How to add and remove people from your Close Friends list
Your Close Friends list on Instagram is a separate audience you control separately from your regular followers. Stories posted to Close Friends appear only to the people on that list, not to everyone who follows you. You can change who is on the list at any time, and people on the list are not notified when you add or remove them.
To edit your Close Friends list, open Instagram and tap your profile icon in the bottom right corner. Tap the three horizontal lines (the menu) at the top right, then tap Close Friends. You will see a list of everyone currently on it. Tap the plus icon next to any follower's name to add them, or tap the checkmark next to someone already on the list to remove them. When you are done making changes, tap Back or swipe back to return to your profile.
The list can hold up to 150 people. There is no limit to how many times you can edit it or how often you change who is on it. Changes take effect when ready.
Key Takeaways
- Close Friends stories are visible only to people you add to the list, and they are not told when you add or remove them.
- You reach your Close Friends list through your profile menu, and you can add or remove people one at a time or in bulk.
- The list holds up to 150 people and can be edited as often as you want without notifying anyone of the changes.
- Stories posted to Close Friends have a green ring around your profile picture instead of the usual purple or pink ring.
- You can post to Close Friends, your regular followers, or both audiences at the same time by choosing the audience before you post.
Finding the Close Friends list if you have not created one yet
If you have never created a Close Friends list, the option may not appear in your menu when ready. The feature is available on most accounts, but Instagram rolls it out gradually. To find it, open your profile, tap the menu, and scroll down to look for Close Friends. If you do not see it, try logging out and logging back in, or update Instagram to the latest version.
When you first tap Close Friends, Instagram will suggest some of your most-interacted-with followers as a starting point. You do not have to accept these suggestions. You can clear them all and build your own list from scratch, or keep some and add or remove others. The suggestions are just a starting point.
Adding people to your Close Friends list
To add someone to Close Friends, they must already follow you. If someone does not follow you, you cannot add them to the list. Open your Close Friends list, scroll through the names of your followers, and tap the plus icon next to the person you want to add. Their name will move to the top of the list with a checkmark next to it.
If you follow a lot of people, use the search box at the top of the Close Friends screen to find someone by name or username instead of scrolling. Type their name and tap their profile when it appears, then tap the plus icon to add them.
You can add people one at a time, or add several in a row without closing the list. There is no delay between adding people, so you can build or rebuild your list quickly.
Removing people from your Close Friends list
To remove someone from Close Friends, open your Close Friends list and look for their name with a checkmark next to it. Tap the checkmark to remove them. They will no longer see any stories you post to Close Friends going forward, but they will still be able to see your regular stories and posts.
Removing someone does not unfollow them or notify them that they were removed. They may notice they can no longer see your Close Friends stories if they were paying attention, but Instagram does not send a notification or alert. You can add them back later if you change your mind.
Posting a story to Close Friends only
Once you have created your Close Friends list, you can post stories that only that audience sees. Open Instagram and tap your profile picture to start a story as usual. Create or upload your story, then before you post it, look at the bottom left of the screen. You will see a button that says Your Story or shows your audience. Tap that button to change who sees the story.
A menu will appear with three options: Your Story (everyone who follows you), Close Friends (only people on your list), or Custom (specific people or groups you choose). Select Close Friends, then tap Share to post. Your story will have a green ring around your profile picture instead of the usual purple or pink, so you and your followers will know it was posted to Close Friends only.
You can post to Close Friends as often as you want. Each story you post to Close Friends is separate, so you can post one story to Close Friends and another to your regular followers on the same day.
Understanding what Close Friends can and cannot see
People on your Close Friends list can see stories you post to Close Friends, but they cannot see anything else you keep private. If your account is private, Close Friends followers still cannot see your posts, reels, or other content unless they are following you normally. Close Friends is only for stories.
Close Friends can see your Close Friends stories in their story feed just like regular stories. They can reply to your Close Friends stories, and you will see their replies. If you do not want replies, you can turn off comments for individual stories or for all stories in your privacy settings.
People not on your Close Friends list cannot see that the list exists or who is on it. They will only notice that some of your stories have a green ring instead of the usual color, which signals that those stories are for a limited audience.
Managing your Close Friends list over time
Your Close Friends list does not have to stay the same forever. You might add people for a specific event, then remove them afterward. You might remove someone who has become inactive or who you no longer want to share with. You might rebuild the list completely if your life or priorities change.
Check your Close Friends list occasionally to make sure it still matches who you want to share with. If you have not posted to Close Friends in a while, you might have people on the list you forgot about. If you add someone new to your account, decide whether they should be on Close Friends before you post your next Close Friends story.
Remember that Close Friends is not the same as blocking or muting someone. People on your regular followers list can still see your public posts and regular stories. Close Friends only controls who sees stories you specifically post to that audience.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I see who is on someone else's Close Friends list?
No. Instagram does not show you who is on another person's Close Friends list. You can only see that someone posted a Close Friends story by the green ring around their profile picture, but you cannot see who they included.
What happens if I remove someone from Close Friends and then add them back?
Nothing special happens. They will start seeing your Close Friends stories again. They will not be notified that you removed them or added them back. You can add and remove the same person as many times as you want.
Can I post to Close Friends and regular followers at the same time?
No. Each story goes to one audience only. You can post one story to Close Friends and a different story to your regular followers on the same day, but a single story cannot go to both audiences at once.
Do people on my Close Friends list know they are on it?
No. Instagram does not notify people when you add them to Close Friends. They may figure it out if they see your Close Friends stories and realize they can see something others cannot, but Instagram does not tell them directly.
What if someone I want on Close Friends does not follow me yet?
You cannot add them to Close Friends until they follow you. You can send them a follow request or ask them to follow you first, then add them to the list. Once they follow you, they will appear in your Close Friends list and you can add them.