nstagram is testing a new feature that allows select users to adjust what they see in their Reels and Explore feeds by directly tuning the platform’s recommendation algorithm. The test, announced by Instagram head Adam Mosseri on Threads, gives participants the ability to add or remove content topics based on personal interests — effectively offering more influence over how the app curates its video and post suggestions.
The feature is launching first on Reels, with plans to extend it to the Explore section if the test proves successful. A screenshot shared by Mosseri shows a new interface where users can choose categories they want to see more or less of, providing a clearer, topic-driven approach to personalization. The goal, according to Mosseri, is to give users “more control over their Instagram experience,” an ongoing theme in the company’s recent updates that emphasize user agency, content filtering, and mental well-being.
This experiment builds on Instagram’s previous efforts to make its algorithm more transparent and customizable. Over the past few years, the platform has added tools that let users mark content as “not interesting,” restrict sensitive material, and manage recommendations. The latest move represents a more direct form of input, where users can proactively shape what appears in their feeds instead of relying solely on passive engagement cues like likes, follows, and watch time.
Mosseri also mentioned that Meta is considering a similar tuning system for Threads, its text-based social platform. That idea reportedly emerged after a viral trend in which users jokingly addressed “the algorithm” in their posts to find like-minded accounts — a reminder of how users both engage with and critique algorithmic visibility.
Instagram has not disclosed how many users will be included in this test or when it might expand globally. Still, the feature signals Meta’s growing focus on balancing personalization with transparency, amid broader scrutiny of how recommendation systems shape user behavior. If implemented widely, the tuning tool could help Instagram address one of its most common criticisms — that its algorithm feels opaque and overly controlling — by giving users a say in the kind of content they actually want to see.
