Want to reset your social media feed because it keeps showing the same stuff? The short answer: yes, you can, and both Instagram and TikTok now offer a reset option. But a reset is only half the job, because your feed rebuilds itself from what you do next. Here are the common myths, and what actually works.
Myth: You have to delete your account to start over
You do not. TikTok has introduced a way to refresh your For You feed, after which the feed shows content as if you had just joined the app. According to TikTok, the refresh does not override settings you have already chosen and does not affect the accounts you follow.
Instagram has a similar tool. Its announcement describes a reset of your content suggestions that clears recommended content across Explore, Reels and Feed. Instagram described the feature as rolling out gradually, so you may not see it in your app yet. If it is missing, the other steps below still work.
Fact: A reset only clears recommendations, not your follows
Think of a reset as wiping the guesses the app has made about you. The people and pages you follow stay exactly where they are. That is why a reset on its own often disappoints: if your follow list is full of accounts you no longer care about, they will keep showing up.
Use the moment to tidy up. Scroll through the accounts you follow and unfollow anything that no longer fits. Instagram suggests doing this during the reset itself, and it is a quick win on any platform.
Myth: Your feed will look perfect right after the reset
Expect a slightly random feed for a few days. After a reset, recommendations rebuild from your new activity, so the first videos and posts are more or less general picks. The good news is that you steer the rebuild. Whatever you linger on, like, save, share or comment on tells the app what to show next.
Instagram explains that its Feed ranking looks at your activity, such as likes, shares, saves and comments, along with how often you interact with a poster. You can read the details in its guide to how Instagram ranking works.
Fact: Small daily choices train your feed fastest
After a reset, spend a week being deliberate. These habits make the biggest difference:
- Engage with what you want more of. Save, share or comment on posts you actually enjoy, instead of silently scrolling past them.
- Skip what you do not want. Use the “Not interested” option on posts or videos you would rather not see. Instagram says this tells it to show you less of that kind of content, and TikTok lets you skip a specific creator or a particular sound.
- Filter words and hashtags. TikTok can remove videos that use hashtags or phrases you choose from your For You feed, and Instagram has Hidden Words for hiding posts whose captions contain certain words.
- Use your Favorites. On Instagram, posts from Favorites appear higher in your Feed, and you can limit your Feed to Favorites only.
Myth: A chronological feed is a hidden setting you cannot use
Not quite. Instagram offers a Following view that shows posts from accounts you follow from the last 30 days in chronological order. If you want a calmer scroll without suggestions, that view or the Favorites view is a handy alternative to a full reset. Instagram also has a Snooze option that pauses suggested posts in your Feed for 30 days.
A simple reset routine you can finish in 15 minutes
If you want a clear plan, follow this order. It works the same way on most apps:
- Review the accounts you follow and unfollow the ones you no longer enjoy.
- Run the reset or refresh option if your app offers it.
- Add filters for hashtags, sounds or words you are tired of seeing.
- Pick two or three topics you want more of, such as cooking, travel or crafts, and engage with those on purpose for a week.
- Check back after seven days and mark anything off-target as “Not interested”.
While you are in your settings, it is also a good time to review who can see your posts. Our guide to social media privacy settings walks through the common mistakes in about 15 minutes. And if the apps themselves are making your phone sluggish, see where your phone storage really goes.
Frequently asked questions
Will resetting my feed delete my likes or saved posts?
Based on how TikTok and Instagram describe their tools, a reset targets recommendations, not your account content or the accounts you follow. Check the confirmation screen in your app before you tap, since wording can change.
How often should I reset my social media feed?
There is no fixed schedule. Many people only reset when the suggestions feel stale or repetitive. Between resets, regular use of “Not interested” and a periodic clean-up of your follow list keeps things fresh.
Why does my feed still look the same after a reset?
Your follow list and your recent behaviour shape what you see. If you keep watching or liking the same kind of content, the app will happily serve more of it, so change what you engage with for a few days.
Bottom line
A feed reset is a useful fresh start, but the lasting change comes from what you follow, skip and engage with afterwards. Reset once, tidy your follows, and spend a week being picky. Your feed will start to look like something you chose.