Instagram Expands ‘Your Algorithm’ Feature, Giving Users More Control Over Feed Recommendations

Instagram has announced a significant expansion of its “Your Algorithm” feature, extending it to the platform’s main Feed and giving users greater control over the content they see. Previously available only on Reels and Explore pages, the feature now allows users to view and manage the interests that shape recommendations across one of Instagram’s most-used sections.

The update reflects the company’s broader effort to make recommendation systems more transparent and customizable. For years, Instagram’s algorithm has played a major role in determining what appears in users’ feeds, often highlighting content from creators and accounts they do not actively follow. While this has helped users discover new content, it has also raised concerns about how much influence algorithms have over the online experience.

With the expansion of “Your Algorithm,” users can now access a dedicated section that reveals the topics Instagram associates with their activity. If the platform identifies interests such as technology, fitness, travel, fashion, or entertainment, those categories will be displayed within the feature. Users can then remove topics they are no longer interested in or add new interests to help guide future recommendations.

Instagram Head Adam Mosseri says this is only the beginning of a larger initiative aimed at helping users shape their experience on the platform. According to Mosseri, recommendation algorithms have become a defining feature of modern social media platforms over the last decade. Services including TikTok, YouTube, X, Threads, and Instagram increasingly depend on AI-powered systems to surface content beyond a user’s direct network.

While recommendation systems have improved content discovery and helped creators reach wider audiences, Mosseri argues that they have also reduced users’ sense of control. He noted that algorithms typically learn from actions such as likes, shares, comments, and watch time, but users have historically had limited ways to directly communicate their content preferences.

Instagram believes recent developments in artificial intelligence are helping address that challenge. Mosseri explained that large language models can now analyse collections of content and translate them into understandable topics, making recommendation systems easier for users to understand and influence.

The company views this as an important step toward creating a more transparent relationship between users and the algorithms that power their online experiences. Rather than relying solely on behavioural signals, Instagram is introducing tools that allow people to actively participate in shaping what appears in their feeds.

Looking ahead, Instagram is already exploring additional personalization features. The company says future updates may allow users to influence recommendations based on specific creators, content formats, moods, or broader interests.

Mosseri described the initiative as more than just a settings feature, saying it represents a larger philosophy that users should have meaningful control over the digital products they use every day. He also suggested that future AI-powered systems could eventually enable people to personalize entire app experiences in real time, creating a more tailored and user-driven social media environment.