Instagram launched Your Algorithm in late 2025 as a way for users to see and edit the topics the platform's AI associates with them. It started with Reels, expanded to Explore in April 2026, and now also affects the main Feed[citation:9][citation:12].

The tool addresses a common frustration: algorithmic recommendations can feel opaque and impossible to influence. Your Algorithm makes those topics visible — and editable[citation:3].

What Your Algorithm does

When you open the tool, Instagram shows you a summary of topics it thinks you care about, based on your activity. The list is personalized to you, not a generic set of categories[citation:9].

For example, you might see something like: "Lately you've been into creativity, sports hype, fitness motivation, and skateboarding"[citation:9].

From there, you can[citation:3][citation:6][citation:9]:

  • Add topics you want to see more of.
  • Remove topics you don't want to see.
  • Tap into any topic to see examples of the Reels that fit that category.
  • Add a custom topic that isn't already in the list.

How to find Your Algorithm

The feature is buried fairly deep in Instagram's settings. Here's the path[citation:3][citation:6]:

  • Open the Instagram app and tap your profile icon in the lower right corner.
  • Tap the three lines icon in the top right corner.
  • Scroll down and tap Content preferences.
  • Tap Your Algorithm.
  • Pick the topics you want or don't want to see.

You can also access it from the Reels feed by tapping the slider icon in the top right corner[citation:18].

Which surfaces it affects

  • Reels — the first surface, launched October 2025[citation:9].
  • Explore — expanded April 2026[citation:12].
  • Main Feed — expanded June 2026[citation:12].

What Instagram says about it

Adam Mosseri described Your Algorithm as "the start of something bigger than a feature," saying more controls are coming, including setting moods, vibes, and content types[citation:3].

Instagram says your list of interests is determined by your activity and summarized by AI[citation:9]. Changes you make to the list help the system revise the algorithmic parameters assigned to you[citation:12].

What to do with this

If your Feed or Reels feel off, spend two minutes in Your Algorithm. Check what Instagram thinks you're into, remove the topics that don't fit, and add the ones that do. It won't change your recommendations overnight, but it gives the system a clear signal about what you actually want to see.

Next: read how Instagram Instants works, or learn how Instagram's ranking algorithms work.