Facebook introduced the ability to hide likes and comments on posts in 2019 as part of an effort to reduce pressure and competition on the platform. This allows users to focus on sharing meaningful posts without worrying about how many reactions they will get. The feature was first rolled out for Facebook pages but has since expanded to user profiles.
Why Hide Likes and Comments?
There are a few reasons why someone may want to hide likes and comments on their Facebook cover photo:
- Reduce social pressure and comparison – Seeing a low number of likes or comments can make some users feel self-conscious and unsuccessful. Hiding this metric prevents them from fixating on vanity metrics.
- Avoid bandwagon bias – High numbers of likes and comments can skew how content is perceived, creating a bandwagon effect. This may prevent posts from being evaluated objectively on their own merit.
- Improve authenticity – Hidden likes remove the performative aspect associated with posting to impress others or gain validation. The focus becomes sharing meaningful content.
- Discourage competition – For some users, likes and comments have become a social competition and source of anxiety. Removing counts helps refocus the experience on connection.
Overall, the goal is to make Facebook feel less performative and more personal by shifting the focus back to meaningful interactions with close connections.
How to Hide Likes and Comments on Cover Photo
Hiding like and comment counts on your Facebook cover photo is a simple process, though it is currently only available on mobile:
- Open the Facebook app on your mobile device and tap on your profile picture to access your profile
- Tap on your cover photo to open it
- Tap on the three dots icon in the top right corner to access settings
- Tap on “Hide Like Count” and confirm when prompted
- This will remove the number of likes and comments from your cover photo for all viewers
Once you hide the like and comment counts, the settings icon on your cover photo will change to a shields icon. Tap this anytime to toggle the counts back on if you change your mind later.
Other Ways to Hide Like and Comment Counts
In addition to your cover photo, you can choose to hide like and comment counts on these parts of your Facebook profile:
- Individual posts – Toggle the option before sharing a post
- Album photos – Choose to hide metrics for specific albums
- Profile views – Remove the number of profile visits
- Reactions to your posts – This hides what types of reactions you’re getting
These controls give you granular control over what engagement is visible to you and your audience. Use them to customize your preferred Facebook experience.
Impact on Visibility
Hiding like and comment counts does not directly impact the visibility of your cover photo and other posts. They will appear in feeds the same. However, there are a few potential effects to be aware of:
- Less bandwagon bias – High engagement can skew perceptions and cause more people to interact with a post. Without visible counts, your content may get less of an artificial visibility boost.
- Reduced engagement incentives – Some people may be less inclined to comment without seeing how many others already have. But you may also receive more authentic, meaningful engagement.
- Algorithm unknowns – How Facebook’s algorithm calculates reach and relevance for posts without engagement counts displayed is unclear.
So while your content won’t be outright hidden, the impact on visibility is an open question. The effects likely depend on your audience and goals with sharing content.
Pros of Hiding Like and Comment Counts
Some potential benefits of hiding like and comment counts include:
- Less focus on vanity metrics for validation
- Feeling free to post for yourself without pressure for engagement
- Less targeted harassment in comments when criticism is anonymous
- Reduce competitive attitudes with friends and family on social media
- Improve mental health by reducing social comparison and anxiety
For many users, the pros of a less performative, metrics-focused experience outweigh concerns about visibility and engagement. The quality of connections with close ties improves.
Cons of Hiding Like and Comment Counts
Some potential drawbacks of hiding like and comment counts include:
- Less visibility for artists, businesses, creators due to loss of bandwagon effect
- Reduced comments and engagement from loss of visibility cues
- Less insight into what types of content resonates with your audience
- Altering Facebook’s intended social experience around engagement
- Less dopamine hit of satisfaction from high engagement counts
For public figures and organizations focused on reaching broad audiences, the cons may outweigh the pros. Having likes, comments and shares publicly displayed can fuel content promotion.
Troubleshooting Hidden Like and Comment Counts
Here are some troubleshooting tips if you run into issues after hiding like and comment counts:
- Double check settings – Tap the shields icon on your cover photo while on mobile to confirm settings are enabled. The icon will be blue when active.
- Clear cache – Close and reopen the Facebook app to refresh the cache so settings take effect.
- Check different views – Try viewing your profile logged out or from a friend’s account to verify counts are hidden.
- Reapply settings – Toggle the “Hide Like Count” option off and on again to reapply if counts reappear.
- Report issues – Use the Feedback tool in Facebook’s Help Center to report any bugs.
Settings can sometimes fail to update properly. Following troubleshooting steps like these can help resolve problems hiding like and comment counts.
Conclusion
Hiding like and comment counts on your cover photo is part of Facebook’s push towards less public social validation. The feature aims to make the platform feel more intimate and personal. There are valid pros and cons around removing these public metrics, depending on individual preferences and goals.
While you may sacrifice some visibility and engagement, for many users, the benefits of a less performative and competitive social experience outweigh these factors. Toggling the settings is simple to do directly from the Facebook mobile app to find your ideal balance.
Focus on the quality of connections over vanity metrics. Share meaningful posts and stories without self-consciousness over engagement counts. Facebook becomes less about chasing validation and more about fostering authentic relationships when freed from public metrics.