How to Reset Your Instagram Algorithm

If your Explore page and Reels feed have filled up with things you don’t care about (one curious tap on a video and suddenly it’s all you see), you can fix it. Instagram now has an official Reset suggested content button, a Your Algorithm screen to pick topics, and several smaller controls that steer what you see. This guide shows how to reset your Instagram algorithm step by step and how to keep your feed the way you want it afterwards.

Option 1: Reset suggested content (the full reset)

This clears the personalisation behind your Explore, Reels and suggested posts and starts them fresh.

1. Go to your profile and tap the menu (☰).
2. Under What you see, tap Content preferences.
3. Tap Reset suggested content.
4. Instagram shows the accounts you follow so you can unfollow any that no longer fit. Tap Next.
5. Tap Reset suggested content to confirm.

What changes: recommendations in Explore, Reels and the home feed go back to a blank slate and rebuild from what you do next.

What doesn’t change: you still follow the same accounts, your posts, messages and saved collections stay, and ads aren’t affected.

Option 2: Tell Instagram what you want with Your Algorithm

Instagram’s Your Algorithm screen shows the topics it thinks you’re into and lets you change them. It launched in the US first and is expanding to more countries.

1. Open the Reels tab.
2. Tap the Your Algorithm icon at the top right.
3. Read the summary of your current interests.
4. Add topics you want more of, remove ones you don’t, and adjust how much of each you see.

This is gentler than a full reset: you keep what’s working and drop what isn’t.

Option 3: Use "Not interested" on the spot

When something you don’t want appears:

• On a reel: tap the three dots → Not interested.
• On Explore or a suggested post: tap the three dots → Not interested.
• In the feed: tap the three dots on a suggested post and choose Snooze all suggested posts to pause suggestions for 30 days.

Each tap is a strong signal. Ten honest “Not interested” taps can change your Reels feed within a day.

Option 4: Clean up the signals Instagram uses

The algorithm learns from what you search, follow and watch. Tidy those up:

1. Clear your search history: profile → menu → Your activity → Recent searches → Clear all.
2. Unfollow or mute accounts you’ve lost interest in. Mute keeps the follow but hides their posts.
3. Adjust sensitive content: menu → Content preferences → Sensitive content to show less of it.
4. Update your ad topics in Accounts Center → Ad preferences if your ads feel off too.

Option 5: Retrain it in the first few days

After a reset, the next few days decide your new feed:

• Follow a handful of accounts you genuinely like.
• Watch reels to the end and like, comment, share and save content you want more of.
• Swipe away quickly from anything you don’t want; long watches count as interest even if you didn’t like it.
• Search for topics you care about and engage with the results.

Use the Following and Favorites feeds

Tap the Instagram logo at the top of your home feed to switch to Following (only accounts you follow, newest first) or Favorites (up to 50 accounts you choose). These skip the algorithm completely, which is a good quick fix when your main feed feels random.

Before you reset: save what you love

A reset can make reels you liked hard to find again. Your saved collections stay, but if you rely on scrolling back to things, save the ones you love first: paste their links into the Instagram video downloader to keep them as files on your phone.

Frequently asked questions

Does resetting the Instagram algorithm delete anything?

No. Your posts, followers, following, messages and saved collections stay. Only your recommendations restart.

How long does it take for the algorithm to reset?

The reset is instant, but your new recommendations take a few days of normal use to settle.

Can I reset only my Reels feed?

Use Your Algorithm in the Reels tab to change Reels topics, or “Not interested” on reels you don’t want. The full reset affects Explore, Reels and suggested posts together.

Why do I keep seeing the same reels after resetting?

Your new behaviour is teaching it the same things again. Swipe away faster from that content and tap Not interested.

Is there a limit to how often I can reset?

Instagram doesn’t publish a limit, but resetting too often means your feed never learns what you like. Try the smaller controls first.

Does resetting affect my own reach as a creator?

No. Resetting changes what you see, not how your own posts are shown to others.