While you can discreetly view someone’s Instagram profile (if it is public or you’re following them) as many times as you want, Instagram Stories do not keep that secret. As soon as you view someone’s story on Instagram, the viewer list is updated, and the person who posted the story will know about all viewers, even if you saw the story unintentionally. But what if you want to see someone’s story without letting them know? How to view someone’s Instagram Story without seen?
You can view someone’s Instagram Story without letting them know by half-swiping, turning on Airplane mode before viewing the story, using an anonymous Instagram viewer, or any of the other proven methods for viewing Insta stories anonymously.
Read the article till the end to find out how to view someone’s story without them knowing and pick the one that suits you the best.
Part 1. How to See Someone's Story on Instagram without Seen
You know the answer to, “Can people see if you look at their Instagram,” but the question is how you can see it secretly. Viewing someone’s story on Instagram without being seen in the viewer’s list is hard, but you can select from the six methods we have shared to watch someone’s story without them knowing and keep an eye on their Instagram activity discreetly. Some methods might save you from being seen on their Story viewer list for some time, while others allow remotely viewing stories without leaving a trace.
Method 1. Use an anonymous Instagram viewer
Opposed to the popular opinion of keeping the best for the last, we’re mentioning the best first. Using an anonymous Instagram viewer app like Msafely is the most suitable method for watching someone’s Instagram Story remotely. This Instagram story viewer app allows you to watch someone’s story without them knowing because the app works in stealth mode.
With Msafely, you can:
- View the target phone’s Instagram Story from their account discreetly.
- Read all Instagram messages, including sent and received, even deleted ones and links.
- See the Instagram follower list.
Other than Instagram Stories and messages, you can also see Facebook, WhatsApp, LINE, Discord, Hangouts, Tinder, Viber, contacts, call logs, text messages, images and videos, notes, reminders, and much more.
The best part is that downloading and using Msafely is a straightforward process – just three steps!
Step 1. Go to the Msafely website and register a free account online.
Step 2. Select a subscription plan and connect the target device to your Msafely account.
Step 3. Go to the Msafely Control Panel on your device and go to Instagram to view their stories.
Method 2. Turn on Airplane mode before viewing
You might have viewed messages on Instagram after turning on Airplane mode to not be marked ‘seen,’ but did you know you can also use it to view Insta Story without them knowing?
Turning on Airplane mode before viewing someone’s Instagram Story allows you to check their stories without showing. Follow these steps to secretly watch Instagram Story using Airplane mode:
Step 1. Turn on Airplane mode on your phone to disconnect the internet.
Step 2. Open the Instagram app and view the stories.
Step 3. Close the app immediately and log out.
Step 4. Log into your account after turning off Airplane mode.
This way you can view someone’s Ig story without them knowing. However, logging out of your account after viewing the story is a must to prevent your name from appearing in the viewer list.
Method 3. Half swiping on Instagram
You might have heard of half-swiping stories on social media, but how to half-swipe on Instagram to view stories anonymously?
Instagram Story preview by half-swiping it is one of the easiest ways to watch recent stories on Instagram, but it is also slightly risky. So, when checking stories through this method, make sure to not accidentally open them.
Step 1. Open the Instagram app on your phone.
Step 2. Go to the Stories section in the app.
Step 3. Tap on the profile icon before the person’s profile icon you want to view the story of.
Step 4. Open the story, keep your thumb/finger sturdy, and carefully drag it halfway as if you want to see the next story, but do not open it fully; you can catch a glimpse of it partially.
Method 4. Block the person after viewing
We all have thought at some point in our lives, “What if you view someone's Instagram story and block them?” Well, it’s very much a possibility!
This has to be the simplest method when looking for answers to “How to view someone’s Instagram Story without it showing?” What could be simpler than viewing someone’s story and blocking them immediately?
Blocking the user will remove your name from the viewer’s list until the story expires, even if you watch it without any other precaution. Here’s a simple process to see anyone’s story on Instagram without the person knowing:
Step 1. Open the Instagram app on your phone.
Step 2. Go to stories in the top part and view the particular story.
Step 3. Once you see the story, open that user’s profile and click on the three dots.
Step 4. Tap ‘block.’
Step 5. Unblock them after the story expires to ensure your name does not appear in the story views.
Method 5. View from Chrome extensions (for PC users)
If you use Instagram on your PC or laptop, you can try an additional method to view Instagram story without them knowing: adding relevant Chrome extensions to the browser. Chrome extensions can be a savior when you cannot directly perform a particular function. Like many other features, you can also find Chrome extensions in the web store to view someone’s Instagram stories discreetly. Hiddengram, StoriesHub for Instagram, and Chrome IG Story are the most widely used Chrome extensions for watching someone’s Instagram story. Installing and using these extensions is quite simple; follow these steps:
Step 1. Open the Chrome Web Store on your laptop or PC.
Step 2. Search for the desired extension in the search bar.
Step 3. Tap ‘Add to Chrome.’
Step 4. Open your Instagram account and use the extension’s options to view stories secretly.
Method 6. Use a secondary or anonymous account
When nothing else works, a throw-away or anonymous account is the best option, especially for public Instagram profiles. Create a secondary account with a different name to view the target Instagram user’s stories without using your real Insta ID. But make sure that you do not leave any trace that might make it possible to track the account back to you. It is best to follow a few other profiles as well, to avoid suspicion.
You might already know how to create an Instagram account, yet here’s a simple step-by-step guide:
Step 1. Install the Instagram app on your phone from Google Play Store or App Store.
Step 2. Open the app and click ‘Sign Up.’
Step 3. Sign up with your phone number or email address.
Step 4. Tap ‘next,’ and create a username and password.
Step 5. Add in other profile information and click ‘done.’
Part 2. What is the Best Way to See Someone's Story on Instagram without Seen
| Factors | Effectiveness | Risk level | Mobile/ desktop compatibility | Viewing the story multiple times | Monitors other apps |
| Msafely | ✰✰✰✰✰ | Low | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Airplane mode | ✰✰✰✰ | High | Mobile only | ❌ | ❌ |
| Half-swiping on Instagram | ✰✰✰ | High | Mobile only | ❌ | ❌ |
| Block the person | ✰✰✰✰✰ | Low | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Chrome extensions | ✰✰✰ | Medium | Desktop only | ✅ | ❌ |
| Secondary Instagram account | ✰✰✰✰ | Medium | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ |
✅ Our recommendation: Best way to view Instagram stories without being seen
After comparing all methods by effectiveness, risk, and device compatibility, our top recommendation is:
🔒 Use a monitoring tool like Msafely ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Effectiveness | ✅ Low Risk | 📱💻 Mobile & Desktop Compatible
Why Msafely?
Stealth mode: It doesn't trigger Instagram's seen notification.
No need to log in: You don’t have to use your main Instagram account.
Multi-platform: Works on both mobile and desktop.
Safe & private: No need to block or interact with the person’s profile.
Runner-up:
🕵️♂️ Use a secondary Instagram account Great for repeat viewing or long-term curiosity. Just takes a little setup.
Not recommended (High risk):
Airplane mode & half-swiping: Risky and no longer reliable due to app updates.
Chrome extensions: Mixed results and possible privacy concerns.
Part 3. Popular Tricks That Don’t Actually Work
Now that you know how to view someone’s Instagram Story without it seen, including the best choice, it’s important to mention that some popular methods for watching Instagram stories discreetly might not work. We’re shared a few popular tricks that might get you caught when watching someone’s stories sneakily.
- Viewing on desktop
It’s a common perception that viewing stories from the browser does not show your name in the viewer list. However, it is not true. Regardless of the medium you use for Instagram, your username will show on the list of ‘viewed by’ in story details, and they will know if you saw their Instagram Story.
- Turning off activity status
Instagram has an ‘Activity Status’ feature that shows other people when you were last online or if you are online at the moment. Often users think that turning off Activity Status will also disable their name being viewed on the viewers’ list, but this is untrue. Disabling Activity Status or read receipts does not exclude your name from story views. It also hides your online status or message seen status from your followers; you cannot ‘turn off’ story view settings on Instagram.
- Being on someone’s close friend list
If your friend told you that being added to someone’s Close Friends list on Instagram will not show your name in the story viewers, they may be wrong. Adding you to your Close Friends list will give you access to someone’s private Instagram Story, but they will be able to see your name among the viewers.
- Logging out immediately
In case you think logging out of your Instagram account after seeing the story will not show your name among viewers, you’ll be surprised that it won’t work. Logging out of your Instagram account after viewing a story might only work when you have already turned on the Airplane mode.
- Private mode
Most web browsers have an incognito mode that allows you to browse through the internet without being discovered. However, it does not mean that it can modify the features within an app or platform, such as Instagram. When you log into your account to secretly watch Instagram story, even using incognito mode, you will appear in the viewers list.
Part 4. Final Thoughts
When looking for answers to “how to see someone's story on instagram without seen,” an anonymous Instagram story viewer app is the best choice. It not only gives you remote access to Insta stories on the target phone, but also allows you to monitor other features like messages, calls, and media, including deleted messages. Other than an anonymous Instagram viewer app, you can secretly watch Instagram story by turning on Airplane mode before viewing, half-swiping on their story, blocking the person after viewing, using another account, or viewing the story from Chrome extensions. All of these methods for watching someone’s Instagram story come with their limitations and specific requirements; choose the one that suits your circumstances and needs the best to view Instagram story without them knowing.
Part 5. FAQs
Q1. Is it possible to see someone's story on Instagram without them knowing?
Though it is not impossible to see someone’s story on Instagram without them knowing, it can be challenging as Instagram does not offer a particular setting option to turn off Instagram Story views. If you wish to try, using Airplane mode, half-swiping the Instagram story, viewing from Chrome extension, or using an Instagram story viewer app can help.
Q2. How do I unsee a story on Instagram?
There is no ‘unsee’ feature on Instagram to remove your name after viewing someone’s story. However, you can avoid being seen in the viewer’s list by blocking the user until the story expires or deactivating your account temporarily.
Q3. How to on ghost mode in Instagram?
Instagram does not have a ghost mode that you can activate to view everything without being noticed. The platform allows users to turn their profile to a private account and archive the posts they do not want to appear on their feeds any longer. Other than these features, you can turn off read receipts and Activity Status to stay discreet when using Insta.
Q4. Can someone see that I viewed their Instagram story if we are not friends?
Yes, they will know that you viewed their Instagram story even if you are not friends. In fact, regardless of whoever’s story you view on Ig, they’ll see your name among the list of viewers until you take precautions to be discreet.
Q5. Can people see if you half swipe an Instagram story?
If you’re careful and make sure that you only half swipe the Instagram Story, no one can tell you snooped into their stories. But, this method is somewhat risky as the chances of viewing the story are high and they will know that you saw their story.
Q6. How to view Instagram highlights anonymously?
The best way to view Instagram highlights anonymously is using an Instagram story viewer that allows you to see the target account’s stories, highlights, and messages. Alternatively, use a secondary account to view their highlights, ensuring that the account cannot be traced back to you.