Instagram’s Friends Tab—found in the Reels section—allows users to see the Reels their friends like, comment on, and repost. While this feature is designed to boost social interaction, it has also raised privacy concerns for many.
If you prefer to keep your Instagram activity private, the good news is that you can easily turn off the Friends Tab’s activity tracking. In this guide, we’ll explain step-by-step how to hide your likes and comments, and explore additional privacy tools to keep your account secure.
Also Read: Instagram Released New Friends Tab Feature to Help Connect
What Is the Instagram Friends Tab?
The Friends Tab is a dedicated feed in Instagram Reels that shows the posts your friends have liked or commented on. Instagram’s goal is to help users discover content through social connections and spark new conversations.
However, your interactions become visible to all your mutual friends. For some, this feels intrusive, as it reveals activity they may prefer to keep private.
Why Control the Friends Tab?
Not everyone wants their activity displayed for all friends to see. Here’s why turning it off might be the right choice:
- Privacy Protection – Keeps your engagement habits personal.
- Avoid Unnecessary Questions – No need to explain why you liked or commented on certain content.
- Maintain Boundaries – Prevents oversharing of your browsing behavior.
- Reduce Social Pressure – Stops comparisons or judgments based on your activity.
By controlling the Friends Tab, you decide how much of your Instagram behavior others can view.
How to Turn Off the Friends Tab Activity
If you want to keep your likes and comments private, follow these simple steps:
- Open Instagram and tap your Profile icon.
- Tap the three-line menu in the top right corner.
- Select Settings & activity.
- Scroll to Activity in Friends Tab.
- Under “Who can see your likes and comments”, choose No one.
Once done, your likes and comments on Reels will no longer appear in your friends’ Friends Tab feed.
How to See Your Friends’ Liked Reels
If you’re still curious about your friends’ activity, you can check it without sharing your own:
- Go to the Reels section on Instagram.
- Tap the Friends Tab at the top.
- Scroll to view the Reels your friends liked or commented on.
- Switch back to the main Reels feed anytime by tapping the Reels icon again.
Why You Might Disable the Friends Tab Feature
Here are the main benefits of turning it off:
- Control Your Activity Visibility – You decide what’s public.
- Enhanced Privacy – Keeps personal engagement hidden.
- Less Social Clutter – Reduces the noise in your digital interactions.
Remember, Instagram often enables social features by default, so adjusting these settings gives you back control.
What Happens After You Turn It Off?
Disabling the Friends Tab visibility means:
- Your likes and comments won’t appear in the Friends Tab.
- You can still see your friends’ activity if they haven’t disabled theirs.
- Your ability to like, comment, and post remains the same.
Additional Instagram Privacy Tools
To further protect your privacy, consider using these settings alongside disabling the Friends Tab:
- Private Account – Only approved followers can view your posts.
- Hide Like Counts – Conceal the number of likes on your posts.
- Restrict or Block Users – Limit or stop interactions from unwanted accounts.
- Mute Accounts – Remove posts from your feed without unfollowing.
- Comment & Mention Controls – Decide who can comment or tag you.
These options, combined with disabling Friends Tab activity, give you maximum privacy control.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What does “Turn off Instagram Friends Tab” mean?
It hides your likes and comments from appearing in the Friends Tab feed.
How do I disable it?
Go to Settings & activity → Activity in Friends Tab → No one.
Will my friends still see my likes on posts?
Not in the Friends Tab, but they may see them directly on public posts.
Can I turn it back on?
Yes—change the setting anytime.
Does this stop Instagram from tracking my activity?
No—it only changes what others can see.
Will this hide my reposts?
No—it only affects likes and comments on Reels.
Does Instagram notify others when I change it?
No—changes are private.
Will my recommendations change?
No—your engagement still helps shape your recommendations.
Should I use other privacy settings too?
Yes—for maximum privacy, use this alongside other tools.
Is this available to everyone?
Yes—in the latest Instagram versions worldwide.
Conclusion
The Friends Tab can be a fun feature for discovering what your friends are watching, but it’s not ideal for everyone. If you value privacy and prefer to control your interactions, turning it off is a simple solution.
By navigating to Settings & activity → Activity in Friends Tab → No one, you can instantly hide your likes and comments from public view. Combine this with Instagram’s other privacy settings, and you’ll have complete control over your experience—keeping your activity personal while still enjoying the app.
