We all have seen stories on Instagram that we may have wished we could have “unseen”. With the prevalence of social media, it is important to be able to control what we view on the platforms we use. So if you come across a story that you don’t want to continue seeing, this article will tell you how to “unsee” it.
1. What is an Instagram Story?
An Instagram story is a feature within the Instagram app that allows users to post photos, videos and Boomerang posts which can be viewed by followers for 24 hrs. It provides a way to document special moments, showcase everyday events or express yourself just like other Stories on social media.
You start by tapping the camera icon in the top left corner within Instagram, then you can take a photo, record a video or upload existing content from your phone gallery. You can add filters, text and drawings to brighten up your story. When you post your story it appears as a circle in the top bar on your profile, as well as in the ‘stories bar’ at the top of the news feed.
You can decide who can see your Story, similar to posts. By default, only the people who follow you can see it. However, you can choose to share it with the public or just with close friends. As well as tapping followers’ Stories individually, you can check out the whole Instagram Stories community through the ‘Explore‘ tab. There, find top posts, stickers and trends worldwide, as well as content based on your interests.
- Take a photo, record a video or upload existing content from your phone gallery.
- It provides a way to document special moments, showcase everyday events or express yourself.
- Can share your story with public, close friends or followers.
2. How to Unsee an Instagram Story
Viewing the Story
To unsee an Instagram story, first make sure that you have viewed the story. All stories can be seen by tapping the individual’s profile photo at the top of your home feed. Just like posts, stories will auto-play as you view them.
Finding the Story
If you’ve already seen the story, the easiest way to unsee it is to find the story you want to undo viewing for. To do this, navigate to the person’s profile and tap the hamburger icon in the top right-hand corner of the page. From here, you can select ‘Archive’, which will show you a list of all stories you’ve viewed.
Unseeing the Story
Once you have located the story you want to unsee, long press the story and swipe left on the story options. You will see a window that says ‘Unsee’. Tap that and the story will be removed from your archive. This will result in the story appearing to have never been viewed.
Note: The instructions for unseeing an Instagram story depend on the device you’re using. It may require slightly different instructions on a desktop computer or an iOS device.
3. Understanding the Limitations of Unseeing Stories
Many people, when presented with the concept of an “unseen” story, assume that it has no beginning, end, or plot. This is not always the case. While some unseeing stories may lack direction and purpose, others may be rich in detail and fully formed.
Before identifying a story as “unseen”, it is important to understand the limitations associated with this type of narrative. These include:
- Limited Characters: An unseeing story often has limited characters, few of which are fully developed.
- Incomplete Plot: Unseeing stories may lack a full plot arc, meaning that there is no clear beginning, middle, or end to the story.
- Lack of Symbolism: Unseeing stories may omit the use of symbolic elements to represent ideas or themes.
In order to make the best use of an unseeing story, it is important to have an open mind and make allowances for the limitations of this type of narrative. Understanding these limitations can make it easier to craft a story that captures the essence of the story without being too complicated or restrictive.
4. Removing Yourself from Seeing Stories of Specific Accounts
If you often see stories or posts from accounts that you don’t want to see, you can hide those stories. By hiding the stories you will no longer see the content from that account unless you take further action.
To hide stories from specific accounts, you can either block them or mute their stories. Blocking an account will prevent it from interacting with your account, while muting an account will simply remove its stories from your feed.
- Block: To block an account, go to their profile page, tap the menu icon in the upper right, and choose the ‘block’ option.
- Mute: To mute an account, go to the profile page of the account you wish to mute, then tap the menu icon in the upper right and choose ‘mute’.
If you ever decide you want to start seeing an account’s stories again, you can simply unblock or unmute it in the same fashion.
5. Strategies for Limiting Inadvertent Viewing of Instagram Stories
Stories are an important part of Instagram, and it’s important to use them responsibly and to ensure that only those intended to be seen are able to view them. In order to keep your stories safe from inadvertently being viewed, here are five strategies you should implement:
- Limit Who Can See Your Stories: You can limit who sees your stories in your Privacy Settings. Under the account menu, go to “Privacy Settings” and then select “Custom” under “Story Viewability”. Prohibit the ability of anyone outside your friends list to view your stories.
- Limit Tags in Stories: When posting a story with a tag, you can limit who can view it by tapping the arrow next to the name of the tagged account before you post. Choose “Only Me” if you don’t want them to see your story.
- Adjusting Photo Settings: Under the “Photos of You” section in your profile settings you can decide who can tag you in photos. Select “Friends” to ensure that only your friends can tag you in photos and stories.
You can also hide your stories from certain people. If you go to “Viewers” in the stories section, you can tap the three dots in the upper right corner and select “Dashboard Settings”. Select “Hide Story From” to pick individuals or lists you don’t want to see your story.
By following these five strategies, you can ensure that inadvertent viewers are kept away from your stories and limit their ability to view your content. These settings help make your stories more private, secure, and fun.
It’s clear that unseeing stories on Instagram can be difficult, but don’t feel discouraged. If you take the time to explore your settings and get acquainted with the different privacy preferences available, you can ensure your online experience is as comfortable and secure as you want it to be.
