The sensitive content control decides how much potentially upsetting or offensive content Instagram recommends to you in Explore, Search, Reels, comments, suggested accounts and recommendations in your feed. As of Nov 2026 you change it in Content preferences, then Sensitive content, and it only limits content from accounts you don't already follow.
It's a dial for discovery, not a filter on your whole app. Instagram's Help Centre says some content goes against its Recommendation Guidelines without breaking its Community Standards. Rather than remove that content, Instagram may make it harder to find. The sensitive content control lets you choose to see more or less of it.
Less, Standard and More: the levels and defaults
Everyone starts somewhere, and where depends on your age:
| Setting | What changes | Default for |
|---|---|---|
| Less | You see less content you may find upsetting in the places the control covers | Teen Accounts for teens aged 13 to 17 start on See less |
| Standard | The same level of potentially upsetting or offensive content Instagram previously allowed | Everyone else |
| More | More photos, videos or comments you may find upsetting in Explore, search, Reels, comments, accounts you might follow, hashtag pages and feed recommendations | Nobody by default |
Anyone 16 or older can change the setting at any time. Teen Accounts for teens aged 13 to 15 need a parent's approval to change it.
Put those two rules together and you get a split inside Teen Accounts. A 16 or 17 year old starts on See less but can change it themselves. A 13 to 15 year old starts on See less and needs a parent to agree before it moves.
Standard isn't a new restriction, either. Instagram says it had already limited this kind of content before the control existed, and Standard keeps that same level. If you've never opened the setting, nothing has changed for you. The control just hands you the dial.
What Instagram counts as sensitive
Instagram lists categories that are allowed on the platform because they don't break the Community Standards, but may not be eligible for recommendations. Each comes with a line on where the hard limit sits:
- Content that may show violence, such as people fighting. Graphically violent content is removed.
- Content that may be sexually explicit or suggestive, such as people in see-through clothing. Adult nudity and sexual activity are removed.
- Content that promotes certain regulated products, such as tobacco or vaping products, adult products and services, or pharmaceutical drugs. Attempts to sell or trade most regulated goods are removed.
- Content that may promote or show cosmetic procedures.
- Content that may be trying to sell products or services based on health-related claims, such as a supplement to help someone lose weight.
The last two are the ones most business owners don't see coming. A clinic posting before-and-after shots, or a wellness brand talking about weight loss, isn't breaking any rule. It's simply in a category Instagram may not recommend as widely.
How to change your setting
In the Instagram app for Android and iPhone, as of Nov 2026:
- Tap Profile or your profile picture in the bottom right.
- Tap Menu in the top right.
- Tap Content preferences, then Sensitive content.
- Tap Select next to Less to see less content you may find upsetting, or Select next to More to see more.
- Tap Confirm.
Menu names shift between app versions, so if yours looks different, look for Content preferences first. That's where this setting has lived.
What the control leaves alone
Three things sit outside it, and they matter more than the setting itself.
First, people you follow. The control only limits this type of content from accounts you don't follow. You'll still see content from friends, family and any account you follow, whatever level you choose.
Second, Community Standards breaches. The control applies to some content that goes against the Recommendation Guidelines, not to content that breaks the Community Standards. If Instagram is made aware of a post that breaks those, it removes it. If you see one, you can report it.
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Third, content that appears with a warning. Instagram says that's outside the control too. If you're curious how recommendations get picked in the first place, my guide to the Instagram Explore page covers that side.
Teen Accounts have a second setting
Teens under 18 also have a separate content setting for their Teen Account. It defaults to Ages 13+, which means they see content, profiles and comments similar to content rated for ages 13 and up. To switch that to More content, a teen under 18 needs a parent's or guardian's permission.
So there are two layers for a teen: the sensitive content control starting on See less, and the Ages 13+ content setting. If you're a parent setting this up, my page on Instagram parental controls walks through the supervision tools.
What I'd tell a brand in a listed category
If you sell cosmetic procedures, supplements with health claims, or regulated products such as vaping, your posts can be harder to find for people who don't follow you yet, especially anyone on Less or a teen on the default. Instagram says it may make that content harder to find. It doesn't publish how much, and nothing on the Help pages says every post in a category gets limited.
Here's the useful bit. The control never touches your followers. They see your posts at any setting. I'd put your effort into turning discovery visitors into followers fast, with a clear reason to follow on your profile and in your posts, and I'd keep claims in captions factual rather than promise-heavy. Skip trying to game the categories: the line between allowed and removed is spelled out, and it's not worth testing.
If your products sit in a category Instagram handles carefully, that's the kind of content and reach planning I help with. I run AI training and workshops for teams, and help businesses with AI enablement and workflow automation, so the busywork runs itself and people get time back. Most of that work is with SaaS marketing teams and small businesses. Here's how we can work together.
Frequently asked questions
What is the sensitive content control on Instagram?
It's a setting that decides how much potentially upsetting or offensive content Instagram recommends to you in Explore, Search, Reels, comments, suggested accounts and feed recommendations.
How do I change sensitive content on Instagram?
Tap Profile, then Menu, then Content preferences, then Sensitive content. Tap Select next to Less or More, then Confirm.
Does the sensitive content control affect accounts I follow?
No. It only limits this type of content from accounts you don't follow. You'll still see posts from accounts you follow.
What is the default sensitive content setting on Instagram?
Standard for adults. Teen Accounts for teens aged 13 to 17 start on See less.
Can teens change the sensitive content control?
Anyone 16 or older can change it at any time. Teen Accounts for teens aged 13 to 15 need a parent's approval.
