How to See Someone's Instagram Likes in 2026 (What Actually Works)

You cannot see what posts someone else likes on Instagram. Instagram removed the "Following" activity tab in 2019, which was the only way to see other people's likes, comments, and follow activity in real time. There is no app or tool that can restore this feature. However, you CAN track who someone follows and unfollows, which reveals their interests and connections.

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Why You Cannot See Someone's Instagram Likes

In October 2019, Instagram quietly removed the "Following" tab from the Activity section. This tab showed a real-time feed of what your friends were doing: what posts they liked, what comments they left, and who they followed.

Instagram's VP of Product, Vishal Shah, said the feature was removed because "people didn't always know that their activity is surfacing" and it was causing "a lot of anxiety." In other words, people were getting caught liking content they did not want others to know about.

Since that removal, there is no native Instagram feature or legitimate third-party tool that shows you what someone else likes.

What About Third-Party Apps?

If you search for "see someone's Instagram likes," you will find dozens of apps and websites claiming to offer this feature. Every single one falls into one of these categories:

• Scams that steal your login: They ask for your Instagram credentials, then compromise your account
• Payment scams: They charge money and provide fabricated or meaningless data
• Click farms: They show random data to keep you clicking on ads
• Malware distributors: They install malicious software on your device

There is no API endpoint, workaround, or hack that provides access to another user's like activity. Instagram's API strictly prohibits exposing this data, and the information is not stored in any publicly accessible way.

What You CAN See About Someone's Instagram Activity

While like activity is hidden, significant amounts of Instagram activity remain publicly visible:

1. Who They Follow and Unfollow (Most Revealing)

Following someone is a stronger signal than liking a post. When someone follows a new account, they are saying "I want to see this person's content regularly." This reveals:

• New romantic interests (they followed someone new and attractive)
• Business connections (they followed a brand or partner)
• Changing interests (they followed accounts in a new topic area)
• Broken relationships (they unfollowed someone they were close to)

You can track all of this in real time with Lurk. Read our complete follow tracking guide for details.

2. Comments They Leave

While you cannot see someone's likes, you can see their comments on public posts. If you know accounts they interact with, you can check those posts for their comments. This is manual and time-consuming, but the information is publicly visible.

3. Tagged Photos and Collaborations

You can see every photo and Reel someone is tagged in by visiting their profile and tapping the tagged tab. This shows real-world connections and activities.

4. Stories They View (Your Stories Only)

If someone views your Instagram Stories, you can see them in your viewer list. You cannot see who views other people's Stories.

Why Follow Activity Reveals More Than Likes

People like dozens of posts every day, often casually and without much thought. A like is a low-effort action that does not necessarily indicate strong interest.

Following someone, on the other hand, is a deliberate choice. It means:

• They actively sought out this account
• They want an ongoing connection to this person's content
• They are comfortable with their followers seeing the follow (it is public)

When someone unfollows an account, it is even more significant. Unfollowing requires actively going to a profile and removing the connection. This often signals:

• A relationship has changed or ended
• They no longer want to be associated with that person
• Something happened that made them want to distance themselves

For understanding what follow activity means in the context of relationships, read our post on Instagram red flags for cheating.

How to Track Someone's Follow Activity

Instead of trying to see likes (which is impossible), track follows (which is publicly available):

On the Web

1. Go to getlurk.app
2. Enter any public Instagram username
3. See their recent follows and unfollows instantly
4. No Instagram login required

On Mobile

1. Download Lurk from the App Store or Google Play
2. Add the username you want to track
3. Enable push notifications
4. Get alerts when they follow or unfollow someone

Can You See Your Own Likes?

Yes. You can see posts you have liked by going to Settings > Account > Posts You've Liked. This only shows your own like history and is visible only to you.

Will Instagram Ever Bring Back the Activity Tab?

There is no indication Instagram plans to restore the Following activity tab. The company has moved consistently toward more privacy controls, not less. The removal of the activity tab, the option to hide like counts, and the addition of read receipt controls all point in the same direction.

The Bottom Line

You cannot see someone's Instagram likes, and any service claiming otherwise is a scam. Focus on what is actually trackable: follow and unfollow activity, which is publicly visible and reveals more about someone's real connections and interests than likes ever could.

Start tracking follow activity for free at getlurk.app. Visit our FAQ page for more answers about Instagram tracking.