Alizabeth Swain
If you want to know how to get more likes on Instagram, the reliable route is to make posts people want to like, send and watch, and to help the right people find them. This guide gives you a step-by-step plan based on what Instagram itself has said publicly, read on 21 October 2026, and it says plainly which popular shortcuts break the rules.
No guide can promise a number of likes. Instagram has not published a formula, so treat every step below as something to test on your own account and measure. If you want followers rather than likes, see our comparison of free follower offers, which explains the limits and risks plainly.
Quick answer: Instagram’s head, Adam Mosseri, said in January 2025 that the top three ranking signals are watch time, likes and sends. So make content that holds attention, is worth a tap of the heart, and is worth sending to a friend. Use specific hashtags and keywords, reply to comments, and avoid bots and bought likes.
Status: current as of 21 October 2026. Cost: free. Risk: bots, like-for-like swaps and bought likes break Instagram’s rules.
Why likes matter
Social Media Today reported on 22 January 2025 that Mosseri said “the top three signals that matter most for ranking are watch time, likes and sends”. He added that likes are slightly more important for connected content, meaning people who already follow you, and sends are slightly more important for unconnected content. Mosseri advised creators to check likes per reach and sends per reach in their insights.
So likes help, but they are one signal among several. Instagram’s 2023 explanation of how ranking works lists likes, shares, saves and comments as activity it looks at in Feed, along with how popular a post is and how quickly people engage. For the full picture, see our guide to the Instagram algorithm.
9 steps to get more likes
1. Post original content
- Do: share photos, Reels or text posts you made yourself.
- Why: Instagram’s creator tips say reposts, content with noticeable watermarks, and accounts that regularly reshare others’ content are less likely to be recommended.
2. Hook people early
- Do: in a Reel, make the first 3 seconds interesting. In a photo or carousel, lead with the strongest image.
- Why: Instagram’s creator FAQ advises that the first 3 seconds of a Reel be engaging, and Mosseri named watch time as a top signal. Instagram also says Reels recommended to unconnected audiences should be 3 minutes or less.
3. Make it worth sending
- Do: create posts a person would forward to a friend: useful, funny or relatable.
- Why: sends per reach is one of the three signals Mosseri named, and he said sends matter slightly more for reaching people who do not follow you.
4. Use a few specific hashtags and keywords
- Do: use up to five relevant hashtags, and write the words people would search into your caption and bio.
- Why: Instagram says relevant hashtags can help a Reel reach interested people, while irrelevant ones can lower engagement. Instagram announced a five-hashtag limit in December 2025, rolling out gradually. See our guides on what hashtags to use and why hashtags may not be working.
5. Add a location when it fits
- Do: before sharing, tap Add location, type the place and select it from the suggestions. You can also add it later through Options, then Edit.
- Why: Instagram’s help page says people who tap the location can see other content tagged at the same place. Instagram’s 2023 ranking article lists a location tag among the post details used in Feed. No official figure says how much it adds.
6. Reply to comments early
- Do: like or reply to comments on your Reels in the first 7 days, with real replies rather than a generic emoji.
- Why: Instagram’s creator FAQ suggests this to generate engagement.
7. Collaborate with other creators
- Do: use Collabs to share one post to both audiences.
- Why: Instagram’s creator tips say Collabs posts can be recommended in the Reels tab, Explore and Feed.
8. Post consistently
- Do: pick a pace you can keep. Our guide on how often to post covers it.
- Why: Instagram’s FAQ says creators with the greatest net follower growth post, on average, 10 or more Reels per month. That is an observed average, not a requirement, and it measures followers rather than likes.
9. Test and read your Insights
- Do: compare likes per reach across several posts, and split reach between followers and non-followers. If you have a professional account, Trial Reels let you test a Reel with non-followers first. Instagram announced them on 10 December 2024, and says metrics appear about 24 hours after sharing.
- Why: one weak post proves little. Patterns across posts show what your audience likes.
Quick checklist before you post
- Is it original and not watermarked from another app?
- Is the first image or first 3 seconds strong?
- Would someone send this to a friend?
- Are there five or fewer relevant hashtags and clear keywords in the caption? See our caption guide.
- Is a location added if it is relevant?
- Are you free to reply to comments in the first few days?
What it costs
All nine steps are free. Scheduling and analytics apps can save time, and our roundup of Instagram tools compares them, but none is needed to apply this plan.
Safety and risks
- Bots and automation. Tools that like, follow or comment for you break Instagram’s rules. In November 2018 Instagram said that third-party apps used to grow an audience violate its Community Guidelines and that accounts that keep using them “may see their Instagram experience impacted”. Some also ask for your password, which you should never share. See our overview of Instagram automation for the risks.
- Bought or swapped likes. Meta’s spam standard prohibits attempting to or successfully selling, buying or exchanging for engagement, such as likes, shares and views. Likes from fake accounts also do not come from real people who might buy or follow.
- Giveaways. Contests that ask people to like or comment to enter are common, but they are governed by Instagram’s promotion rules. We could not open Instagram’s own promotion guidelines page this session, so read them before running one, and do not copy rules from third-party blogs.
- Account Status. If likes and reach suddenly drop, check Profile, then Menu, then Settings, then Account, then Account Status. Social Media Today reported in December 2022 that it shows whether your content can be recommended to people who do not follow you.
What works and what does not
| Works, within the rules | Does not work or is risky |
|---|---|
| Original posts with a strong hook | Bots that mass-like and comment |
| Relevant hashtags and keywords | Long blocks of unrelated tags |
| Replying to comments | Buying or swapping likes |
| Collabs with other creators | Resharing others’ content with watermarks |
| Testing and reading Insights | Expecting one trick to guarantee likes |
Which steps suit which account
- New accounts: focus on originality, a clear niche and keywords. Our guide on building an Instagram following goes further.
- Businesses: add location tags and clear keywords so local people can find you, and use Collabs with partners.
- Creators with a professional account: use Insights and Trial Reels to test what lands before showing it to followers.
- Accounts whose likes dropped: start with Account Status, then review your recent content.
Related guides
Likes are only one goal. Our guide to increasing engagement covers comments and saves, and the Instagram tips section collects more.
FAQ
How can I get more likes on Instagram fast?
There is no safe instant method. The quickest rule-following gains usually come from a stronger hook, relevant keywords and hashtags, and replying to comments. Bought likes break Meta’s spam standard.
Do hashtags get more likes?
Instagram says relevant hashtags can help reach, and irrelevant ones can hurt. We found no official figure for how many likes a hashtag adds. The current limit is five per caption, rolling out gradually.
Does Instagram still use likes to rank posts?
Yes. In January 2025 Mosseri named watch time, likes and sends as the top three ranking signals.
Does tagging a location get more likes?
It makes your post visible under that place, and Instagram lists a location tag among the post details used in Feed ranking. We could not find an official number for the effect.
Are like-for-like groups allowed?
Meta’s spam standard bans exchanging for engagement such as likes, so we advise against them.
Why did my likes drop?
Reach varies by post. Compare several posts, check Account Status, and review whether you changed content, hashtags or posting habits.
Rules change often. If something here is out of date, tell us on the contact page, as described in our editorial policy.