How to See How Many People Saved Your Instagram Post

Ever posted something on Instagram you were really proud of, only to see it get just a handful of likes? It's discouraging, but likes are only one piece of the puzzle. There's a much more powerful metric hiding just below the surface: saves. This article will show you exactly how to find out how many people have saved your Instagram posts and, more importantly, what to do with that information to create content your audience absolutely loves.

Why Instagram Saves are Your Secret Weapon

Likes are easy. A double-tap is a momentary acknowledgment, a quick nod of approval as someone scrolls by. A save, on the other hand, is a conscious decision. When someone saves your post by tapping that little bookmark icon, they’re sending a powerful signal: "This is so valuable that I want to come back to it later."

Think of saves as a super-like. It’s an indicator of genuinely useful, inspiring, or entertaining content. For creators and brands, saves are pure gold for a few key reasons:

• It tells the algorithm you’re making quality content. Instagram’s algorithm wants to show people content they'll find valuable. A high number of saves signals that your post is a top-tier piece of content, which can lead to increased reach and visibility on the Explore page and in users' feeds.
• It reveals what your audience truly values. Saves cut through the noise of vanity metrics. They show you exactly which types of content are solving a problem, providing inspiration, or offering information so useful that your audience wants to pocket it for later.
• It fosters a stronger community connection. When you consistently create content people want to save, you build a reputation as a trusted resource. You're no longer just another account to scroll past, you're a go-to source of information and inspiration.

How to See How Many People Saved Your Post: A Step-by-Step Guide

Ready to uncover this powerful data? The good news is that it’s incredibly simple. The only requirement is that you have an Instagram Professional Account (either a Creator or Business account). If you're still using a Personal account, don't worry - switching is free, easy, and unlocks a ton of useful analytics.

Step 1: Switch to a Professional Account (If You Haven't Already)

If you have a Personal Instagram account, you'll need to switch it over to see post insights. Here’s how:

1. Go to your Instagram profile and tap the three horizontal lines (the "hamburger" menu) in the top-right corner.
2. Tap on Settings and privacy.
3. Scroll down to the "For professionals" section and tap on Account type and tools.
4. Tap Switch to professional account.
5. Follow the on-screen prompts. You'll choose a category that best describes what you do (e.g., Blogger, Artist, Digital Creator) and select whether you're a Creator or a Business. For most individual creators and influencers, the "Creator" option is the best fit.

That's it! Your account is now upgraded, and you'll have access to Instagram Insights for all future posts.

Step 2: Navigate to the Post You Want to Check

Find and tap on the specific photo, carousel, or Reel in your grid that you want to analyze. Once you're viewing the post, look for the text right below it that says View insights.

Important note: You can only see insights for posts published after you switched to a professional account. The 'View insights' option won't appear on older posts from when you had a personal profile.

Step 3: Find the Bookmark Icon

Tapping View insights will open up a detailed analytics panel for that post. You'll see several different metrics, but the one you're looking for is represented by the bookmark (or ribbon) icon. The number displayed right next to that icon is the total number of times your post has been saved by unique accounts.

While you're here, you'll also see other valuable metrics:

• Likes (Heart Icon): The total number of likes.
• Comments (Speech Bubble Icon): The total number of comments.
• Shares (Paper Airplane Icon): How many times your post was sent to others via direct message.
• Reach (Accounts reached): The number of unique accounts that saw your post.
• Profile Visits: The number of people who saw your post and then tapped through to view your profile.

You Found the Data. Now What? How to Use "Saves" to Guide Your Strategy

Knowing the number of saves is just the beginning. The real magic happens when you use that data to inform your content strategy. This is how you stop guessing what your audience wants and start creating content you know they'll love.

Identify Your "Save-Worthy" Content Pillars

Go through your last 15-20 posts and look at the insights for each one. Which posts have the highest number of saves? Don't just look at the raw number, look for trends. Maybe a post with 1,000 saves and 50,000 in reach is less "save-worthy" than a post with 500 saves and only 5,000 in reach. The second one has a much higher save rate, indicating it connected more deeply with the people who saw it.

Look for patterns in your top-saved posts:

• Format: Are they carousels? Reels? Static images with text overlays?
• Topic: Are they educational tutorials? Industry tips? Motivational quotes? Personal stories? Infographics?
• Style: Is the tone authoritative? Humorous? Vulnerable? Inspiring?

For example, a graphic designer might notice that their posts sharing useful Photoshop shortcuts get saved five times more often than posts showcasing their finished projects. This is a clear signal from their audience: "We want more practical tips we can use right now!" This insight allows the designer to create a content pillar around helpful tutorials.

Proactively Create More "Saveable" Content

Once you've identified what resonates, it's time to intentionally create content designed to be saved. Instead of just posting and hoping for engagement, you can build your content around formats known to attract saves.

Here Are Some Proven 'Saveable' Content Ideas:

• Educational Tutorials and How-Tos: Step-by-step guides (often in carousel format) that teach someone a skill. Example: "How to Style a Bookshelf in 5 Easy Steps."
• Checklists and Listicles: Condensed, useful information that people can reference later. Example: "10 Free Tools Every Small Business Needs."
• Recipes or Workouts: Evergreen content that has a specific utility. People save them to try out later. Example: "My Go-To 30-Minute Weeknight Pasta Recipe."
• Resource Guides: A collection of helpful apps, books, podcasts, or articles related to your niche. Example: "The Best Podcasts for Freelance Writers."
• Tips, Hacks, and Frameworks: Actionable advice that solves a common problem or provides a new perspective. Example: "3 Speaking Tips to Sound More Confident."
• Inspirational or Shareable Quotes: Content that people want to save for a boost of motivation or to reflect on later.

Don't Forget a Strong Call-to-Action (CTA)

Sometimes, the easiest way to get an action is to ask for it. There’s nothing wrong with explicitly encouraging your audience to save your post. Weave a CTA into your caption naturally.

Instead of just saying "Save this post," give them a reason why. This adds context and value.

• "Found this helpful? Save this post so you can refer back to it next time you're stuck."
• "Planning a trip soon? Tap the bookmark icon to save these travel tips!"
• "Definitely give this recipe a try! Save it for your next date night."

This simple prompt reminds your followers that the save feature exists and frames your content as a valuable resource worth keeping.

Final Thoughts

Checking your Instagram saves is a simple task that unlocks deep insights into what your audience finds most valuable. Moving beyond likes and focusing on saves will help you refine your content strategy, build a more engaged community, and give the Instagram algorithm every reason to show your work to more people.

We know that tracking the performance of every post across multiple platforms can be a real grind. That’s precisely why we built the analytics dashboard in Postbase to bring all your most important metrics together in one clean, simple view. Instead of tapping through dozens of individual posts, you can instantly see your top-performing content, identify what’s truly resonating, and get the insights you need to make more of what works - all without the clutter.