Quick Note: After restricting, a message pops out saying that account is restricted. And if you want unrestrict, the account simply tap on the “Unrestrict” option. Hence, after doing these, the account will simply be back to normal.
Hide Following In Instagram By Removing Unwanted Followers
You may even think, what if you don’t want someone from your following list to see your activity. Moreover, do you know you can remove your followers anytime without even notifying them? You can do it once your account is private. Then, you can check the follower list and remove unwanted followers easily.
Step 1: Launch Your Instagram App
On your device’s home page, you will see an Instagram icon. Then, tap on the icon and open your Instagram application.
Step 2: Go To Your Profile
Tap on the “Profile icon,” which you can find at the bottom right corner of your screen. Next, on tapping on the profile icon, you will move to your profile page.
Step 3: Tap On The Follower’s List
By tapping on your follower’s list, you will be able to see the list of your followers list. You can simply tap on the remove options to the specific followers you want to remove from the follower’s list. Finally, after tapping on the “Remove” options, you will again see a pop-up message where you need to tap on “Remove” for final confirmation.
Quick Note: Once you remove the user, the removed users need to request you to follow you if your account is private. Accepting or Declining them the decision solely depends on you.
Hide Following In Instagram By Blocking Users On Instagram
Many people with their accounts on public mode also want to hide their follower’s lists from specific users. Furthermore, the only possible way you could think while your account is on public mode is to block them completely.
As explained above, you can limit your follower’s list. But, in case you want to hide your followers and following list from specific users, you need to block the user’s on Instagram. Go through the steps listed down below to block users on IG:
Step 1: Launch Your Instagram App
On your device’s home page, you will see an Instagram icon. Tap on the icon and open your Instagram application.
Step 2: Go To Your Profile
Tap on the “Profile icon,” which you can find at the bottom right corner of your screen. On tapping on the profile icon, you will move to your profile page.
Step 3: Tap On The Three Horizontal Lines
To go to your profile page, tap on the three horizontal (…) you can see at the top right corner of your screen.
Step 4: Go To Settings Page
By clicking on this option of this page, you can manage the Settings and Privacy of your account.
Step 5: Go To Blocked Accounts
Under this section, you will see “Blocked Accounts” options. Then, on tapping “Blocked Accounts,” you will be redirected to another page. If you’re blocking users for the first time, click on the “+.” On tapping, it will show you the list of all the followers you have on your IG account. Tap on “Block” to the user you want to block, and that user will be blocked from your follower’s list.
Quick Note: On tapping “Block,” you have successfully blocked the users on IG. Therefore, blocked users won’t be able to access your future posts or any of your follower following list.
Can I Hide My Following List From My Friend Who Recently Follows
If someone is following you on Instagram, consequently, there is the slightest way to prevent them from seeing your followers list. That is, setting your account private will not even work because you have accepted the following request.
How To View List Of Blocked Users On Instagram
On following the below steps, you can see your blocked users list on Instagram:
Step 1: Open Your Instagram App
Tap on your home page to see an Instagram icon. Then, tap on the icon and open your Instagram application.
Step 2: Go To Your Profile
Tap on the “Profile icon” at the bottom right corner of your screen. Next, on tapping on the profile icon, you will be redirected to your IG profile page.
Step 3: Tap On The Three Horizontal Lines
On tapping the three horizontal lines at the top right corner of your screen, go to the settings section.
Step 4: Go To Settings Page
By clicking on this option of this page, you can manage the Settings and Privacy of your account.
Step 5: Go To Blocked Accounts
On tapping the “Blocked Accounts” section, you will see a list of all the blocked users you have blocked from your IG account.
Frequently Asked Questions
Some frequently asked questions on hiding followers on Instagram are below.
Can We Make Instagram Business Accounts Private?
Unlike a personal account, a business account cannot be private. Still, if you need to change your business account, the first thing you need to do is switch your business account to a personal account.
Can People Out Of My Followers List See My Followers?
Your followers’ list and posts are visible to Instagram users if your IG accounts is a public account. So, it is undoubtedly visible.
Can I Hide My Followers List From My Friends?
Friends that you have already on your following list can indeed view your followers and following list. So, hiding followers from your friends can be impossible. Then, the only option you can do is to remove them from your follower’s list or block them.
How Do I Remove Restrictions For Specific User?
If you want to remove restrictions for specific users, you need to follow all the steps from “Restrict Accounts.”
Step 1: Launch Your Instagram App
You will see an Instagram icon on your home page. Double-tap on it.
Step 2: Go To Your Profile
Tap on the “Profile icon” at the bottom right corner of your screen. Next, on tapping on the profile icon, you will switch to your IG profile page.
Step 3: Tap On The Three Horizontal Lines
To go to your profile page, tap on the three horizontal (…) you can see at the top right corner of your screen.
Step 4: Go To Settings Page
By clicking on this option of this page, you can manage the Settings and Privacy of your account.
Step 5: Go To Unrestricted Accounts
Under this section, you will see the “Restricted Accounts” options. On tapping “Restricted Accounts,” you will be redirected to another page. Then, search for the account you want to Unrestrict. After typing the account you wish to unrestrict, you can see the “unrestrict” option on the side of the account. Finally, tap on “Unrestrict,” and that account will be unrestricted.
Is It Possible to Hide My Stories From Certain People?
Luckily, this is the easiest feature one can go through. You can hide stories in two ways, one by creating your close friend list and sending your stories makes only the added on the close friend list to view. And the second option is to hide your stories manually by going through a few steps.
Step 1: Launch Your Instagram Application
You will see an Instagram icon on your home page. Double-tap on it.
Step 2: Go To Your Profile
Tap on the “Profile icon” at the bottom right corner of your screen. On tapping on the profile icon, you will be redirected to your IG profile page.
Step 3: Go To The ‘+’ Icon
Tap on the “+” icon, as you can see at the bottom of your home page. At the bottom of the page, you will see Post/Story/Live.
Step 4: Tap On Story
Tap on the store option and add your story. Send your stories to users you want to send and hide from the users by unsending them.
Conclusion
Instagram is a platform designed to showcase and share everything. Even more, with some advanced and excellent explore tabs where you can browse areas of your interests. Users need to be aware of what they are sharing and posting. Knowing about the type of audience they are interacting with and making a connection. Ensure to keep your account secure and approve the requests of the only known people to avoid any future unwanted issues.
