How to See Share Count on Instagram

Ever posted an Instagram Reel you were proud of and wondered exactly how many people loved it enough to send it to a friend? While Instagram no longer shows public share counts on posts, that valuable information isn't gone - it's just moved. Tucked away in your private analytics, the share count remains one of the most powerful metrics for understanding what content truly connects with your audience. This guide will show you precisely where to find it for your Reels, Feed posts, and Stories, and more importantly, how to use that data to create more content people are excited to share.

Why You Can't See Public Share Counts Anymore

You’re not imagining things - Instagram did remove the ability for everyone to see how many times a post has been shared. This change aligns with their broader shift away from public-facing vanity metrics to improve user well-being and reduce the pressure of social comparison. By hiding metrics like 'likes' for many users and making 'shares' a private backend-only metric, the platform encourages creators to focus on the quality of their content rather than chasing numbers that can be easily misinterpreted.

But just because it's private doesn’t mean it's not important. In fact, a share is one of the highest forms of engagement you can get on the platform.

Why Shares are a Superpower Metric for Creators

A 'like' is a passive nod of approval. A 'comment' is a bit more effort. But a 'share'? That’s someone telling their network, "You absolutely have to see this." It’s an active, personal endorsement. When someone shares your content, they’re either sending it directly to a friend via DM or resharing it to their own Story for their entire follower base to see. This action tells the Instagram algorithm that your content isn't just decent - it's valuable enough to be passed around.

Think of it this way:

• Likes are applause. They're great, but fleeting.
• Comments create a conversation. They build community.
• Saves signal utility. Someone finds your content useful enough to reference later.
• Shares create organic reach. They turn your followers into an extension of your marketing team.

Every time your post is shared, it reaches a new, highly-qualified audience through a trusted source: a friend. This organic word-of-mouth is far more powerful than any ad you could run. Tracking your shares, an incredibly strong signal of audience engagement, helps you understand what truly resonates and what motivates people to spread the word about your brand.

How to See Your Share Count: A Step-by-Step Guide for Every Post Type

Before you get started, there's one small but essential requirement: you need to be using an Instagram Professional Account (either a 'Business' or 'Creator' profile). This is the only way to access post-level analytics, including shares. If you’re still on a personal account, making the switch is free, quick, and unlocks a world of useful data.

Quick Refresher: Switching to a Professional Account

If you haven’t made the jump yet, it takes less than a minute. Just go to your Profile, tap the hamburger menu (☰) in the top-right corner, then navigate to Settings and Privacy > Account type and tools > Switch to professional account. Follow the on-screen prompts, pick a category that fits you best, and you’re all set.

Once you're on a professional account, here’s how to find the share data for your content.

Finding Share Counts for Instagram Reels

Reels are arguably the most shareable content format on Instagram right now. Here’s how to check their performance:

1. Navigate to your Instagram profile and tap on the Reels tab (the clapperboard icon).
2. Open the specific Reel you want to analyze.
3. Tap the three dots (...) in the bottom-right corner of the screen.
4. From the menu, select View Insights.

This opens up your Reels Insights panel. You’ll see a section called Post Interactions. The number next to the paper airplane icon is your share count. Right next to it, the bookmark icon shows your saves - another fantastic indicator of content quality.

Finding Share Counts for Feed Posts (Photos and Carousels)

The process for standard feed posts, like single photos, carousels, and videos, is just as straightforward.

1. Go to your profile feed and tap the image, carousel, or video post you want to check.
2. Directly below your content, you’ll see a button labeled View Insights. Tap on it.

Just like with Reels, a pop-up screen will appear detailing the post's performance. The paper airplane icon tells you how many people shared it. This is a great way to discover if your infographics, tutorials, or inspiring photos are compelling enough for users to pass along.

Finding Share Counts for Instagram Stories

Stories have a slightly different analytics panel, but the share data is easily accessible. You can check a live story or one from your archives.

1. Open your current Story or go to your Profile > Hamburger Menu > Archive to find a past Story.
2. While viewing the Story screen, simply swipe up from the bottom.
3. This will open the Viewers list. At the top, tap the bar chart icon to switch to the Insights view.
4. In the Interactions section, you'll see a line for Shares. This number specifically tracks how many times your Story was shared with someone else via a direct message.

Because Stories are often more personal and informal, seeing a high share count here indicates you're creating content that anecdotally connects on a deeper, friend-to-friend level.

Putting Your Share Data to Work: From Numbers to Strategy

Finding the share count is easy. The real skill is using that information to build a better content strategy. Simply knowing a number isn't enough, you have to understand the 'why' behind it to replicate your success.

Identify Your "Shareable" Content Pillars

Start by identifying your top 5-10 most-shared posts over the last few months. Lay them all out and look for patterns. Don't just look at the posts - look a level deeper. What do they have in common?

• Format: Are they mostly infographics, quote cards, talking-head Reels, or user-generated content?
• Topic: Do they address a common pain point? Offer a surprising solution? Tap into a popular trend or "did you know" fact?
• Emotion: Do they make people laugh (relatable memes)? Inspire them (success stories)? Or make them feel understood (POV trends)?

For example, a freelance graphic designer might find that their most-shared content isn’t their beautiful portfolio work, but rather the carousels that break down "5 common client red flags." That discovery reveals a content pillar: helping other freelancers navigate the industry. By reverse-engineering your most successful content, you can identify repeatable templates for creating more of what your audience is proven to love and share.

Ask for the Share (Strategically)

It sounds simple, but you'd be surprised how often creators forget to include a clear call-to-action (CTA). Sometimes, the most effective way to get people to share your content is to give them a gentle nudge. Your viewers aren't always thinking about sharing, so a small prompt can dramatically increase your numbers.

Avoid generic pleas like "Please share!" Instead, give them a specific reason or context:

Action-Oriented CTAs in Captions:

• "Share this with a friend who needs a laugh today 😂"
• "Know someone planning a trip to Italy? Send this Reel their way!"
• "Tag your gym partner in the comments to try this workout together."

Embedded CTAs in Content:

Don't just rely on the caption. Put your CTA directly in your content. For a Reel, you can add on-screen text in the final frame that says, "Send this to someone who needs to hear it." For a carousel, dedicate the last slide to a reminder like, "Save this for later & share it to your story!" This meets your audience where they are and makes the action feel immediate and intuitive.

Optimize Your Content for Maximum Shareability

Beyond asking, you can design your content from the ground up to be easily shared. Here are a few principles that consistently drive shares, regardless of your niche:

• Solve a Specific Problem Instantly: Content that offers a clear, quick win is prime share material. Think "A 30-second fix for a tangled necklace" or "How to make a fake-away that tastes better than original takeout!" People share things that make them look helpful and smart.
• Use Relatable Formats: Lean into the formats people already love. Memes, "Point of View" (POV) videos, and content using trending audio feel native to the platform and are instinctively shareable because they tap into a shared cultural moment.
• Create "Snackable" and "Saveable" Lists: Content packaged into lists is easy for the brain to process. "5 Books That Changed My Life," "3 Canva Hacks You Didn't Know," or "7 underrated brunch spots" are perfect for sharing or putting a save on a post to read later on when a reader has more time. Carousels excel at this format.

Final Thoughts

Now you know that while Instagram has tucked the share count away from public view, you can still easily access this data in your post Insights. Analyzing shares helps you move beyond guessing what your audience likes and gives you concrete evidence of what they find valuable enough to endorse. Use this powerful metric to discover your best content pillars, refine your strategy, and create more of what people truly love.

Tracking performance across multiple posts and platforms can feel like a full-time job in itself. At Postbase, we built our unified analytics dashboard to get you out of spreadsheets and back to creating. We give you a single, clear view of all your metrics, so you can easily spot your most shared, saved, and engaging content without constantly switching between apps. This helps you double down on what’s working and build a content plan based on real data, not just intuition.