Instagram has become one of the most popular social media platforms worldwide, with millions of users sharing photos, videos, and stories daily. As your Instagram journey progresses, you might find yourself wanting to clean up your following list. Whether you're trying to curate your feed, reduce social media noise, or simply move on from certain connections, knowing how to unfollow someone on Instagram is an essential skill for managing your social media experience.

In this comprehensive guide, I'll walk you through various methods to unfollow accounts on Instagram, from individual unfollows to bulk management techniques. I'll also share some practical tips on maintaining a healthy following list without creating awkward social situations.

Why You Might Want to Unfollow Someone on Instagram

Before diving into the "how," let's briefly discuss the "why." There are many valid reasons you might want to unfollow someone:

• Your feed feels cluttered with content you no longer enjoy
• You're following too many accounts and want to streamline
• You've grown apart from certain connections
• An account posts content that affects your mental well-being
• You're trying to reduce your overall social media consumption
• You followed accounts for a contest or promotion that's now over

Remember, unfollowing is a normal part of social media management and doesn't necessarily reflect how you feel about someone personally.

How to Unfollow someone on Instagram: Basic Method

Let's start with the most straightforward approach to unfollowing a single account. This method works whether you're using Instagram on iOS, Android, or the web version.

Method 1: Unfollowing from someone's profile

1. Open the Instagram app on your device
2. Navigate to the profile of the person you want to unfollow
3. Look for the "Following" button (it appears as a blue button with white text)
4. Tap on the "Following" button
5. A confirmation popup will appear asking if you want to unfollow
6. Confirm by selecting "Unfollow"

That's it! You've successfully unfollowed the account. The button will change from "Following" to "Following," indicating you no longer follow this account. The person will not receive a notification that you've unfollowed them.

Method 2: Unfollowing from Your Following List

If you want to review and manage your entire following list, this method is more efficient:

1. Go to your Instagram profile by tapping your profile picture in the bottom right corner
2. Tap on “Following” near the top of your profile (this shows the number of accounts you follow)
3. You'll see a complete list of accounts you follow
4. Find the account you want to unfollow
5. Tap the "Following" button next to their name
6. Confirm your choice when prompted

This method is particularly useful when you want to review multiple accounts and make decisions about who to keep following.

Advanced Methods for Managing Your Instagram Following

Now that we've covered the basics, let's explore some more advanced techniques for managing who you follow on Instagram.

How to Unfollow Multiple Accounts Efficiently

If you're looking to do a major clean-up of your following list, going one by one can be time-consuming. While Instagram doesn't provide an official bulk unfollow feature, you can still make the process more efficient:

1. Go to your profile and tap on "Following"
2. Use the search bar at the top to find specific categories of accounts
3. Instagram sorts your following list into categories like “Least Interacted With” and “Most Shown in Feed”
4. The "Least Interacted With" section shows accounts you've had minimal engagement with over the past 90 days
5. Tap the “Following” button next to each account you want to unfollow
6. Continue this process, working through your list methodically

Using Instagram's Categories to Prioritize Unfollows

Instagram's categorization feature can help you make smarter decisions about who to unfollow:

Category	Description	When to Use
Least Interacted With	Accounts you rarely engage with	When doing a general clean-up
Most Shown in Feed	Accounts that appear frequently in your feed	When you want to keep your favorites
Sorted by Date Followed (Earliest)	Accounts you followed first	When reviewing old follows that may no longer be relevant
Sorted by Date Followed (Latest)	Accounts you recently followed	When reviewing recent impulse follows

How to Unfollow on Instagram Without Them Knowing

A common concern when unfollowing someone is whether they'll know you've unfollowed them. Here's what you need to know:

• Instagram does not send notifications when you unfollow someone
• The only way someone would know is if they use a third-party app that tracks followers or if they manually notice your absence from their follower list
• For extra discretion, you might consider unfollowing during times when the person is less likely to be active on Instagram

How to Unfollow someone on Instagram Without Visiting Their Profile

If you prefer not to visit someone's profile to unfollow them (perhaps to avoid accidentally viewing their content or leaving a digital footprint), you can use this alternative method:

1. Go to your profile page
2. Tap on "Following"
3. Use the search bar at the top to type the username of the person you want to unfollow
4. Once their name appears in the results, tap the “Following” button next to their name
5. Confirm your choice when prompted

This method allows you to unfollow someone without visiting their profile, which can be useful if you're trying to limit your exposure to certain content.

How to Unfollow someone on Instagram from the Web Browser

If you prefer using Instagram on your computer, the process is slightly different:

1. Go to instagram.com and log in to your account
2. Navigate to your profile by clicking your profile picture in the top right corner
3. Click on "Following" to see all the accounts you follow
4. Find the account you want to unfollow
5. Click the "Following" button next to their name
6. Confirm your choice when prompted

Alternatively, you can go directly to the person's profile and click the "Following" button at the top of their profile page.

Special Situations When Unfollowing on Instagram

There are some special situations that might require different approaches when unfollowing accounts.

How to Unfollow Inactive Accounts

Inactive accounts can clutter your following list without providing any value to your Instagram experience. Here's how to identify and unfollow them:

1. Go to your "Following" list
2. Look for accounts that haven't posted in a long time (you'll need to visit their profiles to check)
3. Consider unfollowing accounts that haven't been posted in 6-12 months or longer
4. Use the "Least Interacted With" category to help identify potentially inactive accounts

How to Unfollow Private Accounts You Requested

If you've requested to follow a private account but they haven't accepted your request yet, here's how to cancel that request:

1. Go to your profile and tap on the hamburger menu (three lines) in the top right
2. Tap "Settings"
3. Select "Security"
4. Tap on "Access Data"
5. Under "Connections," select "Current follow requests"
6. You'll see a list of pending follow requests
7. Tap "Cancel" next to any request you want to withdraw

How to Unfollow Hashtags on Instagram

In addition to following accounts, Instagram allows you to follow hashtags. If you want to unfollow a hashtag:

1. Search for the hashtag in the search bar
2. Tap on the hashtag to open its page
3. Tap the blue “Following” button
4. Confirm your choice when prompted

You can also see all the hashtags you follow by going to your profile, tapping “Following,” and then selecting “Hashtags” at the top.

Instagram's Unfollow Limits and Restrictions

It's important to be aware that Instagram has certain limitations on how many actions you can take within a specific timeframe. These limits help prevent spam and bot activity:

• New accounts typically have stricter limits than established ones
• The exact numbers aren't publicly disclosed and change frequently
• Generally, it's recommended not to unfollow more than 100-150 accounts per day
• Unfollowing too many accounts too quickly can trigger temporary action blocks
• If you hit a limit, Instagram may show an error message or temporarily restrict your ability to unfollow more accounts

To avoid running into these limits, space out your unfollowing activity throughout the day rather than doing it all at once.

What Happens After You Unfollow someone on Instagram

Understanding the consequences of unfollowing can help manage your expectations:

• The person's posts will no longer appear in your feed
• Their stories will no longer appear at the top of your app
• If they have a private account, you won't be able to see their content unless you follow them again (and they accept)
• You can still see their comments on mutual friends' posts
• They can still see your profile and posts (unless you've set your account to private)
• They can still tag you in posts and send you direct messages (unless you've restricted or blocked them)

Alternatives to Unfollowing on Instagram

Sometimes unfollowing is not necessary, and there are less drastic options available:

Muting Accounts Instead of Unfollowing

Muting allows you to stop seeing someone's content without unfollowing them:

1. Go to the profile you want to mute
2. Tap the "Following" button
3. Select “Mute” from the options
4. Choose whether to mute posts, stories, or both

The person won't know you've muted them, and you can unmute at any time.

Restricting Accounts

Restricting is a middle ground between normal following and blocking:

1. Go to the profile you want to restrict
2. Tap the three dots in the top right corner
3. Select "Restrict"

When you restrict someone:

• Their comments on your posts will only be visible to them (unless you approve them)
• They won't see when you're active on Instagram
• Their direct messages will go to your message requests folder

How to Manage Your Instagram Following List Effectively

To maintain a healthy Instagram experience, consider these best practices for managing your following list:

Regular Following List Audits

Set aside time periodically (perhaps monthly or quarterly) to review who you're following:

• Check if the content still aligns with your interests
• Consider whether each account adds value to your Instagram experience
• Look for accounts that might negatively impact your mental health
• Review your "Least Interacted With" section

Creating a Following Strategy

Having a strategy can help maintain a curated following list:

• Be selective about who you follow in the first place
• Consider using the “Close Friends” feature for people whose Stories you never want to miss
• Use the “Favorites” feature to prioritize certain accounts in your feed
• Consider creating a second account for specific interests if your main feed feels overwhelming

Common Issues When Trying to Unfollow on Instagram

Sometimes you might encounter problems when trying to unfollow accounts. Here are some common issues and their solutions:

The Unfollow Button Doesn't Work

If you tap "Unfollow" but nothing happens:

• Check your internet connection
• Force close the app and reopen it
• Update the Instagram app to the latest version
• Log out and log back in
• Try unfollowing from the web version instead

Action Blocked or Limited

If Instagram shows a message about action blocks:

• Stop unfollowing accounts immediately
• Wait at least 24-48 hours before trying again
• When you resume, unfollow at a much slower rate
• Mix in other activities (liking, commenting) rather than just unfollowing
• Verify your account with phone number or email if prompted

Account Shows as “Following” After Unfollowing

If you unfollow someone but they still appear in your following list:

• Refresh your feed by pulling down on the screen
• Log out and log back in
• Check again after a few hours (sometimes changes take time to update)
• Try unfollowing again from a different device

Etiquette and Social Considerations When Unfollowing

While the technical aspects of unfollowing are straightforward, the social implications can be more complex:

Will They Notice If I Unfollow?

As mentioned earlier, Instagram doesn't send notifications for unfollows. However:

• Close friends or active Instagram users might notice if you disappear from their follower list
• Some people use third-party apps that track follower changes
• If you interact regularly through comments or likes, they might notice when that stops

Handling Potential Awkwardness

If unfollowing might create social tension:

• Consider muting instead of unfollowing for close connections
• If asked directly, be honest but tactful ("I'm trying to reduce my social media consumption")
• Remember that social media connections don't define real-life relationships
• For work colleagues or family members, muting might be more diplomatic than unfollowing

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Frequently Asked Questions

Will someone know if I unfollow them on Instagram?

No, Instagram doesn't send notifications when you unfollow someone. The only way they would know is if they manually notice your absence from their follower list or if they use a third-party app that tracks follower changes.

Is there a limit to how many people I can unfollow on Instagram in one day?

Yes, Instagram imposes limits on actions to prevent spam. While the exact number isn't publicly disclosed, it's generally recommended not to unfollow more than 100-150 accounts per day to avoid temporary restrictions on your account.

What's the difference between unfollowing and muting someone on Instagram?

When you unfollow someone, you completely remove them from your following list and you won't see their content in your feed. When you mute someone, you remain followers, but their posts and/or stories won't appear in your feed. The person won't know they've been muted, making it a good option for maintaining social connections without seeing their content.

If I unfollow someone and later decide to follow them again, will they be notified?

If you follow someone again after unfollowing them, they will receive a notification that you followed them, just like any new follower. For private accounts, they'll need to approve your follow request again.

Can I unfollow multiple people at once on Instagram?

Instagram doesn't offer an official feature to unfollow multiple accounts simultaneously. You need to unfollow accounts one by one. However, you can use the categorization features like “Least Interacted With” to make the process more efficient by targeting specific groups of accounts.

Conclusion

Unfollowing someone on Instagram is a technically simple process, but it can have social implications depending on your relationship with that person. Whether you're doing a major following list cleanup or just removing a few accounts that no longer interest you, the methods outlined in this guide will help you manage your Instagram experience effectively.

Remember that curating your social media feed is a form of self-care. You have every right to control what content appears in your feed and how you spend your time on the platform. By regularly reviewing and refining who you follow, you can create a more enjoyable, meaningful Instagram experience that adds value to your life rather than creating stress or consuming excessive time.

Instagram continues to evolve, so some specific steps might change over time. However, the general principles of managing your following list will remain relevant regardless of interface updates. Take control of your Instagram experience, and don't be afraid to hit that unfollow button when it serves your digital well-being.