Instagram Adds Two New Modes to Give You More Control on How Your Feed Looks

Sophie Webster, Tech Times 24 March 2022, 01:03 am

On Mar. 23, Instagram announced that it is adding two new modes that will change how the platform's feed works. One of the features will bring back the reverse-chronological view that the feed had before.

Instagram stated that the two new modes are called "Following" and "Favorites," and they are created to give users more choice and control over what they see while using the app.

Instagram to Add Two New Modes

The "Following" mode allows users to see the latest posts from accounts they follow in the order they were posted.

As for the "Favorites" mode, users will be able to star up to 50 accounts, and posts from them will show up higher in the main feed.

Users will also be able to view the posts in a separate "Favorites" feed, which Instagram said begins with the most recent posts, according to Meta.

Also Read: Instagram is Reportedly Working on an Affiliate Program to Help Creators Monetize Their Content

Seine Kim, a spokesperson for Instagram, told The Verge that the "Favorites" list is private to the user and will not be visible to anyone else. This can keep the list from becoming a social battleground.

However, the two new modes come with a price. In a press release announcing the update, Instagram head Adam Mosseri said that they are going to add more recommendations to the feed based on the user's interests over time.

That means that the default feed will start having more content from people you are not following, which is what a lot of users have complained about with the current version of the feed.

The change should be bearable as long as the "Following" feed is in place. One thing is for sure, the chronological order in the feed won't go away.

The two new modes have been in the works for a while now, Mosseri talked about it a couple of times in 2021, and some users have gotten to test it before its official launch.

Instagram also teased the modes on Twitter on Mar. 22. Now, the modes should finally be on their way to all users.

To get to either of the newsfeeds, just tap on the Instagram logo in the top left corner when you are in the home tab, and you can start enjoying your feed in chronological order.

Product Tagging to Users in the US

Aside from the two new modes, Instagram also rolled out a feature that allows users in the United States to start tagging brands' products in their posts.

Previously, this feature was only available to creators and business accounts. In the next couple of months, the feature will be available to everyone, according to GSMArena.

Over the last few years, Instagram has shifted towards selling products from within the app. The latest update can make it more so that users can easily identify products featured in video and photo posts. The feature will also be included in Instagram stories.

Instagram plans to eventually add the feature to Instagram Reels in the next couple of months.

In October 2021, Instagram rolled out a collaboration feature that lets users share a post.

In November 2021, Instagram allowed users to shake their phones to report app issues.