Alexis Kestler
Do certain accounts make your Instagram feed unbearable? Learn how to effortlessly mute posts and stories you don‘t want to see.
As a social media advisor for startups like XYZ Company, I‘ve guided countless brands on optimizing their Instagram presence. And controlling your feed using muting is one of the most important best practices I share.
Why? Over 60% of users feel overwhelmed by their Instagram feeds according to polls, with Stories being the biggest culprit.
Luckily Instagram now offers robust preferences for silencing accounts without unfollowing them.
In this guide, you‘ll learn:
- What muting does (and doesn‘t do)
- 3 ways to mute accounts seamlessly
- Muting versus blocking
- Extra tips for DMs and comments
- FAQs answered by a pro
Let‘s get started!
What Happens When You Mute Someone On Instagram?
Muting allows you to hide all posts and stories from specific Instagram users without them knowing. Their content completely disappears from your home feed and stories bar.
But crucially, you remain signed up to receive their updates. You just won‘t see them unless you undo the mute.
For all intents and purposes, muting is like putting an account on pause. You take a temporary break without severing social ties.
Reasons you may want to mute include:
- Avoiding overposters who share too frequently
- Taking breaks from friends/relatives without offense
- Silencing old contacts like ex-partners safely
- Controlling feed to focus on favorite creatives
Now let‘s dive into exactly how to mute accounts on Instagram using different methods…
Method 1: Mute Users Through Their Profile
The easiest way to mute someone is directly through their profile page. You can remove posts, stories, reels and notes in just a few taps:
- Navigate to their profile and tap the Following button
- Select Mute from the menu
- Toggle muting for Posts, Stories, Reels and Notes
I like handling muting through profiles whenever an entire account overwhelms me. It neatly removes their whole presence in one go.
[Insert screenshot of muting from profile here]
Up next, let‘s see how to mute accounts directly from your live feed and stories…
Method 2: Mute From Instagram Feed And Stories
My second favorite muting technique works right as you‘re scrolling through content. It lets you instantly silence posts and stories distracting your feed.
To mute an account from your home page or story viewer:
- Press and hold the story or post
- Tap Mute when the menu pops up
- Select mute Story or mute Story + Posts
Similarly you can mute posts from your main feed by:
- Tapping the 3 dots above the post
- Choosing Mute Posts
- Confirming to complete the mute
I love how surgically precise this method is. When something annoys you mid-scroll, a few taps makes it disappear. No more social media headaches!
[Insert animation of muting from feed here]
Now let‘s examine your final option…
Method 3: Mute While Viewing Stories
You can also remove accounts directly through your story viewer:
- Select their profile picture as you watch
- Tap the mute button bottom right corner
- Pick Mute Story to confirm
This works great if a terrible story makes you want to instantly block their updates. No need to hunt down their account later!
[Show screenshot of muting via story viewer]
So in summary, you have 3 routes depending on your preference:
- Mute through profile (all content)
- Mute through feed and stories (granular)
- Mute inside story viewer (instant)
Now let‘s clarify an important difference: muting versus blocking accounts.
Should You Be Muting Or Blocking Annoying Accounts?
Muting and blocking both grant control over your Instagram feed. But they work differently:
Muting simply hides someone‘s posts and stories from view. Your follow status doesn‘t change. You can also reverse it anytime.
Blocking severs contact completely. You instantly unfollow them, their content vanishes, and they can‘t search/view your profile anymore.
A good framework is to think of muting as a snooze and blocking as a total cutoff.
Muting works well if you want a temporary feed curation whereas blocking is permanent. Some examples where optimal:
- You want a break from family posts → Mute
- An ex-partner upsets you → Mute
- Spam or abusive accounts → Block
Depends on your goals, muting and blocking give precision control over your destination.
Up next, let‘s see how to mute activity beyond the Instagram feed using messages and comments.
Going Beyond The Feed: Muting DMs & Comments
In addition to the Instagram feed, you can target account interactions through direct messages and comments:
Mute Direct Messages
Tired of frequent DM interruptions? Block conversations using your inbox:
- Open the Instagram app and go to your messages
- Long press the conversation you want to mute
- Select Mute confirm
Repeat for any message requests to stop notifications. I use this whenever conversations become a distraction.
Mute Comments
Are certain people spamming your posts? Prevent them commenting:
- Go to privacy settings
- Tap Comments
- Enter any accounts to block
This entirely removes unwanted opinions and trolls from your posts.
Combining feed, messaging, and comment muting gives you censorship across all Instagram activity. Segment appropriately based on your priorities.
Muting Instagram Accounts: FAQs
Here are answers to the most frequently asked questions around muting directly from my decade of social media experience:
Do people know if I‘ve muted them?
No. Muting is completely anonymous without any notification to the user. Think of it like watching secretly!
What if I change my mind – can I reverse it?
Yes! Just revisit their profile and unmute anytime. No harm done.
Can muted people see my stuff?
Yes. Your feed stays visible to them. Think of muting as a one way street.
Do my likes still count if I’ve muted them?
Yep! Your engagement metrics aren‘t impacted when you mute. Instagram still registers likes normally.
Hopefully this clears up common confusion around how stealthy muting works!
Take Back Control Of Your Instagram
Using muting and blocking wisely can drastically improve your Instagram experience. Apply the techniques here whenever accounts become overwhelming or irrelevant.
Remember, out of sight leads to out of mind on social media. Don‘t let annoying posters command space for free – use muting as a simple solution!
Have additional questions around managing your Instagram feed? Feel free to reach out on social media or check my other Instagram tutorials.
Let me know if you found this guide helpful! Now get muting. 😉
