Instagram is one of the most popular social media platforms, with over 1 billion active users worldwide. It’s a great way to stay connected with friends, family, and even celebrities. However, in recent years, Instagram has made changes to its platform that have made it more difficult to see your friends’ activity. In this article, we’ll guide you through the steps to see your friends’ activity on Instagram in 2024.
Understanding Instagram’s Privacy Settings
Before we dive into the steps, it’s important to understand Instagram’s privacy settings. In 2019, Instagram removed the Following tab, which allowed users to see their friends’ activity, including the posts they liked and the accounts they followed. This change was made to protect users’ privacy and give them more control over their activity on the platform.
However, there are still ways to see your friends’ activity on Instagram, depending on their privacy settings. If your friend has a public account, you can see their posts, stories, and who they follow. If your friend has a private account, you’ll need to follow them to see their activity.
Step 1: Check Your Friends’ Profile
The first step to seeing your friends’ activity on Instagram is to check their profile. Here’s how:
- Open the Instagram app on your mobile device.
- Use the search bar to find your friend’s profile.
- Tap on their profile to view their posts, stories, and who they follow.
If your friend has a public account, you’ll be able to see their activity without following them. If your friend has a private account, you’ll need to send them a follow request and wait for them to accept it before you can see their activity.
Step 2: Use Instagram’s “Close Friends” Feature
Instagram’s Close Friends feature allows users to share their stories with a select group of people. If your friend has added you to their close friends list, you’ll be able to see their stories even if their account is private.
Here’s how to check if you’re on your friend’s close friends list:
- Open your friend’s profile on Instagram.
- Look for a green star icon next to their profile picture. If you see the green star, it means you’re on their close friends list.
- If you don’t see the green star, it means you’re not on their close friends list.
If you’re not on your friend’s close friends list, you can try sending them a message and asking them to add you. However, keep in mind that it’s up to your friend to decide who they want to share their stories with.
Step 3: Use Third-Party Apps (Not Recommended)
There are third-party apps that claim to allow you to see your friends’ activity on Instagram, even if their account is private. However, we strongly advise against using these apps for several reasons:
- They violate Instagram’s terms of service: Using third-party apps to access someone’s private information without their consent is a violation of Instagram’s terms of service. If Instagram detects that you’re using these apps, they may suspend or terminate your account.
- They put your account at risk: Third-party apps often require you to log in with your Instagram credentials, which puts your account at risk of being hacked or compromised.
- They may not work: Many third-party apps are unreliable and may not work as advertised. You may end up wasting your time and money on an app that doesn’t deliver on its promises.
Instead of using third-party apps, we recommend respecting your friends’ privacy settings and only viewing their activity if they’ve chosen to share it with you.
Step 4: Engage with Your Friends’ Posts
One of the best ways to see your friends’ activity on Instagram is to engage with their posts. When you like, comment, or share your friends’ posts, you’re more likely to see their future posts in your feed.
Here’s how to engage with your friends’ posts:
- Like their posts by tapping the heart icon below the post.
- Leave a comment on their post by tapping the speech bubble icon and typing your message.
- Share their post with your followers by tapping the paper airplane icon and selecting Add post to your story.
By engaging with your friends’ posts, you’re not only showing them support but also increasing the likelihood that their future posts will appear in your feed.
Step 5: Use Instagram’s “Notifications” Feature
Instagram’s Notifications feature allows you to see your friends’ activity in real-time. When you enable notifications for a friend’s account, you’ll receive a notification every time they post something new.
Here’s how to enable notifications for a friend’s account:
- Open your friend’s profile on Instagram.
- Tap the bell icon next to their profile picture.
- Select All Posts to receive notifications for all of their posts, or Stories to receive notifications for their stories only.
Keep in mind that enabling notifications for too many accounts can quickly become overwhelming, so we recommend only enabling notifications for your closest friends or accounts that you don’t want to miss.
Conclusion
In conclusion, seeing your friends’ activity on Instagram in 2024 requires a combination of understanding Instagram’s privacy settings, checking your friends’ profiles, using Instagram’s features like Close Friends and Notifications, and engaging with your friends’ posts.
While there are third-party apps that claim to allow you to see your friends’ activity, we strongly advise against using them as they violate Instagram’s terms of service and put your account at risk.
Ultimately, the best way to stay connected with your friends on Instagram is to respect their privacy settings and engage with the content they choose to share with you. By doing so, you’ll not only strengthen your friendships but also create a more positive and supportive community on the platform.
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