"Only Can See All Followers on Instagram" Explained

If you've come across the "only... can see all followers" message at the top of an Instagram user's Followers list, you might be wondering about this relatively new feature. Since it's not widely known, many users may be unfamiliar with its purpose.

This feature restricts access to the complete list of followers for a user. While it may be straightforward for some, you may be here seeking more information or looking to conceal your own followers list. In this article, I'll provide a comprehensive explanation of this feature, discuss whether you can activate it, and outline which accounts have the option to use it.

What is “Only Can See All Followers”

If you observe the phrase "Only can see all followers" displayed at the top of an individual's Followers list on Instagram, it indicates that the account has restricted access to its followers list. To clarify, refer to the accompanying image below if you find this information confusing.

This implies that you can only access a limited number of individuals following this person before reaching the end of their Followers list.

If you're unfamiliar with this, simply visit the Instagram account displayed in the image above, click on their Followers list, and you'll encounter the same message.

This functionality limits your ability to view the complete list of followers for the account. The message clarifies that only the account owner can see the entire list of their Instagram followers, and it's not visible to others.

The individuals you can view are randomly selected and not presented in the order of their recent followings of the Instagram account.

Regrettably, there is no workaround for this feature if you want to see the remaining followers on that account.

Could you activate this feature?

Regrettably, activating this feature is not within your control. Instagram exclusively grants this option to individuals whom they have selected.

As the feature is presently undergoing a testing phase expected to conclude soon, it is not available to all accounts, and consequently, users cannot activate it.

Even after the testing phase concludes, Instagram may opt to restrict this feature to specific accounts. However, if it becomes universally available, you will likely find the option to enable it in your Instagram settings.

Until Instagram officially notifies you about this feature, it is safe to assume that it is not accessible to your account, and therefore, cannot be activated.

In the absence of this feature, the only practical way to restrict your followers is to set your account to private.

What was the motivation behind Instagram's introduction of this feature?

Instagram implemented this feature primarily to prevent businesses from siphoning followers from their competitors. Such actions, where one business attempts to acquire customers or applicants from another, are targeted to safeguard fair competition.

Additionally, Instagram introduced this feature to uphold the privacy of a user's followers, a decision left to the account owner. This is particularly relevant for public figures who, instead of setting their account to private, may prefer keeping their followers confidential to thwart other accounts from viewing the list.

How is the feature allocation determined by Instagram?

Currently, only verified accounts have the option to "Only can see all followers." This aligns with the expectation that this feature is most relevant for accounts with a substantial following, particularly large businesses. If your account is not verified, it's improbable that you'll be able to use this feature at the moment. It's possible that Instagram might extend access to this feature for all accounts after the testing phase concludes.

Notably, some non-verified accounts with a significant following have been granted access to this feature. Instagram considers such cases when determining access to the ability to hide followers.

Conclusion

The recently introduced "Only can see all followers" function on Instagram conceals the majority of a user's followers, revealing only a select few. Primarily implemented to prevent businesses from engaging in follower scraping and poaching from other large enterprises, Instagram has not disclosed any additional motives for this feature.

As of now, this feature is undergoing testing and is exclusively available to verified accounts or those with a substantial following. Regrettably, users cannot activate or access this feature unless officially notified by Instagram. It is plausible that this functionality will be extended to all accounts in the future.