Instagram has quietly rolled out a new feature that many users are not happy about. The new Friends tab in Reels is designed to make your activity more visible to your connections. Every time you like or comment on a Reel, that activity can appear in the feeds of your friends. In the Reels section, there is a dedicated tab where you only get to see Reels your friends engaged with.
For many users, this feels like Instagram is making their actions more public than ever before. After all, not everyone wants their likes and comments out in the open for others to see.
What is the Friends Tab in Instagram Reels?
The Friends tab is a new feed inside Instagram Reels. Instead of only showing Reels, it also shows what your friends are liking and commenting on. So if you engage with a Reel, there is a chance your friends will see it in this tab.
Instagram says the idea is to make Reels more social. But for people who like to keep their activity private, this can feel a little intrusive.
Some users may not care, but many will find it uncomfortable. Maybe you are liking memes late at night, motivational videos, or cooking hacks you will never try. Do you really want all your friends to see that?
This added visibility is not for everyone. It makes sense if you want to take control and keep your activity private.
How to Turn Off Activity in the Friends Tab
The good news is that you can easily disable this feature. It only takes a few seconds to change the setting and stop Instagram from sharing your likes and comments. Here’s how to do it:
Open your Profile on Instagram. Tap the menu icon (three lines) in the top right corner. It will open the Settings and activity page. Here, scroll down to the Activity in Friends tab.
On the Activity in Friends tab, select No one.
That’s it. Once you make this change, your likes and comments will no longer appear in the Friends tab.
Keep Your Activity Private
Instagram is always experimenting with new features, and not all of them feel comfortable to every user. The Friends tab may be fun for some, but if you value privacy, it is best to turn this option off.
By taking just a few seconds to change your settings, you can keep your Instagram activity private and enjoy Reels without worrying about who might see your likes and comments.
