How to Turn On Likes on Instagram

Deciding to show or hide your Instagram likes is a more significant decision than it might seem, and knowing how to control that setting gives you direct power over your content strategy. This guide will walk you through exactly how to turn your like counts back on - both for your own posts and for the posts you see in your feed. We'll also cover the strategic reasons why you might want to make them public again, so you can make the decision with confidence.

Understanding the "Why": The Strategic Value of Public Like Counts

Before jumping into the step-by-step instructions, it's helpful to understand why visible like counts can be a powerful asset for creators, brands, and businesses. When Instagram first gave users the option to hide likes, the goal was to reduce social pressure and comparison. While that's an admirable goal and a valid reason to keep them hidden, turning them back on offers some clear strategic advantages.

Social Proof is an Undeniable Force

At its core, a high like count is a form of social proof. It acts as an instant signal to new viewers that your content is valuable, trustworthy, or entertaining. Think about it from a user's perspective: if you stumble upon a post with just a handful of likes versus one with thousands, you're psychologically primed to view the more popular one as higher quality. This is a simple phenomenon you can leverage to build credibility and encourage more people to engage with your content.

Opening Doors for Brand Collaborations

For influencers and creators looking to partner with brands, public metrics are often non-negotiable. Brands and marketing agencies need to see a clear return on their investment, and public engagement numbers are one of the first data points they analyze. A strong, visible like count demonstrates that your audience is active and responsive. Hiding your likes might cause potential partners to question your engagement quality or effectiveness, making them more reluctant to reach out for a collaboration.

Clear, Immediate Audience Feedback

Likes are one of the simplest and most direct forms of feedback you can get. They tell you, at a glance, which types of posts resonate most with your audience. Are your viewers loving the behind-the-scenes carousels? Are they less interested in the infographics you've been creating? Tracking which posts earn the most likes helps you refine your content strategy over time, giving your audience more of what they love and, in turn, helping you grow.

Nudging the Algorithm

While Instagram's algorithm is a notoriously complex machine, we know that it prioritizes content that receives high engagement shortly after being posted. A quick burst of likes signals to the algorithm that your post is worth showing to more people, including those who don't follow you yet, via Explore pages and hashtag feeds. Visible likes can sometimes encourage a snowball effect, where seeing others engage prompts even more users to hit that heart button.

Restoring Your Like Counts: A Step-by-Step Guide

Ready to make your likes visible again? The process is straightforward, and you can control it on a post-by-post basis or set a default for your entire account. Here's a breakdown of every scenario.

How to Unhide Likes on an Existing Instagram Post

Let's say you've previously hidden the like count on a specific photo or Reel and now want to make it public again. No problem at all - you can toggle this setting anytime.

• Step 1: Navigate to the post. Open the Instagram app and go to your profile. Find and tap on the post you want to edit.
• Step 2: Open the options menu. Tap the three-dot icon (&hellip,) located at the top-right corner of your post.
• Step 3: Unhide the like count. In the menu that pops up, you'll see an option that says "Unhide Like Count." Tap it.

That's it! The total like count will now be visible to everyone who sees the post. If you ever change your mind, you can just follow the same steps and tap "Hide Like Count" to reverse it.

How to Turn On Likes for a New Post (Before Publishing)

You can also decide whether to show or hide likes right before you share a new piece of content. This gives you granular control for specific posts that you might feel differently about.

• Step 1: Create your post as usual. Go through the normal flow of selecting your image or video, adding filters, and writing your caption.
• Step 2: Access Advanced Settings. On the final share screen - where you add your caption, tag people, and add a location - scroll all the way to the bottom and tap on "Advanced settings."
• Step 3: Check the toggle switch. Inside the advanced settings menu, you'll find a toggle labeled "Hide like and view counts on this post." To make sure your likes are visible, simply make sure this switch is in the off position (it should appear gray).

If the toggle is off by default, you're all set. Hit the back button, then tap "Share" to publish your post with the like count proudly displayed.

How to Set a Default for All Your Posts (Account-Level Setting)

If you've decided you want likes to be visible on all your content moving forward, you don't have to remember to check the advanced settings every single time you post. Instead, you can control this from a central location in your privacy settings.

• Step 1: Open your settings. Go to your profile page and tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines, often called a "hamburger" menu) in the top-right corner.
• Step 2: Navigate to Settings and Privacy. From the menu that appears, select "Settings and Privacy."
• Step 3: Find Like and Share Counts. Scroll down through the options until you find the sub-header "What you see." Inside this section you'll see a heading called, "Like and share counts." Tap on it.
• Step 4: Turn the setting OFF. You'll see a single toggle switch: "Hide like and share counts." Make sure this option is turned OFF.

By turning this setting off, you've now set your account default to show like counts on all your posts. Keep in mind that you can still override this decision for individual posts using the "Advanced settings" method described above before you publish.

Bringing Back Likes in Your Feed: How to See Others' Counts

The "hide likes" feature isn't just about what others see on your profile. It's also about what you see in your own feed. If you've previously hidden the like counts to reduce the sense of comparison when you're just scrolling, you can easily reverse this setting. Here's how you can make other people's like counts visible again:

• Step 1: Head back to "Settings and Privacy". Go to your Profile >, menu icon >, "Settings and Privacy."
• Step 2: Find "Like and Share Counts" again. Once again, scroll down and tap on the "Like and Share Counts" section.
• Step 3: Make sure "Hide Like and Share Counts" is switched off. When this setting is toggled off, you will see the like counts for other accounts' posts across your feed.

It is important to note a common misconception: this setting does not override another user's choice. If someone else has decided to hide the like count on their post, you still will not be able to see it, regardless of your personal settings. The individual creator's choice always takes precedence for their own content.

The Bigger Picture: When and Why to Make Your Metrics Public

Now that you know how to toggle likes on and off, the bigger question is, should you? There's no one-size-fits-all answer - it depends entirely on your goals for using Instagram.

Scenario 1: You're a Business, Creator, or Marketer Focused on Growth

Verdict: Turn them on. In this context, likes are more than just vanity metrics - they're a business tool. Social proof helps build brand credibility, potential partners need to see that you're driving engagement, and the feedback you receive helps shape your content strategy. The benefits of transparency and data far outweigh the potential downsides.

Scenario 2: You're an Artist or Creative Using Instagram for Self-Expression

Verdict: Consider keeping them hidden. If you find that chasing engagement numbers stifles your creativity or makes you second-guess your work, turn them off. This allows you to create and share what feels authentic without external pressure. You can still gauge your audience's response through more qualitative metrics like comments, shares, saves, and DMs.

Scenario 3: You're Running a Marketing Campaign

Verdict: Experiment without fear. Your decision isn't final. For specific campaigns, try making like counts visible to see if it boosts engagement and social proof. You can run an A/B test by comparing the performance during that period to a similar period when they were hidden. Tracking the performance will give you valuable data to inform your future strategy.

Scenario 4: You're a Casual User Focused on Mental Well-being

Verdict: Prioritize your health. The original intent behind hiding likes was to make Instagram a more positive space. If you find yourself enjoying the app more - or feeling less anxiety and comparison - with likes turned off, that is the right choice for you. Your well-being is more important than any metric.

Final Thoughts

Controlling your like count visibility on Instagram is a simple yet powerful feature that allows you to tailor the platform to your personal goals. Whether you choose to display them for social proof or hide them for creative freedom, the most important thing is to make an intentional choice that serves your strategy.

Managing the fine details of each social platform can become challenging as you grow. Instead of getting bogged down by single metrics, a holistic content scheduling tool can provide a clearer perspective. At Postbase, we built our platform to help creators and marketers manage their entire content strategy from one visual calendar. By planning and scheduling your content across all networks, you free up energy to focus on what truly matters: creating content that connects with your audience.