Following too many accounts on Instagram can quickly clutter your feed and make it hard to see content from the people you care about most. Let’s explore some efficient ways to clean up your following list without spending hours on the task.
The Native Instagram Method
Instagram’s built-in following management is pretty basic, but it works. Head to your profile, tap “Following,” and you’ll see a chronological list of accounts you follow. From here, you can unfollow people one by one by tapping the “Following” button next to each name. While this method works, it’s time-consuming if you’re trying to unfollow hundreds of accounts.
Third-Party Apps: A Word of Caution
While many third-party apps claim to help you mass unfollow, be extremely careful. Instagram’s terms of service are strict about automated actions, and using these tools could get your account flagged or even banned. As of 2025, Instagram has become even more vigilant about detecting automated activity.
Safe Alternative Methods
Here’s a strategy I personally use that works well: dedicate 5-10 minutes daily to unfollowing accounts. Start with:
– Inactive accounts (no posts in 6+ months)
– Business accounts that no longer interest you
– Accounts whose content you always scroll past
The Category Approach
Instead of randomly unfollowing, try this systematic approach:
1. Review your “Least Interacted With” list in Instagram’s settings
2. Check accounts you followed during specific events or trends
3. Look through business accounts you followed for one-time promotions
Best Practices for Maintaining Your Following List
To prevent future cluttering, I recommend:
– Setting a monthly reminder to review new follows
– Implementing a “one in, one out” rule when following new accounts
– Using Instagram’s “Close Friends” feature to prioritize important content
Remember, Instagram puts limits on how many actions you can take per hour to prevent spam. A good rule of thumb is to keep unfollowing to about 60 accounts per hour to stay within safe limits.
The goal isn’t to dramatically reduce your following count overnight but to curate a feed that brings you joy and value. Take your time, be intentional about who you follow, and you’ll find your Instagram experience becomes much more enjoyable and meaningful.
