Watched Someone’s Instagram Story & Blocked Them?

First things first, why do you need to hide your view from the story poster?

There can be a thousand reasons, but the few which I can think of include; you might be stalking that person but wouldn’t want them to know!

Or you want to know what your ex is up to without their knowledge because then they will think you care about them, or whatever your reason is.

No, I won’t start with what Instagram is because we are social animals, and we all know and love Instagram; it is a place to share everything (from shitposting to your achievements), and don’t forget influencers are living their best lives because of it. 

In the later parts of the article, we will see what happens when you watch their story and block them. 

What Happens If You Watch Someone’s Instagram Story And Block Them? 

Watching someone’s Instagram story and blocking them can be a confusing experience for both parties.

It can lead to feelings of hurt and confusion, as the person who was blocked may not understand why you did it (but I am sure you have your reasons for doing it)

When someone blocks you on Instagram, your ability to view their stories is removed.

This means that if you were watching their stories before the block, you would no longer be able to do so.

It also means that if they post new stories in the future, you won’t be able to view them either. 

Blocking is the term used in the social media platform where if you block someone from your account, they can no longer see your posts, tagged photos, or daily stories and can’t even message you.

In simple words, it means you are restricting them from seeing anything that is happening in your account or reaching you.

Blocking another account will remove any likes or comments from that account, and unblocking in the future won’t bring them back. 

You have viewed their story, and now you want to block them, maybe because you didn’t like the story, do it by going through these steps:

1. Go and click on the Profile icon of that particular person
2. Click on the three dots
3. A popup window will appear stating – Block, Restrict, Report, & Cancel
4. Just hit Block and you’re done

Another way is to search the account directly from the search bar and tap on the three dots (you can see it in the top right just after the username). Once you click there, you will have the option to block directly. 

Now, the question is whether your name is viewed in the viewer’s list or not.

The person won’t be able to see if you watched their Instagram story after you immediately block them.

A person’s profile will disappear from the list of users who have viewed it after you block them. Although if you unblock someone before their article is deleted, your profile will reappear on the list.

So, be very careful when you block and unblock them. But if the other person has already viewed your name on the story view list before you block them, there’s nothing you can do.

I am afraid to announce that Instagram had not come up with any feature to protect you from the embarrassment that you will feel if they have already seen your name in the list, even when you accidentally watched their story.  

Another thing you should keep in mind is that if you unblock the account within 48 hours of viewing the story, they can easily see your name.

So, wait till 48 hours get over and then unblock them if you want to. 

Can Someone See That I Viewed Their Instagram Story If I Block Them? 

As I have already mentioned previously that a person cannot know that you viewed their Instagram story if you block them, but there are a few conditions when they can, such as

• If you take too long to block and the other person has this habit of checking views again and again, then there is a high chance that they can see your name in the list.
• If they have a small account which means that they don’t follow too many people, and their follower list is also minimal, your view might catch their attention, but if it’s a popular public account with lots of followers, then it’s highly unlikely that you would shine in that list of thousand people.
• If you blocked them immediately (after watching their story) but also unblocked the account even before the story disappeared. Then your account will be visible in the viewer’s list.

What To Do If You Accidentally Watch Someone’s Instagram Story?

How do you accidentally watch someone’s story?

If it is an account that you follow and they follow you as well, then I think there’s wont be any issue, but if you really want to keep that person in your account but do not want to see what they are doing because it annoys you:

I believe you must have watched their story while you were going through other’s stories.

Now you also want to hide your view from their viewer’s list because you have not replied to that one text of theirs (trust me, I understand; been there, done that!)

All you need to do is block them as soon as you have watched their story, and I should tell you that it would be super awkward when you have to add them again, or you face them in person and have to explain why you have blocked them.

Another easy option is to delete your account temporarily. In that way, your view would be disabled, and no unpleasant moments.

Talking about an account that you don’t follow (maybe a past friend or lover), then just block them after you have accidentally tapped on their story while you were going through their account and unblock them after two days to be extra cautious. 

In Conclusion

We have learned that blocking after viewing someone’s story is the easiest way to hide yourself.

But I also have a few other options that might help you watch these stories anonymously.

I know you all are good people, so don’t harm others while using these tricks, which I will share.

You can put your phone on airplane mode and watch the story you like (there won’t be any view of your name because the phone wasn’t connected to the internet).

The other trick is to half swipe; you will not directly tap on the person’s story; instead, you will watch the previous stories on the list and slightly move your finger to the left, and boom! You can see what they have posted.

Pria Sharma

Caffeine junkie, a lively learner, and experienced affiliate marketing writer for SB Digital. Always wanted to research and write on various verticals – that’s my thing now! Down for a France trip with me? Well, read my blog posts first and it’s a deal!