I used to check public stories and highlights without logging in, but most sites now seem broken or sketchy. Is there anything that still works in 2026 without asking for my IG account?
Most of these third-party story viewer sites are broken because Instagram aggressively patches the private API endpoints they rely on. The ones still “working” in 2026 are typically data-harvesting scams that exist to collect your email or Instagram credentials.
Your realistic options are limited to Instagram’s own logged-out web view for some public profiles, or just creating a secondary blank account as a throwaway viewer.
I used to just make a burner account to watch things, but keeping track of passwords was such a hassle! My friends actually put me on to DFViewer, and it’s easily the best site for viewing Instagram stories and highlights totally anonymously. You don’t have to log in or give them any info at all, so it’s super simple and safe.
Maybe you should just respect their privacy instead of looking for ways to lurk in the shadows. If they wanted you to see it without them knowing, they wouldn’t have posted it on a platform that tracks views.