How to Hide Your Following List on Instagram (2026 Guide)

Quick Answer

Instagram lets you control who sees your following list. Go to Settings and activity → Who can see the accounts you follow and choose from three options: Everyone, Followers, or Only you. On a private account, the default is Followers (only your approved followers can see who you follow). On a public account, the default is Everyone.

Understanding the Three Options

Everyone

Anyone on or off Instagram can see the full list of accounts you follow.
This is the default for public accounts.
Your following count is always visible, but this setting controls whether people can tap through to see the actual list.

Followers

Only people who follow you can see your following list.
This is the default for private accounts.
Non-followers see your following count but cannot tap to see the names.

Only you

Nobody except you can see who you follow.
Others still see the number of accounts you follow, but the list itself is completely hidden.
This is the most private option and works on both public and private accounts.

Step-by-Step: Change Who Can See Your Following List

On iPhone or Android

Open Instagram and tap your profile picture in the bottom-right corner.
Tap the three-line menu (≡) in the top-right corner.
Tap Settings and activity.
Scroll to Who can see the accounts you follow.
Choose your preferred option: Everyone, Followers, or Only you.

The change takes effect immediately. No notification is sent to anyone.

What Others See After You Hide Your Following List

If you set the following list to Only you:

Other users see your following count (e.g., "342 following") on your profile.
Tapping the count shows a message like "This list is private" or simply doesn't open.
Your followers can still see mutual follows (accounts you both follow) in some contexts.
Instagram may still suggest your account to people you follow through its recommendation algorithms.

Does This Affect Your Followers List?

No. Your followers list (who follows you) has separate visibility rules:

On a private account, only your approved followers can see your followers list.
On a public account, anyone can see your followers list.

Instagram does not currently offer a way to hide your followers list on a public account independently. To hide your followers list, you need to switch to a private account.

Hiding Following List on a Private Account

On a private account, your following list is already set to Followers by default. To make it completely private:

Go to Settings and activity → Who can see the accounts you follow.
Select Only you.

Now even your approved followers cannot see who you follow — they can only see the count.

Common Questions

Can people still see who I follow if I set it to "Only you"?

They can see the number of accounts you follow, but not the specific usernames. Instagram may still show mutual connections in suggestions or when someone searches for a specific account.

Will Instagram still suggest me to people I follow?

Possibly. Instagram's suggestion algorithms may still recommend your account to people you follow, even if your following list is hidden. To reduce this, limit data sharing in Settings → Accounts Center → Personal details.

Can I hide my following list on a public account?

Yes. The "Only you" option works regardless of whether your account is public or private. However, your followers list remains visible to everyone on a public account.

Does hiding my following list affect my followers?

No. Your followers list is controlled separately. Hiding your following list doesn't change who can see your followers or affect any follower relationships.

How to Remove Followers on Instagram — prune your audience without blocking
How to Make Your Account Private — lock down your profile
How to Hide Likes on Instagram — hide like counts for privacy
How to Turn Off Active Status — hide when you're online
Instagram Privacy Checklist — audit every privacy setting