As one of the biggest social media platforms, Instagram balances itself between privacy and visibility. It gives user the option to control who sees their profile, therefore, offering various privacy options for their page. But if you ever get curious about an old friend’s locked profile and just wish to see what they’re up to, you may wonder how to see Instagram photos that are private. Let’s show you some of the workarounds below!

- How to See Instagram Photos that are Private
- Method 1: Ask a Mutual
- Method 2: Create a Fake ID
- Method 3: Find Other Social
- Method 4: Use Google Search
- Method 5: Third-Party Apps
How to See Instagram Photos that are Private
Unfortunately, there is no direct way to access a private account since Instagram’s privacy settings are designed to protect users’ content.
Method 1: Ask a Mutual
If the user you’re trying to check up on has common friends, then the safest way to see their profile is by asking for someone’s help. You can access the mutual’s account and look at their private Instagram account without following or ask them to send screenshots of their content.
Method 2: Create a Fake ID
Instead of looking for shortcuts, the best approach is to follow the account. But if you cannot do that with your own profile, then you can create a fake one to follow and check out their posts.
Method 3: Find Other Social
If a user is on Instagram , then it’s likely they might be on other social media sites like Facebook, LinkedIn, or Twitter. This way, you can find and go through their other profiles to get an idea of their recent activity.
Method 4: Use Google Search
Users can also make view private Instagram photos, videos, and profile by using Google. For this, you can go to Google Search and enter the full name. You can find many related pages and tagged photos available in public view from other pages.
Method 5: Third-Party Apps
Several third-party apps offer users the option to view a private account. However, since the privacy policies of Instagram are pretty strict, it is inconceivable for them to jailbreak accounts. Therefore, it is advised to move with caution.