We have all had an Instagram feed go off track. A random Reel catches your attention for a moment, and before long, the app starts serving up the same kind of content again and again.
Instagram already has a way to fix some of that through Your Algorithm, a feature that lets users adjust the topics shaping their recommendations. Now, the company wants to make that tool easier to reach while people are actually using the app.
Instagram head Adam Mosseri has previewed new shortcut-like features that could bring Your Algorithm closer to the main feed and Reels. The changes could make it faster to correct repetitive recommendations, add fresh topics, or reshape a feed without digging through settings.
Instagram wants algorithm controls closer to the feed
Instagram has been working on improving users’ algorithms and giving them more control over recommendations since last year. It recently expanded those controls to the main feed, allowing users to view and edit the topics Instagram thinks they are interested in.
Mosseri’s preview shows how Instagram may bring those controls closer to the places where recommendations actually appear. One version lets users pull down on the main feed to open Your Algorithm. Another shows the same control appearing after a swipe up from a Reel.
Instagram is also testing buttons under Reels that let users tell the app whether they want to see more videos like the one they are watching. In practice, recommendation tuning could become more immediate, since users would be able to correct the algorithm while browsing instead of opening settings later.
A chatbot-like way to reshape your feed
Your Algorithm could also become a more active tool for changing what appears in the feed. Users would not have to rely only on likes, pauses, searches, and watch time to steer recommendations over time.
Mosseri’s preview suggests users may be able to type what they want to see more often, such as positive content, fitness clips, travel videos, or recipe ideas. Instagram would then recommend related topics that users can choose from and add to their feed.
The feature could help users fix recommendations thrown off by accidental clicks on the fly, add new interests, and refresh a feed that has become too repetitive.