Worth reading · 4 min read

How to use Instagram and YouTube without the algorithm

A few settings Instagram and YouTube already have, and where their help ends.

Both Instagram and YouTube have a few settings that reduce the content an algorithm picks for you. They aren’t hidden, but few people use them.

Instagram

• A feed of only the people you follow. Tap the Instagram logo at the top left and choose Following. Posts are in time order, with no suggestions. When you close the app, the feed goes back to the default.
• Favorites. Under the same logo, choose Favorites to see only posts from people you’ve marked.
• Snooze suggested posts. On a suggested post, tap the three dots and choose to stop seeing them for a while.

You can’t hide the Reels tab in the app. Reels also show up between posts and in Explore.

YouTube

• Turn off watch history. In your account settings, turn off Watch history. YouTube then shows no recommendations on the home page, and it stays almost empty. Search and subscriptions work as usual.
• Start from Subscriptions. Open the Subscriptions tab instead of the home page.

The Shorts tab stays, and Shorts still show up in search and below videos.

Where this isn’t enough

All of these settings can be undone with one tap when you’re tired or bored. That’s why Sidestep removes Reels, Shorts and suggestions completely, and keeps what you open the app for: messages, stories, friends’ posts, search and subscriptions.