Learn how to see and hide Instagram friends liked Reels with the August 2025 settings, step-by-step fixes, and privacy toggles.
Ever wondered how to see which Reels friends are loving or how to keep your own likes invisible? Instagram quietly swapped toggles, moved menus, and ran new A/B tests during July and August 2025. This guide walks through every current way to see and hide Instagram friends liked Reels without wading through outdated posts.
1. Understand the 2025 Change
In late July 2025 Instagram replaced the classic “Following → Activity → Likes” tab with a new Reels Activity shelf that appears inside the Reels player itself. The feature is rolling out in waves, so some accounts still use the old flow while others have the new one. Knowing which camp you’re in decides the next steps.
1.1 Quick Visual Check
- Open the Reels tab.
- Scroll until you see a Reel with a row of tiny circular avatars under the caption.
- If those avatars say “Liked by Maya and others,” you have the new shelf.
1.2 If the Shelf Is Missing
Either the test hasn’t reached the account yet or the feature has been disabled in Settings → Privacy → Activity Sharing.
2. How to SEE Friends Liked Reels (New Shelf)
2.1 View in Reels Player
- Tap any Reel.
- Look for the row of profile pictures under the caption.
- Tap the row to open a full list of who liked the clip.
Tip: The list is ranked by closest mutual interaction, not chronological order.
2.2 Deep-Dive From Profile
- Visit a friend’s profile.
- Tap the “❤️ Reels” tab (appears only if the friend has public likes enabled).
- Browse every Reel they’ve liked in the past 30 days.
3. How to SEE Friends Liked Reels (Old Layout)
For accounts still on the legacy UI:
- Tap the heart icon (Notifications).
- Switch to the Following tab.
- Scroll to find “[Friend] liked a Reel” cards.
Tip: If the tab is empty, the friend either has likes hidden or hasn’t liked public Reels recently.
4. How to HIDE Your Own Liked Reels
4.1 Hide From Everyone
- Go to Profile → Menu ☰ → Settings & Privacy → Activity Sharing.
- Toggle off Show Reels Likes.
- Restart the app; changes take effect immediately.
4.2 Hide From Specific People
- Navigate to Settings & Privacy → Restricted.
- Add usernames to the restricted list; those accounts can still follow you but will not see your Reel likes.
4.3 Close Friends Exception
Even with global likes hidden, you can allow a Close Friends list to see activity:
- Under Activity Sharing, tap Exceptions.
- Select the Close Friends list.
5. Common Troubles (and Quick Fixes) – August 2025
| Problem | Quick Fix |
|---|---|
| Friend’s Reels tab missing | They have likes hidden or private account. |
| Shelf appears on iPhone but not Android | Feature flag is device-specific; wait for rollout. |
| Toggle greyed out | Account is under 18 or supervised by Family Center. |
6. Hypothetical Scenario: Maya’s Weekend Scroll
Maya opened Reels Saturday morning and noticed the friend-avatars were gone. She thought the app was broken until she remembered reading this guide. A quick check in Settings & Privacy → Activity Sharing revealed the new toggle had defaulted to OFF after a late-night update. Flipping it back on restored the shelf instantly, and she caught her best friend’s hidden obsession with 5-second cooking hacks.
7. Reader Check-In
Which layout do you see right now—new shelf, old heart-tab, or nothing at all? Drop a comment with your device and region; crowd-sourced data helps everyone track the rollout.
8. Quick Resource Box
9. Key Takeaways
- Look for the new Reels shelf (tiny avatars) or the old Following tab depending on rollout status.
- Hide likes globally or per person under Settings & Privacy → Activity Sharing.
- Restricted lists and Close Friends exceptions offer granular control.
- Updates in July-August 2025 changed default settings—double-check toggles after every patch.