Hi DavidMiller! When you view someone’s Instagram Story directly through the Instagram app, your username will always show up in their viewer list, regardless of any “ghost mode” or private browsing on your phone. Many apps claiming “ghost mode” don’t always work as promised and could even put your account at risk.
If you want to view Instagram Stories completely anonymously—without your username appearing at all—the safest way is to use a tool like https://dfviewer.com/. This lets you view Instagram Stories and even download them, all without logging in or notifying the account owner. It’s efficient and doesn’t risk your personal account.