Instagram Reels are short video clips that users can create and share on Instagram. When you post a Reel, it is public by default and can be seen by anyone on Instagram. However, there are some options to control the visibility of your Reels.
Reels Are Public by Default
When you create and post a new Reel on Instagram, it is set to public visibility automatically. This means anyone on Instagram can see your Reel, whether they follow you or not. Public Reels can get more exposure and reach a wider audience through hashtag pages and the Explore tab.
Instagram wants Reels to be discoverable. Making them public by default helps get more eyeballs on Reels from random Instagram users. So if you post a Reel without changing any settings, it will be visible to the entire Instagram community.
Options to Limit Reel Visibility
Even though Reels are public by default, Instagram does provide controls to limit their visibility:
- Close Friends List – You can share a Reel with only your Close Friends on Instagram. Go to Reel settings and select ‘Close Friends’ to limit it to just those people.
- Private Account – If your Instagram account is set to private, your Reels will only be visible to your approved followers.
- Direct Sharing – When you finish creating a Reel, you have the option to send it directly to people through Direct instead of posting publicly.
So while Instagram sets Reels to be public when you post them, you do have options like Close Friends and private accounts to put some limits around their visibility.
Ways Others Can See Your Non-Public Reels
If you use the options above to limit the visibility of your Reels, it’s important to know that they can still potentially be seen by people you did not share them with directly. Here are some ways your non-public Reels could be viewed:
- Screen Recordings – Anyone you share a limited visibility Reel with can screen record it and then share it publicly or with others.
- Close Friends Sharing – Even though you limited a Reel to Close Friends, any one of them could share it more broadly.
- Hackers – Your account could get hacked and private content made public by bad actors.
- Law Enforcement – If involved in an investigation, law enforcement agencies can subpoena social media companies for your content.
While these scenarios don’t happen all the time, it illustrates that even with visibility limited, your Reels still have a chance of being seen more widely. So you should keep that in mind when creating Reels with sensitive or private content.
Reels on Business and Creator Accounts
For Instagram business accounts and creator accounts, there is an additional option related to Reels visibility – the toggle for “Hide From Profile.” Creators and businesses have this option when posting Reels:
- Off – The Reel will appear on your public profile grid and Reels tab for anyone to see.
- On – The Reel will NOT be visible on your profile, but can still be seen by others when shared to Explore page or with hashtags.
This gives creators and businesses the ability to exclude a Reel from their public profile feed, while still having it discoverable elsewhere on Instagram through hashtags and shares. For example, you could post some test Reels with this setting turned on.
Reels With Music or Audio
When you add popular music, trending sounds, audio clips, or voiceovers to your Reels, they become even more discoverable. Instagram displays Reels with certain audio in dedicated sections:
- Featured Sounds – Reels using trending or popular sounds recommended by Instagram.
- Audio Pages – Collections of Reels using the same music track or audio clip.
So your Reel has a very good chance of being found on one of these browsing pages if you use mainstream sounds and audio. While you can still limit visibility in settings, adding popular music intrinsically boosts potential discoverability.
Reels With Effects
Instagram provides lots AR effects and creative tools for spicing up your Reels. When you use certain effects in your Reels, they may be highlighted in places like the Effects Explorer for boosted visibility. For example, Reels leveraging a new trending effect or an effect tied to a popular influencer campaign.
Effects can help Reels get discovered more easily. So while you have some controls over visibility and privacy, built-in effects raise the chances of your Reel getting viewed more widely.
Reels in Stories
You can also share Reels to your Instagram Stories. When posted in Stories, Reels follow the same visibility rules as regular Story content:
- Public Account – Visible to all followers and anyone else who can view your Profile.
- Private Account – Only visible to your approved followers.
However, anyone who can view your Story Reel can choose to share it with others via DM. So posting a Reel to an Instagram Story makes it easy for viewers to pass along widely.
Can You Delete or Hide Reels?
If after publishing a Reel you change your mind and no longer want it visible publicly, there are options to remove or limit visibility:
- Delete Reel – You can delete a Reel entirely from your profile and Reels tab. However, if it was already shared at all, it could still exist on other user accounts or in hashtag feeds.
- Archive Reel – Instead of deleting, you can archive a Reel so it’s no longer visible on your profile, but still live on hashtag pages where it was shared.
- Limit Visibility – Change the visibility to Close Friends either initially or even after it’s been posted publicly.
While deleting or archiving are options, you have to keep in mind that once content is on Instagram, it can continue being circulated by others even if you remove it.
Reels and Privacy
Instagram Reels are designed for public, social sharing and meant to be discovered widely. So you should avoid oversharing private or sensitive information. Here are some tips for keeping Reels fun and engaging while also being mindful of privacy:
- Avoid showing identifiers like license plates, street signs, workplace, etc.
- Blur out any bystander’s faces who did not consent to be in it.
- Carefully choose music and audio that’s clearly licensed for reuse.
- Consider using Instagram Close Friends instead of posting outright public.
- Remain positive and avoid illegal dangerous or abusive content.
With creativity and common sense, you can produce Reels that grab attention while also protecting personal and professional boundaries.
The Bottom Line
While Instagram Reels are public by default when you post them, creators do have options like Close Friends lists, private accounts, and direct sharing to put some limitations around their visibility. However, once shared on Instagram in any form, Reels can potentially be recorded, downloaded, and re-shared by others. So it’s a good idea to keep privacy top of mind when deciding what to include in your Reels, especially those featuring other people. With the proper privacy adjustments and content precautions, you can feel comfortable putting your Reels out there for wide Instagram consumption!