We get it – the temptation of seeing a green-circled story can be too much, and you just need to scratch the itch of knowing what’s posted there. But alas, you’re out of luck; they didn’t add you as a close friend, so the road for you is blocked.
Or is it?
In this article, we’ll go through the most popular ways of seeing someone’s close friends stories without being on the list, including using the anonymous story viewer. Read on!
How Does It Even Work?
Instagram’s Close Friends feature lets you share stories with just a small circle instead of broadcasting to everyone, which is perfect for when you want to post something more personal or exclusive without having to worry about it showing up on every follower’s feed.
- Exclusive access: Only the people you’ve handpicked for your close friends list can see these stories. If you’re not on the list, you won’t even know they exist – no FOMO, promise.
- Green circle: Close friends stories have this little green ring around the profile picture (while regular stories get that pink/orange gradient).
- Privacy control: You’re in charge of the list. No one gets pinged when they’re added or removed, so it’s all low-key.
- No screenshot alerts: Unlike disappearing DMs, Instagram won’t tell anyone if you screenshot a close friends story. Go ahead and save those precious moments!
- No sharing: You can’t repost close friends stories, so what’s shared stays between you and your crew.
How Can You See Close Friends Stories, Regardless?
As promised, below you’ll see the best-showcased ways to see any close friend story, even if you’re not on the list:
Use an Anonymous Story Viewer
Among all the third-party apps out there, anonymous story viewer stands out proudly. This anonymous Instagram close friends story viewer doesn’t require you to install anything (which is super convenient in itself), works on both Android and iPhone and has a simple yet refined dashboard that keeps all the information for you to see. Plus, with anonymous story viewer, you can:
- View without getting caught: The best thing about this Instagram close friends story viewer is that you can watch stories, reels, and posts without the account owner having a clue.
- Catch stories whenever: You can watch stories as they get posted, and if you find something worth keeping, you can save it for up to 3 months. So, no worries about missing anything you might want to look back on.
- Track everything: Anonymous Story Viewer isn’t just for stories – it tracks likes, comments, views, and posts and even saves deleted content.
- Monitor multiple accounts: If you’ve got a few accounts you’re curious about, you can easily track them all under one subscription.
Create a New Instagram Account
If you prefer to do everything yourself, you can create a fake IG account. This will let you get close and personal with the profile whose stories you want to see. Just know that it takes time and effort since you’ll need to wait for follow requests to be accepted, and there’s no guarantee that you’ll be added as a close friend. Still, if you’re dead set on your goal, here’s how you can do it:
- Make a new email: Create an email with no ties to your other social accounts – this way, Instagram won’t start suggesting your new account to people you already know.
- Sign up for Instagram: Use that fresh email to sign up for a new Instagram account. When you set it up, use a fake name and details that won’t trace back to you.
- Use a VPN or mobile data: To keep it low-key, either pop on a VPN or just use your phone’s mobile data. This way, Instagram won’t connect the dots between this new account and your main one based on your IP or location.
- Send a follow request: If their account is private, go ahead and send a follow request. Once they accept, you’re in! You can see all their stories.
- Watch their stories: Once you’re in, go ahead and start watching their stories. If they’ve added you to their close friends, you’ll get to peek at those extra special posts, too!
Borrow a Friend’s Account
If you know someone who’s already on their close friends list, just hit them up and ask them to peek at the stories for you. It’s way easier; no risk of getting flagged, and you won’t have to deal with setting up a new account or messing with a VPN. Simple as that! You’re just counting on your friend being cool enough to help. Just keep in mind that it’s less anonymous – there’s a chance the person might figure out a friend is watching their stories – and yet here’s how you can go about it:
- Find a friend on the list: Write to a friend who’s already on their close friends list. Make sure it’s someone you can trust and who’s willing to help out.
- Ask them to check the stories: Ask your friend to log into their account and peek at the close friends stories for you.
Try the Half-Swipe Trick
If you don’t need everything about their story (just a peek, really), you can try the half-swipe trick. It works for regular stories, but you won’t be able to see videos or hear audio, and it’s not great for text-heavy or longer posts:
- Find the story before the one you want to check: Open up Instagram and locate the story just before the one you’re interested in.
- Do the half-swipe: Hold your finger on the screen and swipe right, but don’t lift your finger. You’ll get a preview of the next story without it fully loading.
- Don’t go all the way: Make sure you don’t swipe too far or lift your finger, or the story will open, and it’ll count as a view.
- Swipe back: Before you let go of your finger, swipe left to go back to the previous story.
Verdict
If you’re dying to see someone’s close friends story and are not on the list, there are a few ways to sneak a peek. An anonymous story viewer is honestly the best option if you want to be low-key about it. With this tool, you can check out their stories, save them for later, and even track their posts – all without them knowing you’re watching. It’s pretty much a one-stop shop for keeping your curiosity under wraps.
Of course, you could always go the extra mile and create a fake IG account, beg a friend to check it for you, or try the half-swipe trick, but those are more hassle than they’re worth. The fake account route takes forever, and there’s no guarantee they’ll add you to their close friends list, and the half-swipe? It’s basically a tease. So, if you’re looking for the smoothest, easiest way to do it without getting caught, anonymous story viewer is your move.
