How to remove people from close friends on Instagram

Instagram allows us to connect virtually with numerous people, so we won’t always feel comfortable sharing every detail of our lives with them. But the app comes with the handy “Close Friends” feature that allows us to upload stories that only a select few users will be able to see.

This guide will explain how you can carefully curate your “Close Friends” selection by removing users from it. Read on to learn how to have more control over the visibility of your Instagram Stories.

How to remove people from close friends on Instagram

Instagram works well with all mobile devices, so you’ll be able to make the most of the Close Friends feature on your iPhone, iPad, or Android device.

How to Remove People from Close Friends on Instagram on an iPhone

iPhone users can decide who has permission to review their most personal posts by adjusting their “Close Friends” list and removing certain users. To do it:

1. Launch the Instagram app on your iPhone and tap your profile picture icon.
   
2. Select the three lines in the top right section of your profile page.
   
3. Choose the “Close Friends” option.
   
4. You will now see your Instagram “Close Friends” list. Scroll down the list until you find the user you want to delete.
   
5. Click on the “Delete” button to remove that friend of yours.
   

How to Add People to Close Instagram Friends on an iPhone

You can also mark certain users as “Close Friends” and grant them access to your private stories. To add your profiles to your list:

1. Open the Instagram app on your iPhone.
   
2. Select “Settings” and press “Close Friends.”
   
3. Go to the search field and enter the username of the person you want to include in your Close Friends list.
   
4. Tap the “Add” option next to your username and tap “Done” to finish the action.
   

How to remove people from close friends on Instagram on an iPad

Restricting someone’s access to your “close friends” stories on an iPad is a relatively simple process. Here’s how to do it:

1. Enter the Instagram application on your iPad.
   
2. Select your profile picture at the bottom right of the screen to open your Instagram profile.
   
3. Click the three lines at the top right of your Instagram profile page.
   
4. Tap “Close Friends” to generate the list.
   
5. Go through the list until you find the person you want to remove. Tap the name of the person you want to remove to prevent them from seeing your “Close Friends” posts.
   

How to Add People to Close Instagram Friends on an iPad

The “Close Friends” feature also allows you to add users to the list and personalize your Instagram experience. To mark someone as a “Close Friend” on your iPad:

1. Open the Instagram app on your device.
   
2. Locate your profile picture in the lower right corner.
   
3. Now in your profile, choose the lines in the upper right corner of your account.
   
4. Scroll or type the username of the person you want to follow in the search field.
   
5. When your profile appears, simply tap your name and select “Done.”
   

How to remove people from close friends on Instagram on an Android device

The app is compatible with Android devices, allowing you to remove users from your “Close Friends” list. To do it:

1. Enter the Instagram application on your device.
   
2. Tap your profile picture in the lower right corner of the interface to access your profile page.
   
3. Choose the three lines at the top right of your Instagram profile.
   
4. Press “Close Friends” to view your friends list.
   
5. Scroll down until you see the user you want to remove from the list. Tap the name of the person you want to remove to prevent them from seeing your “Close Friends” posts.
   

How to Add People to Close Instagram Friends on Android Device

You can use your Android device to give users more access to your stories and have more control over your Instagram connections. To select someone as a “Close Friend”:

1. Launch the Instagram app.
   
2. Locate your profile picture at the bottom right of your screen.
   
3. In your profile, go to the three lines at the top of your account, click “Close Friends”
   
4. Tap the name of the person you want to add to your “Close Friends” circle and click “Done.”
   

Additional FAQs

Will my close friends receive a notification when I make a new post?

Users on your Close Friends list will not receive an official notification when they upload a Close Friends post. However, your photo or video will be at the beginning of the Instagram Story tab on your home page. The story will also have a green circle around it, alerting your followers that you’ve selected them as your close Instagram friends.

How does Instagram make suggestions from close friends?

When you adjust your “Close Friends” list, you’ll see an automatically generated “Suggestions” section. It’s basically a selection of people who Instagram thinks you might want to share more private posts with. While it’s not entirely clear how the app makes this selection, these are most likely accounts you interact with the most or users you chat with frequently.

If you see a user you want to grant viewing access to more personal posts, simply tap the “Add” button next to their username. This action will automatically categorize them as your close Instagram friend.

How will I know if someone has added me to their close Instagram friends?

You are the only person who has access to your “Close Friends” list. None of your followers will be able to see if you have included them on the list. Likewise, you have no way of knowing if someone has marked you as their close friend on Instagram. You’ll only know when the person uploads a “Close Friends” story. The post will have a green circle around it, indicating that only the person’s close friends will be able to see the story.

How do I remove my profile from someone’s “Close Friends” list?

No method will allow you to remove your profile from someone’s “Close Friends” list. However, you can contact the person and ask them to remove your name from their list. If you don’t feel comfortable doing so, you also have the option to unfollow their Instagram profile or block them. You will lose all access to their posts and they will not be able to track your activity on Instagram.

Until Instagram releases a more convenient solution, these are the only steps you can take to remove your name from someone’s “Close Friends” list.

How long are “Close Friends” stories visible?

Once you upload a photo or video as a Close Friends story, it will remain visible for up to 24 hours. You can also display the story as Featured on your profile page and prevent it from disappearing. But only your close friends will be able to see it. You cannot share this story with users who are not on your “Close Friends” list.

How many people can I include on my “Close Friends” list?

Instagram has not restricted the number of people you can add to the list.

How will I know if someone has removed me from their “Close Friends” section?

While there’s no exact way to determine if someone has removed your profile from their list, you can still get a good idea based on the stories they upload. If they’ve only been posting public stories with a pink circle around them, they’ve stopped uploading “Close Friends” stories or limited your access to viewing them.

Keep your Instagram friends close

Instagram has opened our online lives to greater scrutiny, but there are ways to control how much of your virtual activity is available to others. The “Close Friends” feature is useful for allowing only people you trust to keep track of what you post and when.

Do you have a list of Instagram “close friends”? Have you recently deleted some users? Let us know in the comments below.