Instagram has become one of the most popular apps on the internet. Every day, millions of people post to it.
It’s estimated that there are 1.3 billion active users. You’ll find everything is shared on Instagram. But, you need access to see some of the content.
It’s a great way to stay in touch with people and keep up with what they are doing. That’s family, friends, and even a way to let others know about your brand.
Anyone trying to build a following is likely to have a public Instagram account. That means anyone can look at it and, hopefully, subscribe.
The more popular the brand is the more likely it is the founder can earn good money from their brand.
But, if you’re Instagram is just to stay in touch with friends, you’ve probably got the settings on private, ensuring only those you approve can see your account.
That can be frustrating for others, it generally leads to the question of how to view private Instagram accounts.
There are many reasons why you may want to view a private Instagram account, ranging from curiosity, to a lack of trust in a partner, or a need to keep children safe.
The good news is that it is possible to view private Instagram accounts. However, these tools should only be used to check the activities of family members. They shouldn’t be used to indiscriminately view private accounts.
Understanding The Private Instagram Profile
When anyone creates an Instagram account they have the option of making the account private or public. This option can be adjusted at any time.
A public Instagram feed can be viewed by anyone. There are usually no restrictions, meaning anyone can check your profile details, look at your pictures, and read your posts.
In contrast, a private Instagram account can only be seen by those with permission. The owner of the account grants permission.
It’s predominantly used for private conversations between family and friends.
How To View Private Instagram Accounts
The simplest way to view private Instagram accounts is by using a third-party private Instagram viewer app specifically designed for this. There are several excellent options.
1. Glassagram
It’s fair to say that Glassagram is the most popular way to view private Instagram accounts. The app is designed for this purpose and will show you everything on the Instagram account, including profile details and everything they’ve posted.
In short, they’ve won awards for what they do.
The app is so good that you can see the personal direct messages on the account, most other apps can’t manage this.
You can start using it for free and it’s even possible to track the location of the Instagram user when they are online.
Rest assured, Glassagram keeps your details confidential, ensuring you’re anonymous.
2. xMobi
If you want to hack into someone’s Instagram account then xMobi is the best way forward.
The app does everything for you, ensuring you don’t need to learn to be a hacker.
All you need is the app and the name of the account you wish to hack. The rest can be done remotely, without the need for any further software downloads.
You don’t even need to log into Instagram to use this app.
It’s a great way to check on someone intermittently or to see if an account is really worth following, or not.
3. eyeZy
eyeZy is designed to let you remotely access a smartphone. However, you will need to access the smartphone first and download the app.
This takes minutes and, once it is done, the target will not know the software is on their phone. You can then remotely access their smartphone from your own phone or computer.
The app does let you see everything they are doing although it was originally designed to display Instagram accounts and all the associated feeds.
There’s a useful demo on their website that will help you understand what the app can do, how it works, and the current cost options.
4. mSpy
mSpy is a good way to view private Instagram accounts.
You will need access to the target phone. Before you get the phone set up your mSpy account and choose your subscription level.
Then, on the target phone, open the play store and download the app. You can follow the instructions and the app will be ready in a few minutes.
On an Android phone, the app is automatically hidden. If the target is an iPhone, you’ll need to tell it to hide the app.
Once it’s installed you can connect via your own phone and monitor all the activities on the target phone, including their Instagram account and posts.
It will even allow you to read deleted direct messages on Instagram.
5. uMobix
This is another app designed specifically for parents to allow them to quietly monitor their children when on Instagram.
The beauty of this app is that you don’t need physical access to their smartphone. Instead, you need to follow a link to gain access to their phone.
If they are using an iPhone, you’ll need to know their iCloud credentials.
Once connected you’ll be able to see what your child is doing on their phone. This includes call logs, social media posts and interactions, and even their physical location.
You can also access the settings on the phone and adjust them. This allows you to prevent them from accessing certain websites or apps, amongst other features.
This service lets you see everything they are posting on their private Instagram account without them knowing.
In effect, it allows you to trust them without trusting social media networks.
Best of all, they won’t be able to tell what you’re doing and will behave normally online.
6. PrivateInsta
PrivateInsta is designed to work with Windows, Android, and iOS. It’s established a reputation for being one of the best in the business.
Perhaps best of all, you don’t need to sign into your Instagram account to use this app. That helps to ensure you stay anonymous.
It does require you to complete a survey first. That’s okay as this app is genuine. Once it’s completed you just enter the Instagram user name and the profile will appear.
It’s surprisingly simple to use and doesn’t involve having access to the phone.
7. IGLookup
This app is designed to allow access to private Instagram accounts without the need to log into Instagram. It can find any IG profile for you and there is no need for human verification.
It’s very easy to use.
You’ll need to visit their website and then select the ‘spynow’ option. This opens a box that allows you to enter the name of the Instagram account you want to see.
The profile will be displayed as an image, allowing you to see their latest posts and pictures.
But, this option is best used once. Delete your cookies before reusing it as multiple uses will trigger surveys and attempts to get you to sign up with the paid version of the service.
8. InstaDP
You’ll find InstaDP is very easy to use and no human verification is necessary. Best of all, you don’t even need an Instagram account.
All you need to do is enter the IG username into the search box within the InstaDP app. Simply clicking download will get you into the target profile.
You will see the latest posts and images. But, you can also access videos, photos, their stories and almost anything else they have posted.
In addition, this app lets you save the profile, allowing you to update and view it whenever you want.
Is It Legal To Use An Instagram Viewing Service?
As with many things on the internet viewing private Instagram accounts is a grey area. It’s not strictly illegal as there is no law forbidding it. However, it is ethically questionable.
That’s why it is recommended you only use these services to monitor children and ensure they are staying safe or to check on a partner you think may be cheating on you.
The best way to legitimately view a private Instagram account is to submit a request to follow them.
The account holder will either say yes or no.
Keeping Safe When Using A Spying App
There are plenty of good spying apps available such as Glassagram. However, you need to be aware that not all apps are genuine.
Choose the wrong one and it won’t help you view private Instagram accounts. Some will simply keep the small charge they have made, others will introduce malware or ransomware into your device.
They can cost you much more money or simply steal your financial information.
That’s why you need to choose one of the apps on this list. It’s also a good idea to invest in a reputable VPN, such as NordVPN.
It will keep your IP address hidden and all data encrypted, helping to keep you safe when online
Creating A Fake Account
This is particularly effective if you want to monitor your children but don’t want them to think you’re interfering.
You will need to create a fake Instagram account, using a name and background that is likely to appeal to your child.
It’s then possible to ask to follow them and, hopefully, they will say yes.
But, you should note that this is technically against Instagram policy and can get you suspended from Instagram.
Duplicate Profiles
If you’re caught doing this, you’re likely to be banned from Instagram!
In effect, you locate an account that your child would allow to follow them, perhaps the public profile of a celebrity or a friend’s profile.
Then, you create an account with the same details and ask your target to let you be a follower.
They are likely to say yes, allowing you to see their feed and what they have been doing.
You should know that this approach usually only works for a short time. In most cases, the person you’re following will realize the account is a duplicate and report you.
That’s when you get suspended or banned.
Google Searches
Because it is very easy to move between a private and public profile, it’s possible that the person you wish to follow used to have a public account.
If that’s the case then there are likely to be old posts on Google, dating from when the account was public.
A simple search on Google for the account name will show you if there is anything.
Check Other Social Sites
If you can’t get into their Instagram profile then check their name or user name on other social media sites.
They probably have a presence on more than one site and at least one of these may not be listed as private. If that’s the case you can simply look at what they are doing and anonymously follow their activities, even when they are secret on Instagram.
Access Via Their Account
This approach only works for people you know and you must proceed with caution. After all, if you are caught looking at your partner or child’s phone they may never forgive you.
In essence, you simply want to find a time when you know they are not going to be on their phone for a period. You then open the phone and look at their Instagram feed via their profile.
It will show you everything they have posted. Of course, if they have a lock on the phone you will need to know what this is.
Final Thoughts
If you’re considering how to view private Instagram accounts then you need to ask yourself why it is so important.
Although there are times when it can seem essential to know what is going on in someone’s life, using one of these apps can be unethical at times.
You need to be sure you are doing this for the right reasons and are aware of what will happen if you get caught. It can do irreparable damage to a relationship.
Whatever happens, they can never know that you are monitoring them from afar.