Instagram Stories are a great way to share moments with your followers, but sometimes, you may want to hide your story from certain people for privacy reasons. Luckily, Instagram offers multiple ways to do this.
Here are three simple methods to hide your Instagram Story from specific people or groups.
1. Hide Your Story from Specific People in Settings
Instagram allows you to select specific people who won’t be able to see your story.
Steps to Hide Your Story from Certain People (iPhone & Android)
- Open Instagram and go to your profile.
- Tap the three lines (☰) in the top-right corner.
- Select “Settings and Privacy.”
- Scroll down and tap “Story & Reels.”
- Tap “Hide Story from.”
- Select the people you want to block from viewing your stories.
- Tap “Done.”
📌 Tip: This setting applies to both new and existing stories until you change it again.
2. Use the “Close Friends” List
Instead of hiding your story from people, you can create a Close Friends list and share your stories only with selected people.
How to Share Your Story with Close Friends Only
- Open Instagram and go to your profile.
- Tap the three lines (☰) in the top-right corner.
- Select “Close Friends.”
- Add the people you want to share your stories with.
- Tap “Done.”
- When posting a story, tap “Close Friends” instead of “Your Story.”
📌 Tip: Close Friends stories have a green circle instead of the usual pink/purple one.
3. Manually Block Someone from Viewing a Specific Story
If you don’t want to change your settings permanently, you can manually hide your story before posting it.
Steps to Hide a Specific Story from Someone
- Create a story as usual.
- Tap “Settings” (⚙️) before posting.
- Select “Story & Reels.”
- Tap “Hide Story from” and choose the people you want to exclude.
- Post your story!
📌 Tip: This method only applies to that specific story. For future stories, you’ll need to repeat the steps.
FAQs About Hiding Your Instagram Story from Specific People or Groups
1. If I hide my story from someone, will they know?
No, Instagram does not notify users when you hide your story from them. However, they may suspect it if they stop seeing your stories but still see your regular posts.
2. Can I hide my story from someone without blocking them?
Yes! You can hide your story from specific people while still keeping them as a follower or friend on Instagram.
3. If I hide my story from someone, can they still see my highlights?
If your highlights are made from past stories, the person will not be able to see them if they were hidden from the original story.
4. Can I remove someone from my Close Friends list without them knowing?
Yes! Instagram does not notify users when you add or remove them from your Close Friends list.
5. Can someone see my story if they follow me but I don’t follow them back?
Yes, unless your account is private or you have hidden your story from them in settings.
6. How can I tell if someone has hidden their story from me?
There’s no direct way to know, but if you no longer see their stories while others do, they might have hidden them from you.
7. If I hide my story from someone, can they still see my posts?
Yes! Hiding a story only affects stories, not regular Instagram posts or reels.
8. Can I change my story privacy settings after posting?
Yes! You can go to Settings → Story & Reels → Hide Story From and edit your list even after posting the story.
9. If I restrict someone, will they still see my stories?
Yes, restricting someone only limits their interactions with you. To hide your story, you must do it manually in Story Settings.
10. If I mute someone’s story, can they still see mine?
Yes! Muting only stops you from seeing their stories, but they can still view yours unless you hide it from them.
Final Thoughts
If you want to hide your Instagram Story from specific people, here are three easy ways:
✔ Use the “Hide Story From” setting in Instagram’s privacy settings.
✔ Create a Close Friends list to share stories with a select group.
✔ Manually block someone from viewing a particular story before posting.
By using these methods, you can control who sees your stories while keeping your Instagram experience private and enjoyable. 😊
