Instagram’s Friends tab in Reels is designed to make the app feel more social by showing what public videos your friends have liked, commented on, or created. It sits alongside the main Reels feed and is tailored to your circle, giving you a look into their activity rather than trending posts from strangers.
While the feature can help you discover new content through your friends’ tastes, it also means your own engagement is far more visible than before. For many users, this level of exposure raises privacy concerns, especially when casual likes or quick comments are suddenly highlighted to followers. If you value control over your online footprint, taking a few minutes to adjust your Instagram friends tab privacy settings can make a big difference.
Learn how to hide your likes in Instagram’s new Friends tab
- Launch Instagram on your phone and log in if you are not already signed in.
- Tap your profile picture in the bottom right, then the three-line menu in the top right. Scroll down to the Settings and activity section from the menu.
- Now, tap on the Activity in Friends tab. This is where you control who can view your likes and comments in the Friends tab.
- Choose No one to hide your engagement entirely. This will prevent your likes and comments on Reels from appearing in the Friends tab for any of your followers.
If you still want to appear in the Friends tab but prefer not to see certain people’s activity, look for the option to mute activity bubbles for specific friends. This helps you filter what you see without removing your own presence entirely.
This feature began rolling out in early 2025 and is now widely available. If you cannot find the option, update Instagram to the latest version from the App Store or Google Play.
Once these steps are complete, your likes and comments on Reels will no longer be shown in the Friends tab. You will still be able to watch your friends’ activity in that feed, but your own engagement will remain private. If you want to confirm that it worked, ask a friend who follows you to check their Friends tab and see if your activity appears.
