Instagram is giving users the option to Mute friends. This long-overdue feature means you can either permanently or temporarily Mute friends without the need to Unfollow them. And thus, with one wave of its wand, Instagram has saved some friendships.
Since its inception, if you have wanted to stop seeing people's posts on your Instagram you've had to Unfollow them. This is the nuclear option, completely severing the connection between you and your friend. However, you can now Mute friends instead...
How to Mute Someone on Instagram
Finally, after many requests from users, Instagram is rolling out a Mute button. Muting someone means you will no longer see their posts, or posts and stories (it's up to you), in your feed. Without any need to Unfollow them and risk offending them.
To Mute someone, just tap the "..." menu in the corner of a post. You can then "Mute Posts," "Mute Story," or "Mute Posts and Story". Either way, you can still see that person's posts by visiting their profile page, and get notified when they tag you.
The good news is you can Mute someone without them ever knowing. They'll still think you're seeing all of their posts and stories. This is the big difference between Muting and Unfollowing someone, as it's quite easy to see when someone has Unfollowed you.
The Mute button will be rolling out to all Instagram users over the next few weeks, so if you can't yet see it as an option, be patient. In the meantime you can always compile a list of the friends you want to Mute as soon as the option becomes available.
Bring Back the Chronological Feed!
Adding a Mute button is clearly a good move, and Instagram users seem to be appreciating the new feature. However, many are reminding Instagram that they would really rather have their chronological feed back. And until they do, nothing else matters.
If you're a big fan of Instagram, regardless of the presence of the Mute button, this is how to gain followers on Instagram. And if you have had enough of Instagram, here are some Instagram alternatives for smartphone photographers you should check out.
Image Credit: David Schiersner/Flickr