Your algorithm is an Instagram control that shows the interests shaping your suggested content and lets you add topics you want to see more or less of. As of Nov 2026 one change updates Feed, Reels and Explore together, and you open it from Reels, Explore or Settings, then Content preferences, in the iPhone and Android apps.
Instagram's Help Centre calls the feature Tune your algorithm, and the screen inside the app is called Your algorithm. It's a list. You see some of the key interests Instagram thinks are influencing your suggestions, a summary of what you've been into lately, and two places to add topics: what you want to see more of, and what you want to see less of.
One catch before you go hunting for it. The Help page says the feature is still in testing and may not be available to everyone, and that depending on your region it may affect what you see in Reels, Explore and Feed. So if you can't find it on your phone, that's the rollout, not you doing something wrong.
Where to open Your algorithm
There are three ways in, and they all lead to the same screen. You can tap Reels, tap Explore, or go to Settings, then Content preferences. From Reels or Explore, you tap the icon in the corner of the screen.
It isn't available on computers. As of Nov 2026 the Help Centre lists it for the iPhone app and the Android app only, so if you run your Instagram from a laptop, this is a job for your phone.
| Where it shows | What changes when you edit your interests | Where you can open it from |
|---|---|---|
| Feed | Suggested posts update, and a post recommended because of one of your interests may carry a label such as From Running | Settings, then Content preferences |
| Reels | Suggested reels update from the same list | The icon in the corner of Reels |
| Explore | Suggested content updates from the same list | The icon in the corner of Explore |
How to add and remove interests
As of Nov 2026, the Help Centre gives these steps:
- Tap Reels or Explore, or go to Settings, then Content preferences.
- Tap the icon in the corner of Reels or Explore.
- Under What you want to see more of, tap Add +.
- Type in an interest you want to see more of.
- Under What you want to see less of, tap Add +.
- Type in an interest you want to see less of.
Once a topic is on the list, you can tap it to see more content on that subject, tap Remove interest to take it off, or tap Why you're seeing this to learn why that interest may affect your suggestions. Topics you've added yourself carry a small marker, so you can tell them apart from the ones Instagram picked up from your activity.
There's one limit on what you can type. Interests that go against Instagram's Community Standards can't be added to What you want to see more of.
One list runs three feeds
This is the bit most people don't expect. Instagram describes Your algorithm as one unified system. When you tell it what you want to see more or less of, your recommendations update across Feed, Reels and Explore, and the Help page says there's no need to adjust each one separately.
That cuts both ways. It saves you three trips through three menus. It also means a topic you push down because it was swamping your Reels gets pushed down in your Feed and Explore suggestions too. If you use your personal account to keep an eye on your industry, think about that before you add a big topic to the less-of list.
What the From label on a post is telling you
When a post in your feed was recommended because of one of your interests, Instagram puts a label straight on it, such as From Running or From Street Style. You can tap the label to see more related content or to update your preferences.
For anyone in marketing, this is the most useful part of the feature. It's the closest Instagram gets to showing its reasoning on a single post. When a competitor's post turns up in your feed with a From label, you can see which of your interests pulled it in. Pair that with Why you're seeing this on an interest, and you've got a small window into how your own topics are being read.
You can also share your list. From the Your algorithm page, tap the share icon, then Add to story. That's a light piece of content if your audience likes seeing what you follow, though it's your call whether you want your interests on show.
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Teens and supervision
Teens can add their own interests to see more or less of, and they can change that setting themselves at any time. When supervision is set up for a Teen Account, a parent or guardian can see the general interest categories their teen added to the more-of list, in Family Centre.
Notice the wording. It's general categories, and it's the topics a teen wants more of. The Help page doesn't say a parent sees the less-of list or the exact words typed in.
What it can't tell you, and what a brand can't change
Instagram says it uses many signals to rank and suggest content, and it points to separate pages on its Explore AI system, its Reels chaining AI system and content recommendations. It doesn't say how much your Your algorithm list weighs against everything else, and nothing on the Help page promises what you'll see. If you want the ranking side, I've covered how the Reels algorithm decides what to show separately, and there's a guide to how the Explore page works too.
The other thing to be clear about: it's your own list, not a setting a brand controls. You can't add your topic to your followers' lists, and they can't add theirs to yours. Each person tunes their own. Facebook has its own version of the same idea, which I explain in my guide to Your algorithm on Facebook.
What I'd do with it
I'd start by opening Your algorithm on your phone and reading what Instagram thinks you're into. It takes two minutes and it's often a surprise. Add two or three topics you want more of, and use the less-of list sparingly, because it changes all three feeds at once. If you run a business account, I'd use the From labels as free research on how your niche is being grouped. Skip treating it as a reach tool: it changes what you see, not who sees your posts.
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Frequently asked questions
What is Your algorithm on Instagram?
It's a control that shows the key interests influencing your suggested content and lets you add topics you want to see more or less of across Feed, Reels and Explore.
Where do I find Your algorithm on Instagram?
Tap Reels or Explore and then the icon in the corner, or go to Settings, then Content preferences. As of Nov 2026 it's in the iPhone and Android apps, not on computers.
Do I need to tune Feed, Reels and Explore separately?
No. Instagram says Your algorithm is one unified system, so one change updates your recommendations across Feed, Reels and Explore.
What does the From label on an Instagram post mean?
It means the post was recommended because of one of your interests, such as From Running. Tap it to see related content or update your preferences.
Can parents see a teen's Your algorithm interests?
When supervision is set up for a Teen Account, a parent or guardian can see the general interest categories the teen added to see more of, in Family Centre.
