It’s a question millions of users quietly Google every day especially when relationships shift, friendships fade, or you simply want more control over your privacy online. With Instagram constantly updating its features, many find themselves unsure about how unfollowing truly works.
This guide breaks it all down clearly what unfollowing actually does, who can still view your posts, how privacy settings impact visibility, and the exact steps to control who sees what.
Let’s dive in.
What Really Happens When You Unfollow Someone on Instagram?
Unfollowing someone is a simple action, but its consequences depend heavily on your account privacy settings and whether the other person still follows you.
When you unfollow someone:
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You stop seeing their content in your feed.
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They do not get notified.
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They can still see your posts if they follow you.
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They can’t see your posts if they don’t follow you AND your account is private.
This leads to the key question…
Can They Still See Your Posts After You Unfollow Them? (Short Answer)
✔ Yes if your account is public.
Even if you unfollow them, anyone (including the person) can freely view your posts.
✔ Yes if they still follow you and your account is private.
Unfollowing doesn’t remove them from your followers list.
✘ No if your account is private AND you remove them as a follower.
Only then will they lose access to your posts.
In other words, unfollowing alone does not remove their access to your content. Your account’s privacy decides everything.
How Your Instagram Privacy Setting Affects Post Visibility
🔓 1. If Your Account Is Public
Anyone can see:
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Posts
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Reels
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Stories (except private “Close Friends”)
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Comments you leave on public posts
Unfollowing someone has zero impact on their ability to view your Instagram content.
🔒 2. If Your Account Is Private
Only approved followers can see your:
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Posts
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Stories
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Highlights
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Reels
So if your account is private and someone still follows you, they can still view everything, even if you unfollow them.
To stop this, you must remove them as a follower.
Does Instagram Notify Them When You Unfollow?
No. Instagram never sends an alert like:
“Someone unfollowed you.”
But they can find out if:
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They manually check your profile
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They use third-party tools (although these are unreliable and risky)
Still, unfollowing remains a private action on your end.
How to Remove Someone So They Can’t See Your Posts Anymore
If you truly want to stop them from seeing your posts, do this:
Option A: Remove Them as a Follower (Best for silent removal)
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Go to your Followers list.
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Search their username.
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Tap Remove.
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They won’t be notified.
Option B: Block Them (Best for complete privacy)
This prevents them from:
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Seeing your posts
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Viewing your stories
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Sending you messages
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Finding your profile
Option C: Switch to a Private Account
If your profile is currently public:
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Go to Settings
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Tap Privacy
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Turn on Private account
This ensures only approved followers can see your posts.
Who Can Still See Your Posts After You Unfollow Someone? (Detailed Breakdown)
| Your Account | They Still Follow You | Can They See Your Posts? |
|---|---|---|
| Public | Yes | ✔ Yes |
| Public | No | ✔ Yes (public content) |
| Private | Yes | ✔ Yes |
| Private | No (removed) | ✘ No |
Why People Unfollow Instead of Removing or Blocking
Many users prefer unfollowing because:
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It’s discreet
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It causes no conflict
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It cleans the feed without affecting their privacy
But, as we’ve learned unfollowing alone does NOT stop someone from seeing your posts.
That requires removing them.
FAQs
1. If I unfollow someone, will they unfollow me automatically?
No. Unfollowing is one-sided.
2. If I remove someone, will they know?
No notifications are sent.
3. If my account is private, can unfollowed people still search and see my profile?
They can search your profile, but they will only see:
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Your name
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Your bio
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Your profile photo
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“This account is private” message
4. Can people see my Instagram stories after I unfollow them?
If they still follow you AND you haven’t removed them, yes.
5. Does muting someone affect what they see?
No. Muting only hides their content from your feed.
Conclusion
Unfollowing someone on Instagram is not a privacy tool it’s simply a feed-cleaning action.
If your goal is to stop someone from viewing your posts, you have to take an extra step:
👉 Switch to private and remove them as a follower or
👉 Block them completely
If you unfollow them without adjusting privacy settings, they’ll still see everything.
