Ever wondered which is the most liked picture on Instagram?
If so, you're not alone. In the same way we enjoy looking at the most exclusive designer couture or multi-million-pound supercars, it's natural to look on in amazement at the most liked photos on Instagram.
Whether you're interested in the numbers involved or you just love to see the incredible things Instagram superstars get up to, we've put together a list of the 20 most liked pictures on Instagram to satisfy your curiosity.
Along the way, we'll even take a look at why these pictures have done so well – and what lessons you can learn if you're looking to up your engagement rate.
20. Kylie Jenner
Are you surprised that social media legend Kylie Jenner only made no.20 on this list of the most-liked Instagram photos?
Well, don't be – because we've got plenty more of Kylie to come.
Kylie Jenner dedicated one of her most popular Instagram posts to her then-boyfriend Travis Scott – a series of photos of the pair together and some family shots with their daughter Stormi.
It's fair to say that Travis and Kylie have had their ups and downs – with engagements, break-ups, and matching tattoos along the way – but one thing's for sure; millions of us love seeing how it all plays out on Instagram.
19. Tom Holland
The Avengers movies were a runaway success; smashing box office records with their enormous budgets and jaw-dropping special effects.
As such, it's probably no surprise to find a couple of the franchises' most loved superheroes creating some iconic images on our list of the best Instagram photos. Spiderman/Tom Holland's most-liked Instagram pic is him and Robert Downey Jr (aka Iron Man) hanging out on a sunny California day.
Compared to the highly produced photos by some others on this list, this is an Instagram image that doesn't need perfect lighting or a fantastic backdrop – reach the Hollywood A-list and star in some of the highest-grossing movies of all time, and even the most humble shots can score over 13 million likes.
18. Justin Bieber
Justin Bieber's most-likedd Instagram pic is a moving outpouring of emotion that announced his engagement to the then-Hailey Baldwin.
The couple had been keeping their engagement secret – but as Bieber notes in his post, word travels fast – so the Canadian singer-songwriter apparently decided to pen a heartfelt post to accompany a couple of backstage photos to let their fans know the news.
As well as a public announcement of their love, Justin also reiterates his spiritual and religious belief in the post too – thanking God and commenting on the numerological significance of their commitment coming on the 7th day of the 7th month.
17. Kylie Jenner
Even the real Iron Man posing with an Iron Man toy can't compete with the number of likes Kylie Jenner gets when she poses with Travis Scott dressed up as Iron Man!
Kylie's second entry on this list of the best Instagram posts is a family shot taken the day after the Avengers Endgame release.
The Jenner/Scott family are in Avengers costumes to celebrate the movie franchise coming to an end – and 13.6 million people showed their love by hitting that like button.
There's no doubt about it, we love seeing the world's richest and most famous people living out their daydream lives – and they don't get much more exciting than Kylie Jenner's.
16. Billie Eilish
There aren't many people who'll ever bag 5 Grammy awards in one evening – so Billie Eilish's first entry at no.16 on this list of the most popular Instagram photos is well deserved.
Eilish won the awards at the 2020 Grammys, where she picked up gramophone trophies for Record of the Year and Song of the Year for Bad Guy, along with Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Album for When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? She also won the award for Best New Artist too.
At just 18 years old, Eilish became the youngest person to win the Album of the Year prize, knocking Taylor Swift from the top spot – and nearly 14 million people showed their approval on Instagram.
15. Kylie Jenner
There's no doubt about it, Kylie Jenner's videos of her daughter snowboarding are off-the-chart when it comes to cute – and millions of Instagram users agree.
Taken in winter 2019, the two videos of Stormi Webster became some of the all-time top liked Instagram photos unbelievably quickly – and if there were an award for the coolest looking snowboarder of all-time, Stormi would have that in the bag too.
Again, not many couples get to hit the slopes with their tiny infant daughter – so for most of us, we just get to look on in amazement at the remarkable life of the Jenner/Scott family.
14. Kobe Bryant
On the 26th January 2020, the world of sport was shaken by the loss of an all-time great.
Kobe Bryant was a legend – the kind of basketball talent that the sport will only see once or twice in a generation. His life was tragically cut short when the helicopter he was travelling in came down in the Calabasas region of California, a short distance from his home.
Kobe's daughter Gigi and 8 others died in the accident – but the love for all involved lives on in what has become Bryant's most-liked Instagram picture. The post itself is a message of congratulations to LeBron James – acknowledging his friend's no.2 ranking on ESPN's greatest players of all-time list.
13. Kylie Jenner
It's not Kylie Jenner's most-liked Instagram pic – but it's definitely her most revealing.
No.13 on our list is a sneak-peek at the Wild in Love: Kylie by Travis Playboy photoshoot – and unless you count a cowboy hat, Kylie's completely naked, pulled in close to her boyfriend, Travis Scott.
The first photo on our list to break through the 14 million likes barrier, they don't get much more revealing than this – but this was no ordinary Playboy shoot; the whole set was carefully created and curated by Scott, who also interviewed Jenner in the accompanying article – which was all about pleasure.
When asked what the word pleasure means to her, Jenner replied:
"I get pleasure in doing things that people say I can't do."
It's probably fair to say that few people would have thought Jenner could dominate Instagram as she does – so she'll certainly take plenty of pleasure from owning 7 out of the 20 entries on this most liked Instagram photo list.
12. Cristiano Ronaldo
From modelling shots to on-field action, there's a never-ending supply of photos of Cristiano Ronaldo – so what makes this one special enough to rack up 14.3 million likes?
Well, Cristiano Ronaldo's most-liked Instagram pic is about as personal and unfiltered as they get – in fact, the photographer's managed to get awkward shadows across Cristiano and his son – and Georgina Rodriguez isn't even looking at the camera.
The thing is, none of this matters – in fact, it gives us the impression we're getting a real and candid glimpse at the Portuguese superstar's life. Sometimes, it's good to ditch the filters and just be real.
11. Selena Gomez
Posing in a gondola in an Italian waterway, Selena Gomez makes her first entry on this list – but as beautiful as the shot is, it's not her most-liked photo on Instagram.
In the summer of 2019, Gomez took a vacation to Italy – and although she hasn't given the exact location of this shot, the walls behind her look a lot like those on the banks of the Tiber as the mythical river snakes its way through the Italian capital.
The Tiber passes some of Rome's most beautiful landmarks – but even the most beautiful ancient Roman take second stage to Gomez – and nearly 14.5 million of her followers seem to think so too.
10. Selena Gomez
There are only a few thousand likes to separate it from no.11 – but Selena Gomez'smost-likedd Instagram pic is more playful than her gondola shot – snapped as she relaxes on the beach with 3 of her friends.
Although roughly 14.5 million of her followers might not agree, this was a rare occasion when the limelight wasn't on Selena directly – but instead on her best friend, who was soon to be married.
No filters, no professional makeup artists, and apparently no professional photographers – these pictures are further proof that Instagram audiences like to take a peek behind the curtain, getting a feel for the real people underneath all that Hollywood glitz and glamour.
9. The Rock
The Rock's most-liked Instagram pic is likely to be from one of his most liked days – his wedding to his wife, Lauren Hashian.
Although their wedding was in 2019, the couple have been together for a long time and have two children together – Jasmine Lia and Tiana Gia.
Dwayne Johnson and Lauren met in 2007 when the actor was filming The Game Plan – and in the past, The Rock's often talked about how the public only sees his on-screen successes, rather than the family life that supports that success behind the scenes.
With this in mind, it's understandable why the couple wanted to share their big day with the world – even though the actual ceremony was a small and intimate event held with just close friends and family in Hawaii.
8. Kylie Jenner
Even if you're not a Kylie Jenner fan, it's difficult not to melt a little bit when you see her adorable daughter Stormi's smiling face surrounded by bubbles.
It appears Stormi was around 2 years old when this photo was taken – and in the handful of weeks it's been online, it's managed to collect over 15.1 million likes from Jenner's 180 million followers.
Earlier this year, an @stormi account popped up on Instagram – and although it's not followed by Kylie, the rest of the Jenner and Kardashian family follow the private account, so it's fair to assume it's probably legit – putting the 2-year-old on a promising path to millions of followers and a fortune that could even out-do her Mum's.
7. LeBron James
As well as being two of the greatest players on the court, LeBron James and Kobe Bryant were also best friends off it – which makes James' post about Bryant's death incredibly moving and poignant.
Sharing some of the pair's photos together, LeBron seemingly typed through the tears to share some words and thoughts about the tragic passing of Bryant and his daughter Gigi – sharing with the world the last time the two basketball legends spoke.
Despite the obvious pain, James' fighting spirit has the final word – promising to continue Bryant's legacy and asked him to grant him strength from above. 15.5-million of Lebron's followers liked the post – and it's fair to assume plenty of them shared his tears.
6. Tentree
The Tentree brand might not be a household name for most of us – but plenty of people know about the post that promised to plant trees in Indonesia in exchange of likes.
That's exactly what eco clothing brand Tentree did – and they're still fulfilling that promise over a year after the initial post when up.
Since then, the account's hit 15.6 million likes – which means the team have helped to plant over 500,000 trees – with 1 million on the horizon. Ultimately, the brand hopes to plant far more – with 'padlocked' goals that will be revealed as 50 million and 100 million likes are surpassed. Unfortunately, it's easy to ignore environmental messages – but when it's as simple as just hitting like, there's no excuse for not doing your bit.
5. Kylie Jenner
Tired of the Kylie show yet?!
Well, hold tight – because we've not even reached Kylie Jenner's most-liked Instagram picture!
In second place, the world's youngest billionaire pays tribute to Travis Scott on his birthday – sharing 10 pictures and videos of Scott and Stormi, the couple's little girl.
From rolling around together on the floor of their little girl's bedroom to red carpet pictures and snaps from European holidays, the post's like taking a quick look through Kylie's iPhone pictures at the family's most treasured shots. The media might constantly be speculating about whether the couple are together – but from the Instagram point of view – they seem rock solid.
4. Jennifer Aniston
On May 6th 2004, the world said goodbye to Friends; one of the most popular and successful sitcoms ever to be shown on our screens.
Back then, there were tears, demands for the show to return, and endless speculation about if or when it might. 16 years later, Jennifer Aniston apparently appeared from nowhere to publish her very first post on Instagram – and it sent Friends fans crazy.
Jennifer Aniston's most-liked Instagram pic is a shot of the full Friends cast back together – and it was an immediate hit. Since October 2019, the post's amassed 16.1 million likes – and it turns out there was some Friends action planned.
Fans of the show will have to be patient though – as the Covid-19 pandemic has put any plans on ice indefinitely – but Friends could be reunited soon.
3. Kylie Jenner
This is it! She's taken up 35% of this list – but now we reach Kylie Jenner's most-liked post on Instagram.
The world's favourite Kylie post isn't actually of Kylie at all – it's of Stormi Webster, her daughter with Travis Scott – real name, Jacques Webster.
In the picture, a sleeping Stormi holds Kylie's thumb and perfectly manicured and painted nail – proof that there's never a moment in the Jenner life when beauty slips.
The picture's been liked over 18.6 million times – and it held the top spot until being pushed into second then third place in January 2019. Stormi's shaping up to be a natural on social media – and as part of one of the most photographed families in the world, she's likely to be a natural behind the camera before she can even hold a phone.
2. XXXTentacion
It's fair to say that XXXTentacion – real name Jahseh Dwayne Ricardo Onfroy - had a short and incredible turbulent life – but it's because of this troubled and controversial he won such a huge, dedicated following.
At just 20 years old, Onfoy was shot and killed in a robbery not far from his home in Florida. XXXTentacion's most-liked Instagram picture was the only image he ever shared on the platform – it's entitled 'LOVE IS WAR'.
Over 20 million people have liked the photo, and it's perhaps proof that Onfoy's musical legacy will live on. His unique style blended rap, hip-hop, and heavy guitar-backed instrumentals – and Rolling Stone magazine has suggested that his unique sound and discussion of mental health issues are an important voice for the next generation of teenagers exploring music.
1. The Instagram Egg
So, what is the most liked photo on Instagram?
The egg. Instagram's all-time most liked, and arguably most famous picture.
Created solely to knock Kylie Jenner off the top spot, the egg's account gained amazing traction in a shared effort to create a new world record.
In fact, the egg doesn't just top our list; it smashes the opposition – with 54.5 million likes – many of them amassed just days after it appeared on Instagram.
The idea behind the egg came from an advertising executive called Chris Godfrey – and was later revealed to be part of a larger campaign by Hulu, designed to raise awareness of mental health issues. A caption from a later animated clip read, "Recently I've started to crack, the pressure of social media is getting to me. If you're struggling too, talk to someone."
Social media is a weird and wonderful place – and we can see from this list that it's packed full of emotional, amazing, and often difficult moments. Perhaps we would all benefit from remembering what the egg says.
How to see liked posts on Instagram
How many of these posts have you liked?
Can't remember?
Don't worry – it's easy to track back over your likes.
Sign in to Instagram, then tap the profile icon in the menu.
From there, you should click on the 'hamburger' menu button and choose 'settings'. Pick your account from the list – then tap on 'posts you've liked'. From there, you'll be able to scroll back through everything you've liked.
Which Instagram posts do best?
If we can learn something from this list, it's really that there are two clear routes to success on social media.
The first one is simple – you just have to be Kylie Jenner.
If that's not possible, then it's perhaps important to remember that you really must be yourself. Only a very small number of these celebrity and high-profile accounts are in this list of who has the most likes on Instagram because they're beautifully composed images – but the majority rely on something different.
Most of these pictures are on this list because they help us connect with the real person behind the glossy photoshoots. Perhaps we connect with them because they've got no makeup on and they're just having fun on the beach – or maybe it's because we can connect with the emotion they're expressing.
If you're hoping to make social media your business, this is an important lesson. Sometimes, it's a good idea to drop the filters, step away from the perfect selfies, and just remember that your audience connects with you because they can relate to you. This is the superpower that brands rely on when they run influencer campaigns – so it's vitally important that you come across as being a real person if you want to succeed.