Can You See Who Shared Your Instagram Post?
A straightforward answer to whether Instagram tells you who sent your posts or reels to others via DMs or Stories, and how to control your sharing privacy.
Direct Messages are completely private
When someone taps the paper airplane icon to send your post or reel to a friend in a DM, that action is private. Instagram prioritizes user privacy in messaging. You will not receive a notification, and there is no hidden list you can check.
Sharing to Stories is different
If someone shares your public post to their own Instagram Story, you might receive a notification. However, this only happens if their account is public or if you follow their private account, and it depends on whether they explicitly tag you in that Story.
Understanding "Share" counts in Insights
If you have switched your profile to a Professional or Creator account, you get access to Post Insights. Tapping "View Insights" reveals the total number of times a post was shared. It is important to know that this number includes both in-app DMs and instances where someone tapped "Copy Link" to paste it elsewhere (like WhatsApp or iMessage). It only gives you the raw number, never the identities.
How to stop people from sharing your posts
If you are concerned about your content being forwarded, you have control. Go to your Instagram Settings > 'Sharing and remixes'. Here, you can disable 'Allow post and reel sharing to stories'. To stop DM sharing entirely, your only option is to make your account Private, which limits your audience to approved followers only.
Do not trust third-party tracker apps
You will find many apps claiming they can reveal exactly who shared your posts, who screenshotted your stories, or who viewed your profile. These are scams. Instagram's API strictly prohibits accessing this data. These apps are usually designed to steal your login credentials or spam your account.
Short FAQ
Does Instagram notify you when someone shares your post?
No, you do not get notifications for DM shares or link copies.
Can third-party apps show me who shared my posts?
Absolutely not. Apps that claim to reveal this data are violating Instagram's rules and are likely phishing scams.
Does the share count include people sending my post to themselves?
Yes, if someone DMs your post to their own alternate account, it counts as a share in your Insights.
Start with a public Instagram username
InstaPV works with public content only. Search a public profile to begin.