Have you ever wanted to unfollow someone on Instagram without them finding out? It‘s a common dilemma for many Instagram users. You may have grown tired of their content, had a falling out, or simply want to prune your following list. But you don‘t want to hurt their feelings or cause drama by having them see that you unfollowed them.
Fortunately, there are a few subtle ways to unfollow users on Instagram without them being notified. As a social media marketing expert, I‘ve compiled some of the most effective strategies to help you unfollow in secret.
Why Unfollow Someone Without Them Knowing?
Here are some of the top reasons people want to discretely unfollow others on Instagram:
- Too much posting: Some users post constantly, cluttering up your feed. Unfollowing clears things up.
- Irrelevant content: If someone posts about topics you‘re not interested in, you can unfollow without offending them.
- Relationship changes: If you once followed someone you knew but are no longer on speaking terms, unfollowing privately avoids confrontation.
- Influencer fatigue: If an influencer you followed turns out to have boring content, unfollowing without them knowing prevents public drama.
Unfollowing directly notifies the user and can cause hurt feelings or anger. People may lash out, unfollow you back, or publicly call you out for unfollowing them. It‘s often best to do it subtly.
How Instagram Unfollowing Works
Before we get into the secret techniques, let‘s review how unfollowing typically works on Instagram:
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When you unfollow someone directly, they receive a notification saying you unfollowed them. This alerts them instantly.
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Many users also have tracker apps that monitor their follower count and notify them when someone unfollows.
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Large influencers and social media managers often use analytics software to track their followers. Losing you as a follower will be detected.
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Directly unfollowing someone will remove you from their followers list and them from your following list. The connection is severed.
Essentially, any public unfollowing can be detected. You need to use alternative methods to avoid detection.
Techniques to Unfollow in Secret
Here are 3 ways to unfollow someone on Instagram without them being notified or finding out:
1. Unfollow After Temporarily Blocking
Blocking someone on Instagram completely removes you from their followers list and them from your following list. The connection is severed.
However, you can unblock them after a few days and you will not be re-added to their followers list. Essentially, unblocking undoes the block but does NOT restore the previous follower/following connection.
Here is how to unfollow using the block/unblock method:
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Go to the profile page of the person you want to unfollow
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Tap the three-dot menu button in the top right and choose Block
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Leave them blocked for 2-3 days before unblocking them
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This completely removes you as a follower without notifying them
Blocking someone also prevents them from viewing your profile or posts, so they cannot detect the unfollow during those 2-3 days.
Once you unblock them, the unfollow is complete. They may notice eventually if they check their followers, but you will not show up as someone who recently unfollowed them.
2. Remove Them From Your Close Friends List
Instagram‘s Close Friends feature lets you share Stories with a select inner circle. If you have the person you want to unfollow on your Close Friends list, you can remove them to covertly unfollow.
Here‘s how:
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Go to your profile and tap Close Friends
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Tap the X icon next to the person‘s name to remove them as a Close Friend
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This will instantly unfollow them without notifying them
Unlike public unfollowing, removing a Close Friends connection does not notify the user or show up in their follower tracker apps. It severs the link quietly.
If you don‘t have a Close Friends list, or the person isn‘t on it, you can still use this technique. Just temporarily add them to your Close Friends, then remove them.
3. Follow/Unfollow from a Secondary Account
If you have another Instagram account, you can use it to unfollow someone from your main account without detection:
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From your secondary account, find the profile of the person you want to unfollow from your main account
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Follow them from your secondary account, which will add your secondary account to their followers
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A few days later, unfollow them from your secondary account
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This will remove your main account as a follower too, since both were tied as followers of that person
Following from the secondary account links the two accounts as mutual followers of the target person. Unfollowing from the secondary account then breaks both of those connections simultaneously.
The key is waiting a few days between the follow and unfollow so they are detached as events, and your primary account unfollowing is masked under the secondary account action.
When Does an Unfollow Get Noticed?
While the techniques above prevent notifications and tracker detection, the person may still notice the unfollow eventually if they closely monitor their follower count and list. Here‘s when an unfollow has the highest chance of being detected:
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Rapid unfollow: Unfollowing immediately or within 24 hours of following is obvious.
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Frequent checks: Influencers and social media managers checking their stats daily.
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Small follower count: When someone has under 500 followers, losing 1 is more noticeable.
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Recently followed: People are most aware of their new follows, so unfollowing fast stands out.
The longer you wait between follow and unfollow, the less likely the person is to detect it. For private personal accounts with large follower counts, unfollows can go completely unnoticed for months or longer.
Going Further: Hide Your Posts After Unfollowing
Once you unfollow someone using the techniques above, you may also want to hide your posts from them so they can‘t view your profile for clues. Here are two ways to do that:
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Block: If you fully block them after unfollowing, they won‘t be able to access your profile or see any of your posts.
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Close Friends: Post only to Close Friends for a couple weeks. As a non-follower, the person won‘t be able to see those posts.
Should You Tell Them You Unfollowed?
Some people recommend telling someone directly that you unfollowed them and explaining why. While this is the most transparent option, it can lead to some of the issues mentioned earlier like hurt feelings and drama.
If you do decide to tell them, make sure to:
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Be polite: Say it was your own choice based on your interests, nothing personal.
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Offer praise: Thank them for the great content over the years if relevant.
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Avoid details: You don‘t need to critique their posts or get into specifics. Keep it focused on yourself rather than their content.
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Suggest alternatives: Recommend continuing to connect on other platforms if you want to soften it.
In most cases, the indirect techniques in this guide allow you to unfollow discretely without potential issues. But if done tactfully, communicating directly can preserve the relationship.
Expert Tips for Unfollowing People on Instagram
Based on my extensive social media marketing experience, here are some pro tips when you need to unfollow an Instagram account:
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Do it in batches: Unfollow several people over a week, not just one person, to avoid suspicions.
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Wait after a major post: If they posted something big recently, wait a few weeks before unfollowing so it‘s not associated.
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Track your metrics: Watch your own follower stats for any unusual decreases after unfollowing that could indicate detection.
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Periodically prune follows: Routinely review who you follow and unfollow inactive accounts to cover your tracks.
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Always follow first: Never unfollow someone you didn‘t follow to begin with, as it will definitely stand out.
Taking these smart precautions helps ensure your covert unfollows stay under the radar.
Conclusion
While directly unfollowing someone on Instagram sends them an instant notification, there are effective methods to unfollow discreetly:
- Temporarily block then unblock
- Remove them from your Close Friends
- Follow/unfollow from a secondary account
Combining these techniques with precautions like waiting a few days between actions, you can prune your follows without anyone being alerted or detecting it.
I hope these insider tips from an experienced social media marketer help you keep your Instagram circle curated as you desire without uncomfortable confrontations. Just be thoughtful in your decisions.
What strategies do you use when unfollowing on social media? I‘d love to hear your insights!
