Instagram, that beloved photo and video social media platform, is all about liking posts. The feature is crucial to the network and signals to the creator and Instagram that their post is valuable.
Likes, just like on Facebook, are one of the biggest engagement tools on the platform. Between liking and commenting, you can show the poster and Instagram that you want more from them.
What Does Liking a Post on Instagram Do?
Liking posts on Instagram is extremely valuable to everyone who uses the app. It sends important feedback to the content creator and is used by the Instagram algorithm when determining what content it shows in a user’s feed.
While the Instagram algorithm is constantly evolving, liking has been and likely will always be crucial to how it works. Specifically, the feed algorithm has changed a lot recently.
However, likes are still one of the top five considerations when Instagram is suggesting a post. So how many likes a post has is still a big deal.
What Are the Steps for Liking a Post on Instagram?
So, how do you like something on Instagram? It’s simple.
To like a post, all you need to do is double-tap the image or video in the app. The heart outline of the post, associated with likes, will turn red when you’ve liked it.
You can also directly tap the heart under the post to like it as well. Both of these options will work on desktop, too.
Creators receive a notification when you like a post. It shows them your name and which post you liked.
How Do I Remove a Like From a Photo or Video on Instagram?
Removing a like on Instagram is just as easy as liking something.
To remove a like, all you need to do is click the heart again. It will turn back to the outline, and your like will be removed.
The biggest reason for unliking a post is because you accidentally clicked it. If you remove your like right away, the creator won’t receive a like alert in their activity. However, if the person has push notifications turned on, they’ll still get a like alert.
Can You Remove Likes From Your Own Photos and Videos?
When your Instagram profile is public, everyone can see it. Friends, family, and strangers can all like and comment on your posts. They can also share your posts with others via DM or on their stories. For some, the idea that people you don’t know can share, like, comment, and follow your posts is a bit unnerving.
When it comes to removing likes on your posts from other people, there currently isn’t a way to get rid of another person’s likes from your photos or videos. However, there are some things you can do.
If you don’t like a comment on one of your posts, you can delete it. And if you’d like to keep a specific user from interacting with your posts, you can block them.
That might seem a bit harsh, but it’s the only way to prevent a specific user from liking, commenting, and sharing your posts. If you decide you’re okay with the user interacting with your content again, you can unblock them.
How Can I Find My Liked Posts in Instagram?
Ever wonder how to find your liked posts on Instagram? You can see the 300 most recent posts you’ve liked in the Your Activity feature.
To do so, go to your profile on Instagram by clicking on the person in the bottom right of the app. Then, navigate to the icon of three lines in the top right corner and select the clock symbol for “Your Activity.”
Tap the two arrows facing opposite directions to get to “Interactions,” and tap Likes. From there, you can see your liked photos or videos and visit them again.
So when you’re wondering how to find your likes on Instagram, Your Activity is how you do it.
Is There a Way to See Someone’s Most Liked Posts on Instagram?
When you’d like to jump to a person’s best content, you may want to find their most-liked photo on Instagram. However, at this time, you’ll need to use a third-party app to do that.
Instagram itself doesn’t have a way to show you which post is the most liked on a particular account aside from manually looking at the number of likes or views. Several apps can help you find someone’s most-liked post, such as Popsters, if you’re looking to compare your own posts with someone’s top-performing photo or video.
But, it’s important to remember that those are third-party apps, and Instagram doesn’t have anything to do with them. Additionally, you can’t check a person’s like activity automatically. If you want to see what they like, you just have to follow them and manually look into which posts they’ve interacted with.
Thanks so much for stopping by and checking out my article on Instagram likes and how they work. I hope you enjoyed the information, and it helped you with your commonly asked questions about the app. I encourage you to share your questions and insights into Instagram likes and how they work in the comments.
If you have other questions about Instagram, be sure to go check out my other helpful blogs, including Eight Common Instagram Issues & How to Resolve Them.
— Sean