You cannot permanently turn off suggested posts everywhere on Instagram with one setting. You can reject individual recommendations, use the Following view, or check whether you can temporarily pause recommendations. First, open the options for a suggested post to see which choices are available. Note: pausing suggested posts does not turn off advertisements.
Below, you will learn which choice fits what you want to see and what you can do if an option is missing.
The difference between suggested posts, advertisements and Reels
First, check what type of post you are seeing. A video from an unfamiliar account is not always an advertisement. And a Reel is a short video, not another word for a recommendation.
| What do you see? | What is it? | What should you look for? |
|---|---|---|
| Suggested post | A recommendation from Instagram, often from an account you do not follow. | View the recommendation options on the post. |
| Advertisement | A post that has been paid for, identifiable by a label such as Sponsored. | The options for advertisements are somewhat different from those for suggested posts. |
| Reel | A short video from a followed account, an unfamiliar account or an advertiser. | Check who the video is from and where you are viewing it. |
| Following | A separate view with posts from accounts you follow. | This is not your usual home screen with posts, also called your feed. |
Do you mainly want to see photos and posts from people you know? Check Following. Instead, do you keep getting cooking videos you are not interested in? Check the options on that recommendation.
Pause suggested posts on Instagram for 30 days
In 2022, Meta described in its explanation of recommendations a 30 day pause and the Not interested choice to receive fewer similar recommendations.
The pause button may now be in a different place or may be missing. Therefore, check in your own app what is possible:
- Find a suggested post in your usual feed. Check that it is not an advertisement.
- Open the options on the post. Check whether you can hide or pause recommendations.
- Read what the option does. Does it say that you will pause suggested posts for 30 days? Choose that option if you want to.
- View the confirmation. Hiding one post is not the same as temporarily pausing suggested posts.
Do you not see an option to pause? Go through these points:
- Are you looking in the usual feed, or are you in Reels or Explore?
- Is it a recommendation or a post from someone you follow?
- Is an update for Instagram available? You can update the app, but that does not guarantee that the option will appear.
- Do you see an explanation about recommendations or content preferences in your account settings? These are preferences for what you are shown.
Even for accounts in the Netherlands and Belgium, you cannot assume that the pause button is available. Based on this explanation, there is also no general European off switch to identify. Is the pause option missing? Then try Following or reject an individual post.
Reduce Instagram recommendations with Not interested
Do you see Not interested on an unwanted recommendation? Choose that option. Are you then asked why you do not want to see the post? Choose only a reason that applies to you.
Suppose you do not want to see videos about expensive watches. Reject such a recommendation. You do not need to follow the account first or post a comment under the video.
This lets Instagram know what you would rather not see. It does not guarantee that an entire topic will be blocked. Therefore, do not judge the result only by the next post.
View Instagram posts from followed accounts through Following
In the 2022 announcement of Following and Favourites Meta described Following as a view with posts from followed accounts, in chronological order and without suggested posts.
Search your app for Following, or Following if you use Instagram in English. The location may differ. After choosing it, check that you are actually in this view.
This is useful if you want to see what friends or favourite creators have posted. Are you returning to the usual feed? Then you are leaving this separate view. Following therefore does not turn off recommendations for your entire account.
Reset Instagram recommendations or filter words
Do you want to change more than one recommendation? Then check your settings to see which options you have. A fresh start for recommendations is different from hiding posts about a particular topic.
Reset recommendations
Do you see an option to reset recommended content, meaning to start again? Before confirming, read which parts of Instagram this applies to. Do not assume that the reset also changes advertisements or the accounts you follow.
A reset does not turn off recommendations. You are choosing a fresh start, not a feed where nothing will ever be recommended again.
Filter words with Hidden Words
With a word filter, always check where it works. A filter for words in comments or private messages does not necessarily work for recommended photos and videos.
Use the filter for recommendations only if the explanation for the option explicitly mentions this. For example, if you want to see less about a particular sports league, enter the name of that league instead of a broad word such as ‘game’.
Suggested Instagram posts keep coming back: what can you do?
First, check which choice you made earlier. This lets you investigate more precisely why you are seeing recommendations again. If you are also considering paid options, our Instagram services lets you compare packages for followers and likes, including the available quantities and prices.
- You set a temporary pause. Check whether the period has ended and whether you can pause again.
- You used Following. Check whether you are back in the usual feed.
- You rejected one post. That does not block all recommendations.
- You are seeing paid posts. Check whether it says Sponsored, for example. Advertisements are not covered by the pause for suggested posts.
- You are seeing recommendations in Reels or Explore. Check where your selected setting applies. A setting for the usual feed does not necessarily work there.
