Quick Answer
Despite no official option, it’s absolutely possible to view Instagram stories anonymously. Browser extensions like Ghostify and Ghost Viewer and Android apps like Instander do the job without hiccups. There is also a nifty airplane mode trick, a perfect workaround for iPhone users. Not to mention the adjacent swipe hack, which is a simple yet effective way to view Instagram stories anonymously. Plus, you can always make a new account if you have to!
As the most popular social media app ever to exist, you ought to find your friends and loved ones lingering on Instagram. Like WhatsApp status, Instagram Stories is a nifty feature that lets users post a glimpse from their day for a limited duration. Instagram stories are present on the home page with a prominent colored ring around them.
In case you don’t know, the owner of the post is informed about every interaction, including likes and views. As good as it may sound, you may occasionally develop the urge to view Instagram stories anonymously to maintain secrecy or for privacy reasons. Unfortunately, there is no such feature out of the box, but you can view Instagram Stories anonymously in a number of ways. In this article, we’ll introduce you to six methods you can use to view Instagram Stories anonymously for Android, iPhone and the web. Let’s go!
Table of Contents
6 Ways to View Instagram Stories Anonymously
Sl No | Trick | Pros | Cons | Supported Platforms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Third-party apps – Instander | - Easy to setup and get going - Works reliably and without much hassle - Free app with tons of other useful features | - Unofficial Instagram client, hence may raise privacy concerns - Not supported on other platforms | Android |
2 | Airplane mode trick | - Works without any additional setup - Quick to perform | - Mildly cumbersome procedure - May not work as expected, especially when the network reception is poor - Stories containing videos can’t be viewed in most cases | Android, iOS |
3 | Browser extensions – Ghostify and Ghost Viewer | - Quick, free, and easy to setup - Works flawlessly at all times - Pretty much the only working solution for web | - Nothing as such | Browser (Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Opera, and more) |
4 | Adjacent story trick | - In-built hack that can be pulled off at any time - Works as expected in most cases | - Not supported for videos - Requires some level of precision | Android, iOS |
5 | New/Secondary Account | - No-nonsense solution that has no real hurdles | - Creating a new account isn’t always feasible - Only works if the other party is your mutual, which somewhat defeats the purpose | All platforms – Android, iOS, Web |
6 | Third-party websites – AnonStories, Anonyig, and Insacret | - Great for saving stories offline - Free and easy to use | - Not supported for private accounts, which is a bummer | All platforms (requires pasting the story link) |
Use a New/Secondary Instagram Account
The most basic method, creating a new Instagram account (alt account) altogether, is fail-proof. As an obvious shortcoming, you must ensure the story you are viewing is from a public account or a mutual, the latter of which is unlikely in the case of a new account. Provided the conditions are met, and you are willing to make a fresh account, no brains are needed for the operation. Simply register for a new Instagram account, and you are good to go! Instead, you can also use your secondary account if you have one.
Adjacent Story Trick
You might already know that stories on Instagram work by swiping left or right to view the next or previous one. If you swipe real slow without releasing your finger, you can get a glimpse of the succeeding or the preceding story without giving away your viewership status. So, the next time you wish to view an Instagram story anonymously, locate it on your app’s home page and click on the preceding story. Then, carefully swipe until you see a clear preview of the following story. Don’t release your finger in between, or it will swipe automatically.
Unfortunately, this trick doesn’t work for videos since you must swipe fully to view a video. Furthermore, such a level of precision while swiping isn’t possible on a PC, so it’s more of a mobile-only trick.
Third-Party Websites
Third-party websites make everything possible, and viewing Instagram stories anonymously is no different. As an added advantage, you can download the story and view it as many times as you want without letting the other party know. Since third-party websites cannot access content from private accounts, this method is exclusively for viewing stories posted from public accounts.
It’s as easy as pasting the link of the required story and clicking the download button. A few such websites include AnonStories, Anonyig, and Insacret.
Related Read: 10 Ways to Fix Instagram Stories Not Showing on Your Feed
Airplane Mode Trick
This method is known to have worked wonders for many users, so here we are. We are essentially taking advantage of the fact that Instagram can’t register your view count if there is no internet connection around. Be sure to follow the procedure to the tee, as this trick is a bit precise to work with.
- Open the Instagram app on your iPhone or Android device.
- Let the Instagram app load properly, so leave it idle for a moment or two.
- Turn on your device’s Airplane Mode and ensure Wi-Fi is turned off.
- Clear the Instagram app from your device’s memory.
- Open the Instagram app again, and you’ll find the stories section at the top with pre-loaded stories. Remember not to turn on your internet connection.
- Click on the story you wish to view.
- Exit the app and clear it from your device’s memory once again.
- Turn off your device’s Airplane Mode and turn on Wi-Fi if required.
- Open the Instagram app again and use it as usual.
Unfortunately, this trick only works on a mobile device. You may also face occasional failures, so use it at your risk.
Related Read: How to Check Who Viewed Instagram Highlights
Instander
If you are an Android user, you are in for a treat. Instander, a popular third-party Instagram client, has tons of useful features over the original feature set of the official Instagram app. One such feature is Ghost Mode, which lets you view Instagram stories anonymously by default. Here’s how you can do it –
- Install Instander from the official website. Click on Download Clone.
- Install the .apk file from your downloads folder.
- Open the app and log into your Instagram account.
- Click on your profile icon from the bottom-right corner.
- Tap the hamburger menu icon (≡) from the top-right corner.
- Enter Instander Settings from the pop-up menu.
- Select Ghost Mode.
- Turn on the toggle beside Don’t make Stories as seen.
That’s it! From now on, Instagram won’t record all stories viewed within the Instander application, essentially enabling you to view Instagram stories anonymously. It works flawlessly, although your platform of choice is limited to Android. If you fear giving a third-party app access to your Instagram account, you can only use Instander to view stories secretly and revert to the original Instagram app for the rest of the time.
Related Read: How to Save Instagram Story with Music
Browser Extensions
If you prefer accessing Instagram on your PC or laptop, browser extensions are your best bet. Other than requiring no setup after installation, you would be surprised to know how perfectly browser extensions like Ghost Viewer and Ghostify work. Simply install the extensions from the Chrome Web Store and turn on the toggles within the extension, as shown below. Voila! You can now view Instagram stories anonymously.
Effective Ways to View Instagram Stories Anonymously
While you shouldn’t misuse the advantage, viewing Instagram stories without letting the other person know is indeed a child’s play to perform. Third-party apps like Instander, browser extensions like Ghostify and Ghost Viewer, and in-app tricks make anonymous viewing of Instagram stories possible in an uncomplicated manner.
FAQs on Anonymously Viewing Instagram Stories
The airplane mode trick isn’t working. What should I do?
The airplane mode trick is a hit or a miss, mainly because you are restricting internet access. With this, Instagram would struggle to load the stories, and you wouldn't be able to view them. This trick won't work if Instagram fails to load stories prior to turning airplane mode on. If it still doesn't work, you are better off with other tips in this article.
The link pasted on third-party websites shows as invalid. Why?
In that case, you must have put the link to a story from a private account. Instagram doesn't permit third-party websites to access content from a private account, so you won't be able to view stories anonymously by downloading them from third-party websites. This method only works for public accounts.
Are browser extensions and apps like Instander reliable for this purpose?
Sure, Instander and browser extensions like Ghostify and Ghost Viewer aren't official solutions to the problem, but they work miraculously. The browser extensions need a toggle to be turned on, and that's it. Apps like Instander are Instagram on steroids and are packed full of features. Although not officially recommended by Instagram, you will not likely face problems with them.
