How to Change Your Feed on Instagram: A Guide

Your Instagram feed is an expression of your interaction with the platform, and having a relevant feed is essential for a satisfying social media experience. Instagram used to show only the posts of the people you follow and leave the suggested posts in the “exploration” tab, but this is no longer the case. With many posts on your feed, you may wonder “How to change your feed on Instagram”. Here’s a detailed review of the matter.

How to Change Your Feed on Instagram: Primary Options

Unlike in the past when you would see posts from the people you follow, your feed now consists of suggested posts, ads, and reels. Considering how much your feed has changed over the years, you may be wondering “How to change your feed on Instagram”. Let’s review the primary options in attempting to do so, and investigate whether it’s possible to have a more personalized feed.

1.    Manage the Algorithm

Much of modern social media usage is overseen by the respective algorithms of social media platforms. These algorithms follow your footsteps on the platform and try to present you with more relevant posts that you can be more interested in. The initial step in seeing more relevant posts on your feed would be understanding how the algorithm works and how you can manage it to your benefit. 

Instagram’s algorithm functions by analyzing your likes, comments, followers, and the time you spend on an individual post. Hence, paying attention to which posts you like and whom you follow will ultimately affect the outcomes of your algorithm. The more attention you pay to your actions on the platform, the more likely it is for the algorithm to show more relevant posts on your feed.

2.    Choose Your Feed View

When you click on the Instagram logo on the top left, you are presented with two options regarding your feed: “Following” and “Favorites”. If you choose favorites, you will only see the posts of the accounts you label as “favorite”.  

You can add up to 50 accounts to the list, including your friends. This way, you will be less likely to miss the posts of your friends and will have a stronger command of the posts of your favorite accounts. There is plenty of effort needed to put in a great feed.

Other Options: What Else Can You Do?

Although learning to manage the algorithm and choosing your feed view are the most prominent options on the matter, there are other things you can do to change your feed. Let’s review those options.

1.    Snooze Suggested Posts

Although this option is presented by Instagram as “temporary”, it’s still a great way to clear your feed of unwanted posts for 30 days. Once you click on the three dots on the corner of a suggested post and choose “not interested”, you will snooze suggested posts for 30 days. 

Despite having to repeat the process after 30 days, this option is still viable if you want a more clear and concise Instagram experience for a month. Not to forget, that enabling this option is fairly easy, and repeating the process every 30 days may not be a big burden if you enjoy your feed in this way.

2.    Clear Your Account

In the end, social media exists to follow people we like and see the posts we are interested in. The most straightforward mode of action would be to simply unfollow the accounts you are no longer interested in. The more accounts you follow, the more crowded and complex your feed is likely to be. 

Instagram even goes further to suggest which accounts you may want to unfollow, as the platform gives you the list of the accounts you interact the least with. Unfollowing some of these accounts may help you in changing your feed.

Fairly Asked Questions (F.A.Q.)

1.    How Long Do I Need to Change My Algorithm?

Although this depends on how frequently you use the app, the Instagram algorithm is a fast learner and will adapt to your input fairly quickly. As you perform certain actions on the platform such as likes and comments, the algorithm will start changing your feed accordingly. Overall, the algorithm needs merely a few days to adjust itself to your inputs.

2.    Why Do I See So Many Ads on My Feed?

This is due to the platform’s policy of making Instagram a hub for marketers, brands, and influencers. Ads exist to help these people in their endeavors and to maintain the integrity of the platform. Moreover, the ads are also linked to your algorithm, and you will start to see more relevant ads in time according to your actions.