Navigating social media can be tricky, and sometimes you need a little space from certain accounts. Whether you’re tired of seeing someone’s content, or just want to curate your feed a bit more, Instagram offers several ways to manage who and what you see. This guide will walk you through the steps of muting, unfollowing, and restricting users on Instagram, so you can tailor your experience to your preferences.
Why Mute, Unfollow, or Restrict?
Before we dive in, let’s briefly discuss why you might choose one of these options:
- Muting: This option is perfect when you want to stop seeing someone’s posts and stories without them knowing. They remain in your followers list, but you’ll no longer see their content on your feed or in your story tray.
- Unfollowing: This option removes a user from your following list. You will no longer see their content, and they might notice you’ve unfollowed them.
- Restricting: This is a more discreet option. Restricting a user means their comments on your posts will only be visible to them. Their messages will go directly to your message requests. And, they will not know you have restricted them.
How to Mute Someone on Instagram
Muting is the most discreet way to stop seeing content without unfollowing. Here’s how to do it:
- Find the User’s Post or Profile: Navigate to your Instagram feed and locate a post from the user you want to mute. Alternatively, go directly to their profile.
- On a Post: Tap the three dots (ellipsis) in the top right corner of their post.
- On Their Profile: Tap the ‘Following’ button (or ‘Follow’ if you are not currently following them but want to mute them anyways).
- Select Mute: A menu will appear. Select ‘Mute.’
- Choose What to Mute: You’ll see options to mute either ‘Posts,’ ‘Stories,’ or both. Choose the option(s) you prefer.
That’s it! You’ve successfully muted the user. You can reverse this process at any time by going to their profile, and clicking the same button and selecting to unmute.
How to Unfollow Someone on Instagram
Unfollowing removes a user from your following list and their content from your feed. Here’s how to unfollow:
- Go to the User’s Profile: Navigate to the profile of the user you want to unfollow.
- Tap ‘Following’: Tap the button labeled ‘Following’ located near the top of their profile, usually beneath their bio.
- Confirm Unfollow: A confirmation pop-up will appear. Tap ‘Unfollow’ to complete the process.
You have now unfollowed this user. They may notice that you have unfollowed them, as your name will disappear from their follower’s list.
How to Restrict Someone on Instagram
Restricting is ideal when you want more control over interactions with a user. Here’s how to do it:
- Go to the User’s Profile: Navigate to the profile of the user you want to restrict.
- Tap the Three Dots: Tap the three dots (ellipsis) in the top right corner of their profile.
- Select ‘Restrict’: A menu will appear. Select the ‘Restrict’ option.
- Confirm Restrict: A confirmation message will appear. Tap ‘Restrict Account’ to complete the process.
The user is now restricted. They won’t know you’ve restricted them. Their comments will only be visible to them unless you manually approve them. And any messages they send will go directly to your message requests and won’t send notifications to you.
Managing Your Instagram Experience
By utilizing these features, you can create an Instagram experience that is positive and enjoyable. Remember that you can change these settings at any time, allowing you to customize your interactions and curate your feed.
Whether you choose to mute, unfollow, or restrict someone, these options give you the power to control your social media experience. Use them to make your Instagram feed a more pleasant place!