Does Instagram Live Show Who Is Watching?

Evan Gower June 13, 2021

Since its introduction, Instagram Live became one of the most popular features on Instagram. The live feed broadcasts as soon as it gets initiated, allowing you to enjoy live feeds of your friends and favorite influencers. What’s even better is that Instagram sends you a notification once some of your friends go live.

Does Instagram Live Show Who Is Watching?

Furthermore, if you are an influencer or a minor Instagram celebrity, the live feature is an excellent springboard for personal promotion. This feature is why it would be pretty handy if Instagram showed you who exactly is watching or interacting with your live broadcasts.

Other social media platforms like Periscope and Facebook Live display how many users are watching, so you might be wondering if Instagram offers the same functionality. This article answers the question: Does Instagram Live show you who is watching your Instagram Live Video feed?

Your Instagram Live Video Watchers

As soon as you start broadcasting a live video on Instagram, people will start joining. This action, of course, means that they are watching your broadcast, and you can see each individual that joins your Instagram Live Video.

There is a small counter with an “eye” icon that gives you the latest number of people watching your live feed. If you tap on the “eye” icon, you can see all the usernames that have joined your live broadcast.

Things get even better when followers interact with your Instagram Live video. Interacting means they send comments, emoticons, or any other reaction to your live broadcast. The responses get displayed at the bottom of your screen, allowing you to react as many Instagrammers do. This personalization makes live videos more engaging than other forms of content.

However, the comments, views, and your live Instagram broadcast don’t last forever. Your Instagram Live video is only available for 24 hours, and then it disappears from the feed together with the view count and comments.

There is also an option to record the live video to your camera roll if you wish to keep it for later use. To access the option, go to the Instagram Live Controls menu.

Instagram Live Controls

Instagram gives you many options when it comes to controlling your Instagram Live and Instagram Story sections. For example, you can create a precise selection of people you wish to see your story and make other necessary adjustments before going live. The watch count lowers, but you still see who is watching.

The Live Story controls are surprisingly simple to use. You just have to do the following:

Tap on the Instagram app to launch it and swipe right to access the camera.
Once you are inside the camera, select the Live option by tapping on it.
Tap on the Settings icon in the top-left corner of the Live window to access the Story Controls and make the desired tweaks.

The above controls give you a few customizations for your live stream. If you’d like to keep some viewers from tuning in, select the option “Hide Story From.” This option works for your Instagram stories and your live show. Once you’ve tapped on the customization, you get a list of people. Tap those you’d like to avoid and click back to the camera.

Blocked Instagram users cannot see your Live video, just as they won’t see other content you’ve published.

In closing, Instagram has a unique culture of following. Those who are looking to increase their audience can begin following others with similar interests. You can comment, like, and share other users’ content to gain followers. Instagram Live follows the same benefits, and it shows you how many and who is watching your live feed. That feature is very beneficial, especially to those who want to grow their follower counts.