# Can I get Instagram like counts when likes are hidden?

Instagram. Checked September 2026.

No. When an account hides like counts, Instagram does not show the number to anyone but the owner. Openhandle reads only what a logged-out visitor can see, so `metrics.likes` is `null` for that post. Not zero. Not an estimate.

Any tool that returns a like count for a hidden post is guessing. A guess in a spreadsheet looks like a fact. A `null` does not.

## GET /v1/instagram/posts/{id}

```bash
curl "https://api.openhandle.dev/v1/instagram/posts/910100000002" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $OPENHANDLE_API_KEY"
```

```ts
import { OpenHandle } from '@openhandle/sdk';

const openhandle = new OpenHandle({ apiKey: process.env.OPENHANDLE_API_KEY! });
const response = await openhandle.instagram.post('910100000002').get();

console.log(response.data.metrics.likes); // null when hidden
```

200 OK:

```json
{
  "platform": "instagram",
  "resource": "post",
  "capturedAt": "2026-09-18T10:18:22Z",
  "source": "live",
  "data": {
    "id": "910100000002",
    "createdAt": "2026-08-08T15:30:00Z",
    "author": { "id": "910000000001", "handle": "northstar_forge_test" },
    "metrics": {
      "likes": null,
      "comments": 5,
      "views": 12700
    }
  }
}
```

Trimmed to the metrics. The example is a Test post with an intentionally unavailable like count, so you can see the null on a free Test key.

## What you still get

- **Comments.** Comment counts stay visible when likes are hidden. So do the comments themselves.
- **Views on reels.** Play counts on reels are separate from likes and usually stay visible.
- **Follower count.** Hiding likes does not hide the profile metrics.
- **Likers on visible posts.** When likes are shown, `GET /v1/instagram/posts/{id}/likers` lists who liked.

## Why null and not zero

An engagement rate divides likes by followers. A zero in that column drags every average down and looks real. A `null` skips the row. Every Openhandle metric follows the same rule: a number the platform hid is `null`, a measured zero is `0`. See [metric semantics](/docs/concepts/metric-semantics).

## When this does not work

A hidden number is not an error. These are.

| Situation | Status | Code |
|---|---|---|
| The post is deleted or never existed | 404 | `POST_NOT_FOUND` |
| The account is private | 403 | `PROFILE_PRIVATE` |
| The identifier is malformed | 400 | `INVALID_IDENTIFIER` |

```json
{
  "error": {
    "code": "POST_NOT_FOUND",
    "message": "This post was not found.",
    "requestId": "req_01j8…",
    "retryable": false
  }
}
```

A post with hidden likes answers with HTTP 200 and bills like any answered request. The null is part of the answer.

## Related

- [Metric semantics](https://openhandle.dev/docs/concepts/metric-semantics): What a view, a like, and a share mean on each platform.
- [How do I get comments on an Instagram post that is not mine?](https://openhandle.dev/questions/how-do-i-get-comments-on-an-instagram-post-that-is-not-mine): Comments stay readable when likes are hidden.
- [Public data notice](https://openhandle.dev/legal/public-data-notice): What Openhandle reads and what it never does.