Instagram’s latest Reels tool sits right inside the Reels tab. When you watch a Reel, you might see a small icon at the top right that looks like two lines with hearts.
Instagram is launching a major update aimed at giving users more control over the Reels content they see. The new feature, called “Your Algorithm,” lets people view the topics that influence their Reels recommendations and adjust them to match their real interests.
The tool first appeared in the US and will soon roll out globally in English. Instagram says the goal is to make the Reels experience feel more personal and relevant as users’ tastes change.
Instagram’s latest Reels tool sits right inside the Reels tab. When you watch a Reel, you might see a small icon at the top right that looks like two lines with hearts. Tapping this opens your personal Your Algorithm panel.
Here, Instagram shows a short list of topics it believes you care about based on your recent activity. These topics might include things like:
You can even share this summary to your Story, similar to how people share their Spotify Wrapped results.
Below the summary, Instagram shows topics it thinks you are interested in. From here, you can:
For example, if Instagram thinks you like cooking videos but you want to see more travel clips, you can add travel as a topic. If you prefer fewer sports videos, you can mark sports to show less often. Reel suggestions change based on what you choose.
This gives users more precise control over their feed, rather than relying on broad, automated categories alone.
Instagram says Your Algorithm is the first step toward clearer user control of recommendations. The company wants people to shape their experience instead of being pushed content they didn’t choose.
Right now, the tool affects only the Reels tab, but Instagram says it plans to bring similar controls to other areas like the Explore tab and possibly the main feed.
Here’s a simple guide to using the feature:
Your Reels suggestions are then updated based on these choices.
By letting users see and change the exact topics that shape their Reels recommendations, Instagram is giving people more control over their feed. This means:
Instagram plans to extend similar controls to the Explore tab and other sections of the app. The goal is a future where users can shape most of what they see — reducing unwanted recommendations and increasing meaningful content.
This move could redefine how personalisation works across social platforms and give users more power over algorithmic feeds.
