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Want to keep your follower list private? Here's everything you need to know about hiding followers and following on Instagram.
Quick Answer
Instagram doesn't allow you to hide followers while staying public. The only way to hide your follower/following list is to switch to a private account. Even then, your approved followers can still see the lists.
Go to Settings → Privacy → Private account. This hides your followers from non-followers, but your approved followers can still see the list.
Best for: Complete profile privacy from strangers
Go to their profile → Menu (•••) → Block. Blocked users can't see your profile, followers, or any content.
Best for: Hiding from specific individuals
Go to your followers list → Tap "Remove" next to anyone you don't want following you. They won't be notified.
Best for: Curating who can see your follower list
Go to your profile, tap the menu (☰), then 'Settings and privacy'
Tap 'Account privacy' or search for 'Private account'
Toggle on 'Private account'. Confirm when prompted
Note: When you go private, existing followers keep access. New people must request to follow you and be approved before they can see your followers list.
Curious about your followers?
Before managing your privacy, discover who unfollowed you and who your real supporters are. Know your audience better.
Check your followersUnfortunately, no. Instagram doesn't offer a way to hide your followers or following list while keeping a public account. The only way to hide this information from non-followers is to switch to a private account. However, even on private accounts, your approved followers can still see your follower/following lists.
No, there's no official way to hide your follower count on Instagram. The number of followers and following is always visible on your profile to anyone who can view it. Some third-party apps claim to offer this, but they violate Instagram's terms and could get your account banned.
The only way to hide who you follow is to make your account private. When private, only your approved followers can see your following list. However, there's no way to hide your following list from your own followers—they will always be able to see it.
Yes, if you block someone, they cannot see your profile at all, including your followers and following lists. However, this is an all-or-nothing approach—they won't be able to see any of your content either. You can also use the Restrict feature for a softer approach, though this doesn't hide your followers from them.
Common reasons include: privacy concerns, preventing competitors from seeing business connections, avoiding unwanted attention from followers of followers, reducing social comparison anxiety, or simply wanting more control over personal information.
No, Instagram doesn't notify you or show analytics about who views your follower or following lists. This information is completely private and not tracked in any visible way.