What Instagram’s New Algorithm Personalization Feature Does
Instagram’s new algorithm personalization feature, called “Your Algorithm,” is a set of content controls that lets you see and edit the topics Instagram believes you care about so you can customize your Instagram feed, Reels, and Explore recommendations without relying only on your past likes, taps, or watch time. Instead of passively accepting whatever the recommendation system serves, you can now actively choose subjects you want more of, remove themes you are tired of, and guide the algorithm toward your real interests. Instagram says these tools are possible thanks to large language models that can explain and adjust recommendation patterns in language users understand, turning a previously opaque algorithm into something you can inspect and fine-tune yourself.
How to Open “Your Algorithm” and See Your Topics
To start using Instagram content controls, open the app and go to the main menu and settings area where recommendation tools are grouped. Look for the section labeled “Your Algorithm.” Inside, you will see a grid or list of topics Instagram believes match your interests, based on what you tap, watch, share, and save. These are interest-based themes, such as “rescue dogs” or “parenting humor,” not specific accounts or a “posts from people I follow” option. When one writer tried that phrase, the tool replied with “no results found,” showing that recommendations remain topic-led rather than follow-led. Use this view as your starting map: it reflects how the algorithm currently understands you and sets the stage for refining your algorithm preferences on Instagram.
Add Topics to See More of What You Like
To customize Instagram feed recommendations, start by adding topics you enjoy inside Your Algorithm. Use the search bar to type in interests such as hobbies, fandoms, sports, or humor styles. When you find a topic you like, tap to add or follow it so the system knows you want to see more related content across Feed, Reels, and Explore. This gives you a direct way to influence future suggestions instead of hoping that likes and watch time are interpreted correctly. According to Instagram chief Adam Mosseri, the goal is to give people “a meaningful amount of agency” over what appears in their feed. Over time, regularly adding new topics as your tastes change helps keep your recommendations fresh and closer to your current mood.
Remove Topics to Cut Down on Unwanted Content
The other half of Instagram algorithm personalization is trimming away what you do not want. In Your Algorithm, browse the list of topics Instagram has assigned to you. If you see themes that feel off, outdated, or annoying, tap to remove or reduce them. This signals that you want to see less of that content across the main feed, Reels, and Explore. It is more precise than muting individual accounts or scrolling past posts, because it targets the underlying topic category. Instagram notes that recommendation systems used to learn mainly from what you tapped or watched, which meant the experience could feel like it was “happening to you rather than being shaped by you.” Now, removing topics lets you push back and clean up your feed in a deliberate way.
Use Your Algorithm Across Feed, Reels and Explore
Once you have tuned Your Algorithm, your choices apply across multiple Instagram surfaces for comprehensive feed customization. The feature currently covers the main feed, Reels, and Explore, aligning your algorithm preferences on Instagram wherever recommendations appear. Instagram says recommendation systems have become central to most social platforms, which has weakened the power of simply choosing who to follow. While there is still a separate Following feed, Your Algorithm focuses on interest-based recommendations, not increasing reach from accounts you already follow. The company is also working on future controls that could respond to people, moods, content formats, and other preferences. For now, reviewing your topics regularly and adjusting them as your interests evolve is the best way to keep all parts of your Instagram experience closer to what you want.
