How to hide your Instagram Stories from people you don’t like

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Instagram may be one of the world’s most popular social media platforms, but that doesn’t mean you have to expose your content to anyone and everyone.

If there are people you don’t like or don’t trust or people who you want to keep your private life private from (like a boss or an in-law) – Instagram lets you hide Stories from those individuals.

READ MORE: 5 tips to avoid getting shadowbanned on Instagram

By hiding Instagram Stories from certain people, you prevent them from seeing a Story you have up, as well as any additions to that Story.

How to hide Instagram Stories from select people.

1. Tap the profile icon on the bottom-right of the Instagram homepage.

Alternatively, you can click your profile picture to be brought to your homepage.

2. Click the three horizontal lines on the top-right of the page.

3. Click the Settings gear, which will be at the top of the list.



4. Click Privacy, which is about midway down the page.

5. Click Story, which is about midway down the page.

6. On the top, you’ll see Hide Story From. Next to it will be a number (possibly zero), which indicates how many people you currently hide your Instagram Stories from. Tap the arrow that points to the right.

7. You’ll see a list of Instagram users, and you can search for users, too. Click the circle to the right of their name to hide your Stories from them, then click Done.

You’ll be brought back to the previous page, and you should see that the Hide Story From counter has changed.

If you change your mind, you can unhide your story from individuals by following the steps above and then unchecking the circle next to their name.

Hide Instagram users who have viewed your Story

If you’ve posted a Story, and you’re looking at the list of people who have viewed it, you can hide individuals in-the-moment. Here’s how:

1. Tap the profile icon on the bottom-right of the Instagram homepage.

2. Click the three horizontal lines on the top-right of the page.

3. Click Archive.

4. Scroll until you find the Story that you want to find viewer information for. Click the Story, then swipe up.

5. When you find someone who you don’t want to view your Stories, tap the three-dot icon to the right of the person’s name, then choose the Hide Story From option.

Reminder: Hiding is not blocking

Remember that hiding your Story from a person on Instagram is not the same as blocking them. They can still see your profile and posts if they’re either friends with you or you have public content. Also note that if your account is set to private, which means only your followers can see your content, then your followers are also the only ones who can see your Stories.

Have any thoughts about this topic? Have you found other ways to keep prying eyes from your content? Tell us in the comments.

Brian Meert is the CEO of AdvertiseMint, a Hollywood based digital advertising agency that specializes in helping successful companies advertise on Facebook. Advertisemint has managed millions of dollars in digital ad spends in entertainment, fashion, finance, and software industries. Brian is also the author of the best selling, The Complete Guide to Facebook Advertising, and the innovative The Complete Guide to Digital Advertising Policies infographic. He is a 15-year digital advertising executive and a member of the Forbes Agency Council. Prior to founding Advertisement, Brian built and sold Gofobo.com, an online ticketing system that revolutionized the entertainment industry and is now utilized by Warner Bros. and Disney.