Instagram allows you to adjust the algorithm and redesign the app towards Reels and DMs

Instagram is about to take a major leap in how it decides what you see. Meta's social network has surpassed three billion monthly active users And with this milestone comes a package of changes aimed at modernizing the experience and giving you more control. At the heart of it all is a clear idea: prioritize what engages you while allowing each person to fine-tune their own content flow.

Adam Mosseri, the platform's CEO, has anticipated a redesign with a focus on Reels and the direct messagesBut the most talked-about new feature is a recommendation editor that lets you customize the algorithm to your liking. All of this comes alongside testing in specific markets, measures focused on child safety, and adjustments to give more visibility to original content compared to copies.

What's changing in the app: more Reels, more DMs, and less reliance on the feed

According to Mosseri, Instagram's recent growth has been supported by three pillars: short videorecommendations and private conversationsThat's why the navigation bar will be redesigned to give you immediate access to Reels and DMs. This isn't just a cosmetic change: it puts the most engaging content front and center.

Meta is testing in India that, when opening Instagram, go directly to the Reels tab instead of the classic feedSomething similar is already happening in iPadBut bringing it to mobile would be a major shift, especially considering that the feed was the heart of the platform for years. Mosseri has already said that usage has changed: square photos ceased to be the sole way to present yourself a long time ago.

With this test, the company measures whether the format type TikTok It fits as an entry point for most. If it takes off, we'll see an app that pushes vertical video to the forefront, impacting creators, brands, and users who still rely on the traditional feed as their digital home.

This redesign comes alongside other recent updates, such as the ability to upload videos in 5120×1080 pixels, an ultra-wide format that some profiles are experimenting with to tell stories on widescreen displays and dual monitor setups.

The big announcement: an editor to personalize your recommendations

The most anticipated new feature is an option for adjust the algorithm with topics and interestsFrom the settings icon in the top right corner of the Reels feed, a screen will open with a list of topics that the system thinks are relevant to you. There you can remove anything that doesn't interest you, edit tags, and add new areas to refine your recommendations.

In this first phase, the tool will is testing on ReelsThere's no official confirmation regarding countries or dates for its global rollout, nor whether the editor will be integrated directly into the main feed later. Even so, it's a move that the community has been eagerly requesting, demanding more fine-tuning and less black box in the suggestions system.

Instagram already had a button for fully restore the recommendations in Explore, Reels, and the feed itself. That reset “Reset” what you see as if you were starting from scratch; now, a granular editor will also be available, allowing you to shape the flow without having to delete everything. Quick actions like “I'm interested" or "I'm not interested”, and the ability to hide posts containing certain words or phrases by adjusting the “Hidden words” setting.

If you opt for a clean slate, Mosseri warns: for a while your account will feel less personalizedBecause the system acts as if it knows nothing about you and needs to relearn. It's not a button to press every week, but a useful way out when the recommendations no longer match what you're looking for.

This focus on personalization comes with an underlying message: in a scenario where recommendations are increasingly important, the platform wants balancing automation and control so that the experience adapts to your changing tastes with less friction.

This is how Instagram's algorithm works today: signals, predictions, and fairness for original content

Instagram doesn't have a single algorithm, but rather several systems that work simultaneously to decide what appears in your feed, Stories, Explore, and Reels. Broadly speaking, these are the key signals that it weighs to order each section:

• Declared and detected interests: You like what you comment on, watch until the end, or save it. Its predictions guide it to show you similar content.
• Relations: It prioritizes those who mention you the most, tag you, send you messages, or with whom you interact the most.
• Recency: Recent content tends to gain weight compared to older posts under equal conditions.
• Frequency of use: If you visit often, it will show you the highlights. since your last visitIf you don't connect often, it will condense the most relevant information into a longer period.
• Session duration: During longer stays, the content is more diverse; in short sessions, only what is considered essential is taught.
• Exploration: It recommends posts and Reels from accounts you don't follow but that fit with your previous behavior.
• Equal opportunities: A classification system is being developed to allow creators with few initial interactions to take off if their content engages the first group that sees it.
• Award for original content: Distinguishing who creates and who re-uploads helps in better recommendations, penalizing repeated copies and crediting the original author where appropriate.

This last point comes with concrete measures: if you publish more than 10 pieces of content from other profiles In 30 days, your account could be removed from the Discover section for a month. Additionally, Instagram is working on labels to attribute credit to the original creator when it detects duplicate content and to differentiate remixes or significant transformations from simple reposts.

The practical consequence is clear: if you want sustained range, commitment to own materialIt adds value and measures the response of the first group of users who see it; if that Boot It works; the system amplifies the content gradually.

How each part of Instagram is organized and which signals matter

The feed mixes posts from people you follow, suggestions, and ads. decide what goes on topThe platform weighs signals such as your activity (likes, comments, saves, shares), post data (topic, format, early popularity), and your relationship with the account that published it. With that, predicts whether you will interact In some way: comment, like, click on the profile, or dedicate time to it.

In Stories, the order is primarily determined by the how often you see and interact With those accounts. If you reply to their stories, send reactions, or view everything they post, they're more likely to appear at the top of your carousel. Proximity (friends, family, or frequent contacts) also plays a role.

Exploring acts as a showcase for discovering new things. Here, the popularity of the post (number and speed of interactions), your history on the tab, and your previous relationship with the creator, even if you don't follow them. However, content that violates community guidelines or is problematic will no longer be recommended.

In Reels, in addition to the signals mentioned above, the system measures whether the video is watched to the end, shared, whether you tap on the audio, or whether you click "like." It also looks at the prior connection with the authoreven if you don't follow it, and in elements of the video such as the music or effects you use.

What can creators and brands do to get along with the algorithm?

There are several levers under your control that can help your content gain traction without fighting the system. The first is obvious: publishes with intention and at the service of your community. Think about the first minute of each post's life: that start determines whether it gets amplified or not.

Feed: take care of the thumbnail (cover)The copy and format (photo, carousel, or video) are key indicators. Early signs (saves, comments, and shares) are also important. pure gold for distributionIf you're using a carousel, make sure each slide has a hook; if it's video, grab attention in the first few seconds.

Stories: Be consistent and take advantage of native tools (polls, questions, sliders, links). The goal is to increase engagement. direct interaction (responses and reactions) to climb positions in your followers' Stories queue.

Explore: Optimize text and tags to be consistent with your niche, add location when it provides context, and monitor visual quality. Think about discovery: What doesn't add up, subtracts.If you string together posts with high engagement spikes in a short period of time, your chances of appearing in this tab increase.

Reels: clear structure, rhythm, subtitles and appropriate music. Many users watch without sound, so add it. text on screen and visual cues. Post at the times when your audience responds best and don't forget to share the Reel in Stories and leave a preview in the feed.

Control tools: edit interests, reset recommendations, and adjust what you see

With the new editor you can tell the system What topics are important to you? and which ones don't, reducing noise without deleting your entire history. Even so, if you find yourself trapped in a bubble that no longer reflects you, you can always reset the suggestions in Settings and Privacy, under the "What you see" section.

The reset process begins with a warning: for a while, the recommendations will be "cold". From then on, Each interaction re-educates the algorithm.It's advisable to take advantage of this moment to unfollow irrelevant accounts and mark as "see less" those topics that no longer suit you.

In addition to the editor and the reset, remember the quick actions: “Interested/Not interested” in suggested posts and the “Hidden words” filter to block sensitive terms that you don't want to see. These small, everyday gestures, added together, continuously adjust the experience.

Equity and visibility: boosting small creators and crediting the original author

Instagram is refining its ranking system so that reach doesn't depend solely on having a huge follower base. If content It works with its first audienceThe platform encourages more people to participate, rewarding quality and relevance. This is especially valuable for those starting out or who haven't yet achieved significant growth.

In parallel, the focus on original content aims to ensure that credit and distribution go to the creator. For accounts that simply republish content without making any changes, there are clear limits (such as a 30-day repost limit) and less preference in recommendations. If you make remixes, re-edits, or significant transformationsThe system takes this into account so as not to penalize you.

Safety and well-being for teenagers: more filters, more control and focused testing

Instagram will apply a level of restriction similar to that applied to accounts of minors. PG-13Less exposure to sensitive content in the feed, Reels, search, and recommendations. Parents will be able to monitor settings, and for now, the measure applies in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia.

These changes come after intense scrutiny of the impact of algorithms on young people. Attorneys general from 41 U.S. states and the District of Columbia filed lawsuits arguing that Meta's products fostered addiction without adequately considering child protection. The company has responded by stating that it has implemented more than 30 resources to improve responsible use and has announced collaborations with experts (such as The Home Edit) to guide families on how to review and organize their accounts regularly.

Practical tips to take your strategy a step further

– Interact in a variety of ways: use polls, questions, live streams, and stickers. The more the merrier. quality feedback The more you generate, the more useful signals you give the system to recommend you.

– Embrace new formats as they emerge: the platform tends to give them extra visibility, as happened with Reels. Experiment with vertical videos and also with the recent ultrawide format.

– Use hashtags wisely: don't just throw them in randomly, but choose them for relevance and competition. You can rely on… research tools (for example, hashtag search engines like those offered by social analytics suites) to find tags with real potential in your niche.

– Distribute your content: Share the Reels in StoriesLeave a preview in the feed and link in your bio when appropriate. Make it easy for users to access everything.

– Measure and correct: review weekly and monthly what reach peaks you achieved, which posts retained best, and which formats performed best. they converted moreComparing yourself to competitors will give you clues about opportunities for improvement and optimal schedules.

What to expect when you customize or reset the algorithm

If you edit topics, you'll notice gradual adjustments: more content of what you marked as relevant and less of what you... you dismissed it as irrelevantIf you do a total reset, be prepared for a discovery phase: the system needs fresh signals to fine-tune itself.

A good habit after restarting is to force clear signals in the first few days: save posts you really like, comment with intention, mark "Not interested" when appropriate, and avoid interacting out of habit with content you don't want See more. This shortens the "neutral" phase.

Why is Instagram pushing Reels and messaging?

Weather The focus has shifted towards quick formats and private conversations. Reels competes on equal footing with what you already consume on other platforms, and DMs concentrate the social distribution 1:1 which previously occurred in public comments. If the default post becomes Reels, Instagram will further adapt its DNA to that behavior.

For creators, this dynamic involves designing pieces with rhythm, immediate engagement and value in the first few seconds. For brands, it means integrating short videos into their mix, driving traffic between sections (including DMs), and providing responsive, personalized post-click support.