instagram has expanded its Your Algorithm controls to the main feed. This follows an initial launch on Reels in October 2025 and a later launch on Explore.
The feature allows users to see which topics the recommendation system thinks they are interested in, add topics that interest them the most, and remove those that interest them the least. Instagram boss Adam Mosseri announced the change in a public post.
How “their algorithm” works and where the controls are available
Instagram’s recommendation system has traditionally been based on content embeds, which group similar elements together in a multidimensional space.
Although these embeddings can be represented as numbers, they do not correspond to categories understandable to users. With the advent of great language models, Instagram can now translate these embeds into descriptive topics in plain language.
This allows users to see what the system has inferred about their interests and adjust those topics directly.
To customize the main feed using Your Algorithm, users can open Instagram and access the algorithm controls through the feed settings.
There, they can review the list of topics that the system has associated with their account, add topics that they want to see more of and delete those that they want to see less of. Any changes made are applied to the classification model in the future.
Your algorithm is now active on three surfaces:
- Reels from October 2025,
- Explore and the main feed, which was added this week.
Mosseri mentioned that the themes are just the starting point. Instagram is working to support additional inputs, including people, specific moods or vibes, and different types of content.
Why Instagram added “Their Algorithm” controls and what comes next
Mosseri explained the broader reasoning behind the changes in his announcement. He noted that as recommendation algorithms have become the primary way content appears across the industry, who users follow has become less important in shaping their experience.
The system learns from what users touch, look at, and share, but users haven’t had a way to directly tell the system what they want.
Mosseri acknowledged that algorithmic recommendations are useful, noting that Instagram users share recommended content in direct messages billions of times a day.
Still, he described a lack of user engagement as a contributing factor to the feeling that “the experience happens to them rather than being shaped by them” on social platforms.
Mosseri said future versions of the feature will allow users to customize their experience more precisely. In addition to themes, upcoming controls may include options for specific people, moods, and content formats.
He also mentioned the long-term possibility of AI creating fully personalized app experiences tailored to individual users in real time, while noting that such fully personalized experiences could impact shared cultural moments.
Expanded Your Algorithm controls are currently being implemented for the main source. Instagram has not provided details on regional availability or whether all users will receive the feature at the same time.
