How Your Algorithm Controls on Instagram Actually Work

Instagram now lets you manually shape what its algorithm recommends. The feature, called Your Algorithm, rolled out to all English-speaking users globally in January 2026. It allows you to select up to three top interests that directly influence how Reels are ranked in your feed. Here is how it works, where it applies, and what it does not do.

What Your Algorithm Is

Your Algorithm is a setting inside Instagram that gives users explicit control over the topics the platform prioritizes in their Reels feed. Rather than relying entirely on behavioral signals like watch time, likes, and shares, this feature lets you tell Instagram directly what you want to see more of.

It is not a replacement for the existing recommendation system. It is an additional input layer. Instagram still uses engagement signals, relationship data, and content metadata to rank Reels. But when you activate Your Algorithm, your selected interests receive a ranking boost, meaning content tagged or classified under those topics appears more frequently.

How to Access It

The setting lives inside your Instagram profile. Navigate to Settings, then select Content Preferences, and look for Your Algorithm. From there, you are presented with a list of interest categories. You can select up to three at any given time.

The available categories cover broad topics. Think fitness, cooking, travel, fashion, technology, comedy, and similar groupings. Instagram determines these categories based on its internal content classification system, which tags Reels by subject matter during upload and processing.

What Selecting Interests Actually Changes

When you pick your three interests, Instagram adjusts the ranking weight for Reels content associated with those topics. In practice, this means two things.

First, Reels that match your selected interests are more likely to appear near the top of your feed. Second, the overall diversity of your Reels feed may shift. You will still see content outside your selected topics, but the ratio will tilt toward your chosen categories.

This does not override other ranking factors entirely. A Reel from a creator you frequently engage with will still rank well, even if it falls outside your selected interests. Similarly, a Reel from an unfamiliar account in one of your selected categories will get a boost, but it still needs baseline engagement signals to surface prominently.

Where It Applies and Where It Does Not

This is the most important constraint to understand. Your Algorithm controls currently apply only to the Reels feed. They do not affect your main Feed, Stories, or the Explore page.

That distinction matters because each of those surfaces uses its own ranking system. The main Feed prioritizes content from accounts you follow and interact with. Stories are ranked primarily by recency and relationship closeness. Explore uses broader behavioral patterns to surface content from accounts you do not follow.

Your Algorithm is scoped to Reels only. If Instagram expands the feature to other surfaces in the future, that has not been announced as of January 2026.

Constraints and Practical Limits

There are several boundaries worth noting.

You can select a maximum of three interests. You cannot add more. If you want to change one, you need to deselect an existing choice first.

The feature is currently available only to English-speaking users. Instagram has not announced a timeline for additional language support.

Interest categories are predefined by Instagram. You cannot create custom topics or enter free-text interests. You choose from the list provided.

Changes are not instant. After updating your selections, it may take some time for the ranking adjustments to become noticeable in your Reels feed. Instagram has not specified an exact timeframe, but users should expect a gradual shift rather than an immediate change.

FAQ

Does Your Algorithm affect what appears in Stories or the main Feed? No. The feature only applies to the Reels feed. Stories, Feed, and Explore each use separate ranking systems that are not influenced by Your Algorithm selections.

Can I select more than three interests? No. The maximum is three. To add a new interest, you must first remove an existing one.

Will my Reels feed only show content from my selected interests? No. Your selected interests receive a ranking boost, but Instagram still shows content based on other signals like engagement history and creator relationships. Your feed will still include a mix of topics.

Is the feature available in all languages? Not yet. As of January 2026, Your Algorithm is available only to English-speaking users globally. Support for additional languages has not been announced.

How quickly do changes take effect? There is no official timeframe. Users report that ranking adjustments appear gradually rather than immediately after changing selections.