Instagram’s New ‘Your Algorithm’
Instagram has officially launched a powerful new feature called Your Algorithm, giving users an unprecedented level of control over what they see on their Reels feed. This marks one of the biggest updates to Instagram’s recommendation system, allowing users to view, edit, and shape the topics that influence their Reels suggestions. The feature has rolled out in the United States and will expand globally in English soon. For users tired of irrelevant videos or wanting a more personalized experience, this update promises a major improvement.
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The launch of the Instagram Your Algorithm tool reflects a growing trend in social media—providing transparency and personalization to help users understand why they see certain content and adjust it to match their preferences.
What Is the Instagram “Your Algorithm” Tool?
The Instagram Your Algorithm feature is designed to give users a window into the topics Instagram believes they’re most interested in. Until now, Instagram’s recommendation system operated mostly behind the scenes. Users had limited ways to influence it beyond liking or interacting with certain posts.
With this update, Instagram is offering intentional control rather than passive influence. The tool shows users a personalized list of topics that shape their Reels recommendations. These topics are created through AI-driven analysis of user activity—likes, shares, watch time, and engagement patterns.
This makes the algorithm far more transparent and user-friendly, giving people a better understanding of how their online behavior translates into recommendations.
How to Access the New Reels Algorithm Controls
Instagram has placed the Your Algorithm button in a simple and easily accessible spot. While watching any Reel, users will see an icon located in the top right corner, shaped like two horizontal lines with hearts. Tapping this icon opens the new algorithm control center.
Inside, users will find a summary paragraph describing the main themes Instagram believes define their interests. For example, the app may display a summary such as:
“Lately you’ve been into creativity, sports hype, fitness motivation, and skateboarding.”
Beneath this summary, users will see a detailed topic-by-topic breakdown. Each topic can be expanded, adjusted, or removed, giving users immediate control over what appears on their Reels feed.
A Closer Look at How Instagram Determines Your Interests
The topics displayed in Instagram Your Algorithm are generated through a combination of:
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Your watch history
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Content you engage with
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Accounts you follow
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Time spent on specific topics
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AI-based content analysis
Instagram’s AI scans not just the videos users watch, but also the broader themes within them—such as hobbies, styles, sports categories, or niches. The goal is to build a more precise understanding of what users enjoy.
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Because these topics are highly personalized, no two lists will look the same. This makes the tool more advanced than similar features offered by competing platforms.
Personalizing Your Reels Feed: Add, Reduce, or Remove Topics
The real strength of the Instagram Your Algorithm tool lies in its customization features. Users can:
Increase emphasis on certain topics
If users choose “See More” for a topic, Instagram will display more content from that theme in their Reels feed.
Reduce content from unwanted topics
Selecting “See Less” signals Instagram to show fewer videos from that category.
Remove topics entirely
If a topic is no longer relevant, users can delete it to prevent it from influencing recommendations.
Add new custom interests
Unlike TikTok’s limited topic categories, Instagram allows users to manually add new topics—even if they weren’t detected by the app. This means users can shape their feed proactively instead of passively waiting for the algorithm to adapt.
This level of customization gives users greater ownership over their feed and helps reduce irrelevant or repetitive recommendations.
Share Your Algorithm Summary to Your Story
For users who enjoy sharing interests publicly, Instagram now offers a fun option to share their algorithm-generated summary as a Story. Similar to the viral trends like Spotify Wrapped or Instagram Notes, this feature encourages social interaction and gives followers a glimpse of what the app thinks you’re into.
This also boosts transparency, making the algorithm more understandable and relatable.
Instagram vs TikTok: A More Personalized Alternative
TikTok introduced its “Manage Topics” feature last year, giving users the ability to choose which types of videos appear more or less in their For You feed. However, TikTok’s categories are broad and generic—usually limited to about a dozen options such as fitness, cooking, finance, or pets.
Instagram’s new system, by contrast:
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Generates hyper-personalized topics
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Allows users to add custom interests
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Gives more fine-tuned control
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Offers deeper AI-driven analysis
This makes Instagram Your Algorithm a more advanced and flexible system for shaping recommendations.
Future Expansion: Explore Feed and More
Instagram has confirmed that the new tool is only the beginning. The company plans to expand Your Algorithm beyond Reels to the Explore tab and eventually to other parts of the app.
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This means users will soon have the ability to control recommendations across the entire Instagram experience, not just in Reels.
Why the New “Your Algorithm” Tool Matters
Instagram’s latest update is important for several reasons:
More transparency
Users get a clearer understanding of how Instagram’s AI views their interests.
Full content control
The ability to edit, add, or remove topics gives users direct influence over their feed.
Better user experience
More relevant content means higher satisfaction and less time wasted on unwanted posts.
Competitive advantage
By offering deeper personalization compared to TikTok, Instagram strengthens its position in the short-form video space.
Conclusion
The introduction of the Instagram Your Algorithm tool marks a major step forward in user empowerment. With precise control over their Reels recommendations, the ability to edit their interest topics, and the option to add new interests, users now have more influence over their feed than ever before. As Instagram prepares to expand this feature to Explore and other areas of the app, it signals a new era of transparency and personalization in social media.
