Instagram preloads a handful of Stories, so that when you log on you can instantly view them, regardless of your connection status. While Instagram doesn’t offer any obvious way around having your name pop up, there are a few different ways you can peek at a Story without being seen, so long as it’s a public account or someone you already follow.

“I had to immediately reply and pretend that I hadn’t seen their messages - it was embarrassing, and it happens a lot,” she says.īeing seen in a Story audience is often reason enough to avoid watching it. “I kept ignoring this one friends DMs just because I wasn’t in the mood to read and respond and I was trying to be careful to not watch their Stories, but I did accidentally,” Taylor, 24 tells Bustle. Though you might enjoy being able to see who is watching your Stories, you’ve likely wondered how to watch other people’s Instagram Stories anonymously. The ability to check out who has viewed your Instagram Story is a double edged sword - pretty satisfying when it’s your Story, and pretty exposing when you’re on the other side.

Anonymous insta viewer