Here's How To View Instagram Stories Anonymously
If you're looking for official ways to view someone's Instagram Stories anonymously, you're out of luck. Currently, there's no built-in feature that allows users to view Stories anonymously.
The way Instagram works is that it shows everyone who viewed their Story, which often helps users strike a conversation and engage with others on the platform. However, those highly conscious of privacy don't appreciate how Instagram reveals whenever they view someone's Story.
Well, whether you follow the user or not, the platform shows when you view their Story if the account is public, and this happens with everyone. However, as it turns out, there are four workarounds that let you sneak into an Instagrammer's Story section without being noticed, but you have to be careful with your steps.
While using Instagram, you must have noticed that any likes or shares don't go across without stable internet. Remember that time when your friend tagged you in a story, and you re-shared it, only to find out that it didn't go through due to poor connectivity? You should also know the social media app preloads a few posts and stories to your feed.
View Stories in airplane mode
The first way to view Instagram Stories anonymously involves viewing them without an active internet connection on your phone.
- Open Instagram on your phone and refresh the feed once. If the profile shows up in the first few Stories, well and good. Otherwise, open the required profile and refresh to load the Story.
- Enable airplane mode to disable the Wi-Fi or mobile connection.
- Now, when you view the Instagram Story, you should not leave a footprint in the user's watchlist.
- Once you're done, don't just close the app. Make sure to remove it from your system's recent apps.
Although this sounds like a pretty slick technique, it fails when the user has uploaded multiple stories. If someone has uploaded more than one story, you might have to resort to other methods. Nonetheless, don't forget to enable airplane mode, and you should be good for a couple of Stories.
It is also possible to view starting and ending bits of a Story by lightly sliding and holding the screen from an adjacent story. However, you shouldn't swipe all the way to the left or right, otherwise you will end up in the user's "Seen by" list.
Use a third-party viewer, or create another account
Several third-party apps and websites let you fetch Instagram Stories without revealing your identity, but for the privacy-focused individuals, it's best to be careful. Open these platforms, enter the username or profile URL of the account, and hit the search icon. If the account is public, you can see the stories posted in the last 24 hours. Sites like StoriesIG, IGAnony, and AnonIGViewer allow you to view any Instagram Story so long as you have the requisite URL of the account.
Some of these sites also allow you to download Stories in HD format as well. However, although these websites will enable you to view Instagram Stories discreetly, they aren't always run by trusted companies. You don't share your IG details upfront, but the website may gain access to other information, such as your IP address and cookies. If you intend to use one of these sites, be wary of malicious ads, downloads, or other unwanted content.
Lastly, you can create a new Instagram account without entering personal details — such as your name or photograph — so other users cannot immediately associate it with you. Once you set up another account, you can easily search for an account and view its Story, with the exception of private profiles. Although users avoid accepting requests from anonymous accounts, you can take your chances if you really want to check what someone is up to on Instagram without them knowing it's you.