Instagram is a social networking platform that allows users to share pictures and videos of themselves with their friends and family. A platform that lets you make new connections, also helps you to reconnect with old friends. As you are an Instagram user, you must have searched for someone or most probably visited someone’s profile. But have you ever wondered if you search someone on Instagram, will they know? You don’t want that right?
Quick Takeaways
- If we search for someone on Instagram, it would never notify the other party about it.
- Instagram never lets you know who has gone through your Instagram profile.
However ,you are advised to go through the below information to know that if you search someone on Instagram, will they know or not.

If You Search for Someone On Instagram, Will Instagram Notify Them?
It is the most common question asked by Instagram users and the answer to this question is NO. Instagram does not allow its users to know who searched for them, it does not have this feature yet.
This means Instagram will never notify the person you searched for. You can search for anybody, and the person will never get any notification from Instagram. The only way that person would know about this is if they have access to your account and they go through your search history. If someone has blocked you on Instagram, their account will never appear when you search them.
Also, if you constantly search for someone on Instagram, their account would always be at the top of your Instagram feed.
Can you see who searched for you on Instagram or who viewed your profile?
Instagram does not allow you to see who searched for you or who viewed your profile. Also, it does not allow any third-party app to do so. These apps will defy Instagram’s terms and conditions and disrupt its privacy.

Unfortunately, users can never be provided with a list of their profile visitors or the ones who searched for them. Therefore, you can never see who has searched for you on Instagram or have stalked you.
Can any third-party apps notify users that they have been searched?
It is no doubt that Instagram maintains its terms and conditions and would not allow any third-party app to violate them. These third-party apps may excite the users as they claim to do what Instagram does not at this time. They gather users’ attention by claiming to provide them with a list of users who have searched for them.
It is not false to say that they trick the users as these apps are not authentic and may provide false information to the users. Also, these apps ask for users’ information which makes the user’s account unsafe. Users must know that Instagram would not allow any third-party app to access the user’s Instagram data and give them false information. Some common third party apps are FollowMeter , Influxy, MyInsProfile, InMYStalker and many more.
How does Instagram’s search system work?
Instagram follows a search function, that helps users find other accounts. You can search for someone by their username or even by their name. Users also search using hashtags and also search for places. When you search for something or someone on Instagram, it will display results based on popularity.

If you frequently search for an account on Instagram, it would keep that account at the top of your feed. With the following steps, you can easily search for anyone
- First, open your Instagram app.
- Now look at the bottom of your screen, you will see an icon of a magnifying glass.
- Click on that icon, and you will be able to search for anyone.
- You can type their username, and if you don’t know their username, you can search for them by their name also.
- After typing their name, you will be directed to a list of users where you can scroll and search for the one you are looking for.
- Once you see the account you were searching for, click on that particular account and their Instagram account will pop up.
Will someone know if you view their Instagram story?
Instagram allows users to know if someone has viewed their story. If you follow any user, they would be able to see the list of their story viewers. If someone you don’t follow and they have an open account, seeing their Instagram story would allow them to know that you have done so. However, you can never view someone’s Instagram story if you don’t follow, if the story is unavailable and if they have a private account.
How to protect your privacy on Instagram?
Instagram is a platform where users get stalked easily. As Instagram never allows you to see a list of your Instagram account visitors, you never know who is going through your account and stalking you. The best way to protect your account is to make it a private account rather than a public account and unfollow any spam account.
Unless and until someone likes or comments on your posts, it is impossible to know who has been stalking you. With a private account, you would not only limit your followers but also know you are interacting with genuine users.
Conclusion
Instagram tries to make its users’ experience fascinating and also maintains users’ privacy. Users, on Instagram, always look up to their friends, family members, and acquaintances by searching for them. Imagine if Instagram starts notifying everyone that we are searching for them or have gone through their account, this would not be the best idea for Instagram. As users would never go through someone’s profile or search for them knowing the other person would get notified.
But Instagram would never do so as it does not want to ruin the users’ experience. It is a tricky strategy that Instagram follows to maintain its users’ interest. Therefore, it would neither notify the users nor would provide any visitors list to both parties.
FAQs
If you search for someone on Instagram and their account does not show up, it is possible that they may have blocked you.
Instagram will always notify you about who has liked and commented on your post. Along with this, it would always notify you if someone sends you a follow request.