Meta-owned Instagram has now come forward to finally make chronological feed a reality for all users and give them control over what they will or will not see in their feed. You can now choose between Favorites and Following to choose what to see in the feed.
However, note that this will not be a default setting, so you need to choose it if you are tired of watching the algorithmically-ranked feed.
The company said that it did not make this into a default setting because its research indicated that people were “more satisfied” with a ranked feed. Over time, Instagram will add more recommendations to the feed based on your interests.
Adam Mosseri, Instagram Head, says that they wanted users to “shape Instagram into the best possible experience, and giving you ways to quickly see what you’re most interested in is an important step in that direction.” Following and Favorites have been in the works for quite some time and went into limited testing this January. Now, they are rolling out to users across the globe.
However, note that these options will be available only on iOS and Android, and not the web version. You can choose between Favourites and Following from a pop-up at the top-left, just under the word “Instagram,” and choose between the two (or three choose between the two and the current algorithmic feed).
Following and Favorites are certainly not the last steps taken to ensure users have more control over what they see. Instagram assured that they are always working on new ways to improve your Instagram experience and will continue to build similar features to give users more choice and control over what they see, and help make the time they spend on the app feel more intentional.
Let us take Favorites first. If you choose this option, then Instagram will show you the latest posts from accounts chosen by you, such as your favourite creators or best friends. Additionally, posts from accounts in Favorites will show up higher in your home feed and will be designated by a Star icon.
Next comes Following. If you choose this option, then Instagram will show you the latest posts from all the people you follow.
There are caveats, though. For Favorites, you can choose no more than 50 accounts, and you can change the names on the list at your discretion. Don’t worry about offending anyone, nobody will be notified when they are added or removed. There is no restriction for Following.
