Top 4 Ways to Manage Recommended Posts on Instagram

Apart from checking your friends’ posts, reels, and stories on the Instagram home page, you can also glance over trending content from the Explore tab. Instagram uses AI (Artificial Intelligence) and algorithms to suggest content in the Explore tab. But it may not always be astute and may show irrelevant or offensive posts. Thankfully, the Facebook-owned company does offer several ways to better manage recommended posts in the app.

Instagram Explore is a neat way to check the trending posts in your region or area. But there are times when you come across unnecessary content. Instead of ignoring such posts, you can train Instagram algorithms to stop suggesting such content in the first place. Let’s check several options to manage Instagram recommendations like a pro.

1. Hide Posts From the Explore Tab

Instagram now lets you hide posts from the Explore tab. You can even select several recommended posts and hide them with a single tap. You don’t need to select every post individually. Once you hide posts from the Explore tab, Instagram learns your pattern and preference and uses it to hide similar posts in the future. Here’s what you need to do.

The steps to hide recommended posts on Instagram varies on iOS and Android. We will cover mobile platforms. Let’s start with Instagram for iPhone.

Instagram for iPhone

Step 1: Launch the Instagram app on your iPhone.

Step 2: Select the Explore tab at the bottom (the one that looks like a search icon).

Step 3: Long-press on a post you want to hide and select ‘Not interested’ from the context menu.

Step 4: Instagram hides the post and offers an option to hide more such posts.

Step 5: Select Hide more.

Step 6: Tap the radio button in the top right corner and select several such posts to hide. Hit Done and you will now see fewer posts like this in the future.

Instagram for Android

Step 1: Open the Instagram app on your Android phone.

Step 2: Long-press on an irrelevant post and slide your finger to the three vertical dots menu. Check the screenshot below for reference.

Step 3: Select Not interested.

Step 4: Instagram hides the selected post and shows an option to select more such posts.

Step 5: Select several recommended posts and tap Done in the top-right corner.

It may take some time for Instagram to learn your preference. You may continue to see similar posts in the Explore tab for a couple of days. You can keep hiding such posts and train Instagram app to show relevant content only. It’s undoubtedly one of the most effective ways to manage recommended posts on Instagram.

2. Hide Suggested Posts With Specific Words

Instagram already offers an option to hide comments and direct messages carrying specific words. The social giant has expanded the same to recommended posts too. You can add words, a list of phrases, or hashtags you want to avoid seeing in the posts. Go through the steps below to tweak your privacy settings on Instagram.

Step 1: Open the Instagram app on your phone.

Step 2: Tap your profile icon in the bottom-right corner and tap the hamburger menu at the top.

Step 3: Open Settings and select Privacy.

Step 4: Tap Hidden Words.

Step 5: Scroll to Custom words for posts. Select Manage custom words and phrases.

Step 6: Add multiple words, phrases, and emojis you want to hide. You can update the list anytime.

Step 7: Hit Done and it will take you to the previous menu.

Step 8: Enable the Hide posts toggle.

After this, you won’t see posts containing added words, phrases, and emojis.

3. Hide Suggested Posts from Instagram Home

Instagram shows suggested posts on the main home menu too. You can hide such posts and stop getting similar recommendations in the future.

Step 1: Whenever you come across an irrelevant post on Instagram home, tap the three horizontal dots menu beside the Follow button.

Step 2: Select Not interested to hide the post.

Step 3: Instagram hides the post and offers an option to disable all posts from the account and add certain words to avoid them on the home.

4. Recheck Your Following Accounts

Instagram shows recommendations in the Explore and Home menu based on accounts you follow on social media. You need to recheck the following accounts periodically and unfollow unnecessary ones.

Step 1: In the Instagram app, tap profile icon in the bottom-right corner to open your profile.

Step 2: Tap Following.

Step 3: Tap the Following button next to an account to unfollow it.

Repeat the same for such an account and you will see better-recommended posts on the platform.

Enjoy a Superior Instagram Experience

Instagram showing unrelated and inappropriate recommended posts can spoil your mood. You can train Instagram algorithms using the tricks above to show relevant recommended posts only.