I hid likes, but other people still see a count on my photo. Why?
The short answer
These are separate choices. Hiding counts on posts you see changes your feed. To hide the public count on your own photo, use that post’s like-count setting if offered. Neither choice stops people liking a post.
What this answer is based onWhat to do
Check privacy separately if your real goal is to limit who can see the photo.
- Decide which result you want: fewer numbers while browsing, or no public count on a particular post you published. Check that you are using the right Instagram profile.
- For your own photo, open its available post options and look for the like-count control. For your feed, look in settings for the control covering counts on other people’s posts; labels may differ.
- Change only the relevant control, then check a post. For your own photo, ask a trusted viewer what they see. If the control is absent, do not assume your account is restricted.
The situation
For example, you hide counts while browsing, then a friend still sees the number on your photo. Check your photo’s setting instead of changing the feed setting again.
The situation and an improvement
One setting is expected to hide every count everywhere.
The setting matches the post and the audience you mean.
More examples
A different post
Your latest photo still shows a count.
What to do
Check that post too; do not assume changing one post changes the rest.
You want fewer viewers
The count is hidden, but the photo remains public.
What to do
Review the account or post audience; the number setting is not an audience control.
What this answer is based on
Meta · Giving People More Controlabout.fb.comGuide based on Meta’s materialReview details
Source reviewed:
We read the official source listed for this topic. Other Meta rules are reviewed separately.
Meta’s 26 May 2021 announcement distinguishes feed controls from controls on your own posts. Read on 6 November 2026. This is historical primary documentation, not a new launch or a test of today’s account interface. The checking steps and examples are ClearRules advice; no account operation was performed.
Include the guide link, language and wording that needs checking. Add an official source link if you have one. Do not send passwords, login codes or photos of identity documents.
Examples are made up to explain the guidance. Meta decides individual account and content cases.
Sources and related topicsPolicy Graph · Demo in development