Are you wondering how to view Instagram stories anonymously? It’s beyond doubt that Instagram is one of the most interesting and widely used social media platforms, where people share their life updates as much as they have time and things to share through stories, posts etc.
It happens sometimes that people keep an eye on someone’s Instagram activities, you can call it stalking, without them being aware of it, and Instagram stories are one of the best sources where people share the glimpse of what’s going on in their life.
In this article, we will be sharing in details the reasons why the people look for Instagram stories of other persons, and the multiple methods to view Instagram stories of other persons.
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The reasons for viewing someone’s stories anonymously may vary. It might be because of your being interested in someone and being desirous to be updated about their activities through his/her Instagram stories, or you might be stalking your ex or anyone among your competitors. Whatever is the case, you don’t want to be listed in the viewers’ list that appears for each story posted by an Instagram user.
Here, we have a couple of methods and tricks that you can try out to view someone’s Instagram stories anonymously. But keep it also in mind that there is no official feature on Instagram that you can use for viewing stories anonymously and the methods and tricks we are going to share with you have some limitations and disadvantages as well.
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We have five methods to share with you through which you can view the Instagram stories of the people of your choice. Though each methods has some limitations, however you’ll get to manage viewing other users’ stories without them being aware of it. The methods are simple and easy, just read on his artic.
One of the tricks to view your targeted person’s Instagram story without being listed among the viewers is half-swipe method. But keep in mind that this trick works only if you are one of the followers of the targeted person, which makes that person’s story appear on top of the screen where stories of the people you follow appear in line.
However, you are supposed to apply the following tips:
If You are Following the Target Person
If you’re following the targeted person and his/her story is appearing on your feed, you have to click on an Instagram story of a profile which is just appearing before or after the story of the targeted person.
If you are not follower of the targeted person
If you’ve tapped on the story that is appearing before your targeted person’s story, then, long-tap on this story to pause it, and, slowly keep sliding your finger towards left without lifting your finger. In this way, you can see the targeted story without adding being one of its viewers.
What to do if targeted persons posted two stories
If your targeted person has posted two stories, you can’t view his/her second story through the trick given above. You can view it another way, which is by tapping the story that appears after the targeted one, followed by a long-tap on this story to pause it. Slowly keep sliding your finger towards right without lifting your finger. In this way, you can see the targeted story without being listed as one of its viewers.
- Keep in mind that if the targeted person has posted pictures in more than two stories, then, you can only view the first and last of the stories, and not the stories in between.
- This trick also doesn’t work for videos posted on stories, because with half-swipe, you can’t watch a video.
- There is a possibility of an accidental swipe in this method, eventually enlisting you in the viewers, which makes the entire process futile.
2. The airplane mode method
Another method which you can try out to view Instagram stories of a target person is using ‘airplane mode’. Airplane mode can prove a lifesaver when it comes to allowing you to view a story without the targeted person being aware of it.
When you are online and using Instagram, the stories that appear in line on top-screen get downloaded, though video-stories don’t get downloaded completely but you can watch most of the pictures in the stories, especially when you watch the stories, being online, around the targeted one or when you open profile of the target person. Thus, you can view the pre-downloaded stories even if you’re not connected to internet.
To view stories anonymously through airplane mode, what you have to do is:-
This method also comes with a limitation. If the targeted person has posted long video-story, you won’t be able to watch it completely. Additionally, if the targeted person has shared many stories, you’ll be able watch just a few of them, as all of them won’t preload.
If you’ve made up your mind to go to great lengths to view your target person’s stories anonymously, here we have another method for you to help you fulfill your stalking endeavors, which is creating a secondary account. It’s a more practical and relatively safe way.
If your target person’s account is public one, then you can enjoy a hassle-free and anonymous stalking experience because you’ll have free access to his/her Instagram account and activity.
However, your target person has set his/her account on private mode, then you’ll need to be one of their follower. It can be a bit problematic for you to be your target person’s follower if he/she is too choosy in this matter, and you’ll need to build authenticity to be allowed and accepted into their profile.
If you get this done anyway, you can watch their stories without being recognized, and this method doesn’t come with limitations that the previous two methods have, such as being unable to watch full videos uploaded on stories or stories with many pictures.
The only hurdle for you in utilizing this method is getting yourself accepted as your target person’s follower.
Using ‘close friends’ list to share your Instagram stories and posts is a convenient way that allows you to share your stories with a selected number of people.
If you have a close relationship with the person whose stories you want to view anonymously, you can create a Close Friends list on his/her device. Stories shared with selected close friends don’t generate viewers list as do the regular ones. Here’s how to make a Close Friends list:-
If you want to remove someone from your list anytime, same steps are to be followed, but you have to tap “Remove” instead of “Add”.
Additionally, if you have some clue that someone has included you in their Close Friends list, then it’s a good luck, as this will allow you to view their stories without them being notified or your username appearing in the viewers’ list being, because, as already mentioned, story views aren’t generated when shared with Close Friends.
However, there is a limitation in this method as well, that is you can view your targeted person’s stories anonymously through this method only when you are added to his/her Close Friends list. Thus, if you’re lucky enough that your target person uses a Close Friends list, and, also, you are one of those on the Close Friends list, you’re job isn’t that difficult anymore then.
But note also that this feature isn’t used much commonly by all and this may not be a method applicable universally to view Instagram stories anonymously.
5. Using third party apps
There are certain third party applications, websites and Browser extensions available, claiming to allow you anonymously view Instagram stories, but they are not secure and reliable because they demand access to your personal data.
- Remember that it is against the terms of services of Instagram to use third party apps.
- Such apps come up with risks of malware and you may end up damaging your device or getting your personal data stolen.
- And if such third party apps are for free and unpaid, they may possibly sell your data to earn money.
So it is recommended not to use such kind of third party apps. However, if you persist on going for third party apps, here is list of such apps to which you can resort to, but, again to remember, security risks might be there:-
- Blindstory
- Story Saver for Instagram
- Insta Stories Viewer
- Stories Down
- InstaNavigation
- StoriesIG
- Insta Stalker
- Insta Stories Pro
- Stories Stalker
Conclusion
The bottom line is that if you want to know how to view Instagram stories anonymously, it’s quite easy and simple if you try out the above given five methods, following the instructions provided above. Again, keep in mind that there is no official feature available on Instagram that allows you to view Instagram stories anonymously.
Though, the each of the methods we have given above comes with some limitations, but they are helpful enough to fulfill your purpose. If your target person has uploaded just a picture or two on their stories, then half-swipe and Airplane-mode methods are good for you. Secondary Account method and Close Friends methods are safer if you can make it out be a follower of your target persons with private accounts, or being in the Close Friends list respectively.
Lastly, when any of these methods doesn’t work for you, you can resort to the third party apps method through which you can get your job done, though this method is unsafe and comes with certain security risks.
Frequently Asked Questions
Though, there is no official feature on Instagram that you can use for viewing stories anonymously, however, by using some methods and tricks, you can make it possible to view someone’s Instagram stories anonymously.
Like, if your target person has uploaded just a picture or two on their stories, then half-swipe and Airplane-mode methods are good for you. Secondary Account method and Close Friends methods are safer if you can make it out be a follower of your target persons with private accounts, or being in the Close Friends list respectively. Lastly, when any of these methods doesn’t work for you, you can resort to the third party apps.
How do you view an Instagram story without it telling the person?
There are certain tricks and methods you can utilize to view a person’s story without being them aware of it, tough there’s no official feature on Instagram to do so.
- You can view a story anonymously half-swipe and Airplane-mode methods if your target person has uploaded just a picture or two on their stories.
- You can also use Secondary Account method and Close Friends method that need you it be a follower of your target persons with private accounts, or being in their Close Friends list respectively.
- When any of these methods doesn’t work for you, you can resort to the third party apps.
Airplane mode can prove a lifesaver when it comes to allowing you to view a story without the targeted person being aware of it. To do so, you’ll need to get to the targeted person’s profile and load the stories.
Then, you have to turn off the cellular data or Wi-Fi you are connected to or enable the Airplane mode and get back to the page to view the stories, which will be loaded, you’ll be able to watch them without being counted a viewer in the algorithm. However, you can’t view a long video posted on story through this method.
How does Ghostify work?
Ghostify works as a browser extension and helps you out in viewing someone’s stories anonymously, without leaving any trace of you. This extension is added to Google and, then, turned on. After that, browse on Instagram Web and use Instagram. If you view other users’ stories, your account won’t be listed in their story viewers’ list.
Can someone see how many times you viewed their Instagram story?
Commonly, Instagram doesn’t provide its users how many times you view someone’s story, though it provides total number of views to the person who shares a story. However, by using Instagram Analytics, it can be figured out how many times a person views someone’s story, because it provides its users the number of times some views their stories.
