Instagram has become the social media staple for more than a billion aficionados today. Part of the reason for its success is the intuitive features and specifications it offers. One of the most captivating features is the Instagram story feed.
People have creative ways to express their talents, likes, business prowess, and other capabilities. The best way to share them is via Instagram stories. However, it lacks anonymity and download options, hence the birth of anonymous story viewer apps and websites.
How do These Apps or Websites Work?
It is not possible to discuss the exact mechanism, including the nitty-gritty details of how these IG anonymity apps or websites work. It is rather complex. What we know, however, is that the exact mechanisms vary depending on the app or platform you choose, but the core idea literally remains the same.
For the majority, you enter the username of the Instagram profile you wish to snoop on. The tool will then retrieve and display the person’s story for you to watch anonymously. The poster of the story you are viewing will not get the notification or see that you watched it. Cool, isn’t it?
The Ethical Considerations of Sneaking
We now have a good understanding of what incognito Instagram story viewing is all about and how it works. The question is, what does the platform say about it? What are the ethical issues surrounding its use?
First, privacy is a fundamental right for everyone using social media platforms, and Instagram stories are not left out. Instagram currently does not have a feature for anonymous viewing or a download option for stories. Doing so violates its community guidelines.
Using an anonymous story viewing app or website without the poster’s knowledge is construed to mean a breach of their privacy. You could be penalized for it if the user reports you for suspicious activity. Furthermore, it can lead to uncomfortable situations and even strained relationships.
Tricks and Tools for Anonymous Instagram Story Viewing
Because of the above ethical considerations, it is important to use a service that will leave no traces whatsoever that the owner of the account can use to track and report you. Luckily, there are a few foolproof tools and tricks that can guarantee your complete anonymity. Let’s check them out:
- Switch to the airplane mode
Airplanes disable internet access on enabled devices. When you use it correctly, Instagram will not be able to notify the owner of the account whose story you’ve viewed anonymously of the activity because it will not be aware of it.
To use this method, open the Instagram app you have on your device and log into your account. Search for the user whose story you are interested in watching anonymously and tap on their profile picture.
Once you locate the story, tap on it to preload. You will know this by identifying the circular loader. Wait for it until it completes the processing. You can then switch to airplane mode to disable the internet connection. The device will then load the preloaded story, allowing you to watch it anonymously. It’s as simple as that!
There is a limitation, though. If the person whose story you want to watch incognito has several stories uploaded, your device will not be able to load them. Should this be the case, choose other tools at your disposal to go discrete.
- Add an alternative Instagram account.
One of the best features Instagram thought about was allowing users to open multiple accounts in addition to the main one. Once done, you can simply switch between the accounts as it suits your needs.
But how does opening a secondary account help you view Instagram stories anonymously? Simple: you use unique credentials different from the ones you have in your main profile. This includes an imaginary username, email or phone number, and profile photo.
To add an account, log in to your main account, then tap on your profile photo, which you will find in the lower right section of your screen. This will reveal a three-dash menu on the right upper section, which you can tap to access the gear icon for settings. Tap on ‘Add Account’ at the bottom of the screen.
The next step is to enter an imaginary username. You will then be prompted to enter either your email or phone number. To avoid the account being traced back to you, ensure you use an email address or phone number that’s different from the one you have in your profile.
A confirmation code will be sent to the email or phone number, which you will enter to verify the secondary account. Once verified, upload a unique photo that hides your identity, and then later edit the information in the profile to look legit.
You can use the alternative account to access stories from your followers. Inasmuch as they will be notified, the new account will be strange to them, and so your identity will be concealed.
- Use an external platform.
Several web-based platforms or apps have come up to enable anonymous Instagram story viewing. These services work by retrieving content from owners accounts while ensuring they leave no traces whatsoever that can be traced back to you.
Many of these apps are simply bots aimed at hoodwinking unsuspecting social media enthusiasts to share their personal information. This makes them very insecure and can even put your account at risk of suspension.
However, a few authoritative ones, like AnonyPro, can guarantee you complete anonymity while watching your favorite Instagram stories. Some of these services are free, while others are premium, requiring you to pay a monthly subscription for a one-time payment of varying amounts.
Such services are very easy to use. All you need to do is enter the username of the account you wish to watch stories from. The technology involved will immediately retrieve the stories, which you can watch incognito.
- Use the Instagram Story Downloading Tool.
As of the latest Instagram app updates, a feature that allows users to download stories has not been included. Since necessity is the mother of invention, people have come up with an amicable solution: an Instagram story downloader.
These are specific tools designed to allow you to anonymously download Instagram stories from other users and watch them offline at your own time. Some advanced ones literally hack into the Instagram account of the person whose story you want to watch discreetly.
Because of their complexity, such anonymous downloaders tend to be expensive. However, they guaranteed complete anonymity. It is not strange to find an Instagram story viewer that also has a downloader option. Here is Cookape.
Final Thoughts
This marks the end of our comprehensive guide to anonymous Instagram story viewing. We have presented you with four easy-to-use tricks that can guarantee your discreteness while at the same time allowing you to enjoy entertaining stories. Regardless of the method you use, be sure to respect the privacy of other users. Good luck with Instagram story snooping!
