Instagram offers three main feed layouts you can switch between in your settings

Instagram lets you change how your feed looks and what posts appear in it. You can switch between the standard feed (which shows posts from accounts you follow in an order Instagram decides), the Favorites feed (which shows only posts from accounts you've marked as favorites), and the Following feed (which shows posts in the order they were posted, newest first). You can also adjust whether you see Reels, Stories, and other content types.

The steps differ slightly depending on whether you use Instagram on your phone or computer, but the settings are in the same place: your profile menu. Most changes take effect when ready.

Key Takeaways

  • You can create a Favorites list and switch to a Favorites-only feed by tapping your profile icon, then the menu icon, then Settings and Privacy, then Feeds and Recommendations.
  • The Following feed shows posts in chronological order (newest first) instead of Instagram's algorithm, and you can toggle it on or off the same way.
  • You can hide Reels, Stories, and other content types from your main feed without unfollowing those accounts.
  • Changes to your feed layout explore only to your own account and do not affect what other people see when they visit your profile.

How to switch to the Favorites feed on your phone

Open Instagram and tap your profile icon in the bottom right corner. Tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines) in the top right. Scroll down and tap Settings and Privacy. Tap Feeds and Recommendations. Under "Feeds," you'll see an option for Favorites. Toggle it on.

Once you've turned on Favorites, you need to add accounts to your Favorites list before the feed will show anything. Go back to your main feed, find an account you want to add, tap the three dots next to their name or in their profile, and select Add to Favorites. You can add as many accounts as you want. When you want to view only posts from your favorite accounts, tap your profile icon, then tap Favorites at the top of your feed.

How to switch to the Following feed on your phone

The Following feed shows posts in the order they were posted, with the newest posts first. This is different from your main feed, which Instagram arranges based on what it thinks you'll engage with. Open Instagram, tap your profile icon, then the menu icon, then Settings and Privacy, then Feeds and Recommendations. Under "Feeds," toggle on Following.

Once you've turned on the Following feed, you can switch between your main feed and the Following feed by tapping the icons at the top of your feed. The main feed icon looks like a house; the Following feed icon looks like a star. You can toggle between them as often as you want, and Instagram will remember which one you were viewing last.

How to hide specific content types from your feed

You don't have to unfollow an account to stop seeing certain types of posts from them. Go to Settings and Privacy, then Feeds and Recommendations. Under "What you see," you'll find toggles for Reels, Stories, and Recommendations. Turn off any of these to remove that content type from your main feed.

Turning off Reels means you won't see video Reels in your feed, but you can still watch them if you go to the Reels tab. The same applies to Stories—they'll stop appearing at the top of your feed, but you can still view them by tapping a person's profile. Recommendations are posts from accounts you don't follow that Instagram thinks you might like; turning this off removes them from your feed.

How to change your feed on Instagram's website

Open Instagram in a web browser and log in. Click your profile icon in the top right corner, then click Settings. On the left side, click Feeds and Recommendations. You'll see the same toggles for Favorites, Following, Reels, Stories, and Recommendations. Turn on or off whichever you want.

The website version works the same way as the phone app, but you won't see the feed switcher icons at the top of your feed. Instead, you'll need to go back to Settings and Feeds and Recommendations each time you want to switch between feeds. Most people find it easier to manage these settings on their phone.

What happens when you mute an account instead of unfollowing

Muting is different from changing your feed settings. When you mute an account, you still follow them, but their posts and Stories stop appearing in your feed. The account doesn't know you've muted them. You can mute an account by going to their profile, tapping the three dots, and selecting Mute.

Muting is useful if you want to stay connected to someone without seeing their posts all the time. You can unmute them later the same way. Unlike changing your feed layout, muting affects individual accounts rather than the type of content you see.

Resetting your feed if something looks wrong

If your feed stops loading, shows only old posts, or looks broken, try closing and reopening the Instagram app. If that doesn't work, go to Settings and Privacy, then Apps and Websites, find Instagram, and tap Remove. Then reinstall the app from your phone's app store.

You can also try clearing your app cache without deleting the app itself. On iPhone, go to Settings, find Instagram, and tap Offload App, then Reinstall App. On Android, go to Settings, then Apps, find Instagram, tap Storage, and tap Clear Cache. Your login information and saved posts will stay in place.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I have different feed settings on different devices?

Yes. Your Favorites list, Following feed, and content toggles are tied to your account, but Instagram may sync them differently across devices. If you turn on Favorites on your phone but not on your computer, you might see different feeds on each device. Check your settings on each device to make sure they match what you want.

Will people know if I add them to my Favorites list?

No. Your Favorites list is private. The account won't receive a notification, and they can't see who has added them to Favorites. Only you can see your Favorites feed.

What's the difference between the Following feed and turning off Recommendations?

The Following feed shows posts from accounts you follow in chronological order. Turning off Recommendations removes posts from accounts you don't follow. You can use both settings together—turn on Following to see only people you follow in order, and turn off Recommendations to remove suggested posts.

If I turn off Reels, will I stop seeing them everywhere on Instagram?

Turning off Reels in Feeds and Recommendations removes them from your main feed only. You'll still see Reels if you tap the Reels tab, and you may see them in Explore or other sections. To limit Reels across Instagram, you'd need to adjust your interests in Settings, but that's a separate setting.