The Close Friends list on Instagram: What it is and how to use it (guide 2023)

When it comes to Instagram, many believe that having a large number of followers is better. However, while having more followers can lead to increased likes and engagement, it can also result in less personal interaction, and your friends and family’s accounts may become more challenging to locate. To address this issue, Instagram introduced the Close Friends feature in 2018, allowing users to post with more privacy and interact with smaller groups. This feature is especially useful for those who want to communicate with their inner circles or share exclusive content with their most active followers. This guide will provide you with everything you need to know about using the Close Friends feature on Instagram.

Understanding Close Friends on Instagram

The Instagram Close Friends feature enables users to create a personalized list of followers who can access private Stories. By selecting this feature, only the accounts that are added to your Close Friends list can view your posted Story.

How does Instagram determine your Close Friends?

Instagram does not automatically determine your Close Friends list for you. It’s up to you to choose which accounts you want to add to the list. When you add someone to your Close Friends list, they receive a notification that they’ve been added, but they can’t see the name of any other accounts on the list. It’s important to note that adding someone to your Close Friends list is a private action and cannot be seen by anyone else on the platform.

How do you know if you’re on someone’s Close Friends list on Instagram?

There is no way to know for sure if you are on someone’s Close Friends list on Instagram unless they specifically tell you or you see a private story that they have shared with their Close Friends list. Instagram does not provide any notification or indication if someone adds or removes you from their Close Friends list.

Can you remove yourself from someone’s Close Friends list on Instagram?

No, as a follower, you cannot remove yourself from someone’s Close Friends list on Instagram. It is the account owner who decides which followers to add or remove from their Close Friends list. If you have been added to someone’s Close Friends list, you can choose to view their private Stories or ignore them. However, you cannot remove yourself from the list or prevent the account owner from adding or removing you in the future

Does Instagram notify someone when you remove them from your Close Friends list?

No, Instagram does not notify users when they are removed from someone’s Close Friends list. The list is entirely private and can only be viewed by the account owner who created it. Therefore, if you remove someone from your Close Friends list, they will not receive any notification or alert.

How to use the Instagram Close Friends feature

Here are the steps to use the Instagram Close Friends feature:

1. Open the Instagram app and tap on your profile picture in the bottom right corner.
2. Tap on the three horizontal lines in the top right corner to open the menu.
3. Tap on “Close Friends” from the list of options.
4. Tap “Add” to start selecting accounts you want to add to your Close Friends list.
5. You can search for specific accounts or scroll through your followers list to add them.
6. Once you’ve added all the accounts you want on your list, tap “Done.”
7. Now when you go to post a Story, you can choose to share it with only your Close Friends by tapping on the green “Close Friends” icon in the bottom left corner.
8. After selecting the Close Friends option, you can post your Story as usual and only the accounts on your Close Friends list will be able to see it.

Remember, when you add or remove someone from your Close Friends list, they won’t be notified.

How to create an Instagram Close Friends list

To create an Instagram Close Friends list, follow these steps:

1. Open the Instagram app and go to your profile page.
2. Tap on the three horizontal lines in the top right corner to open the side menu.
3. From the menu, select “Close Friends”.
4. You will be prompted to create your Close Friends list. You can either choose from suggested accounts or search for and select individual accounts to add to your list.
5. Once you’ve added all the accounts you want to be on your Close Friends list, tap “Done” in the top right corner.
6. You can now share Stories with only your Close Friends by selecting the “Close Friends” option when posting a Story.

Note that you can edit your Close Friends list at any time by going back to the Close Friends section in your profile settings and adding or removing accounts as needed.

How to add or remove Close Friends

Here’s how to add or remove people from your Close Friends list:

1. Open the Instagram app.
2. Navigate to your profile by pressing the profile picture icon at the bottom-right of the screen.
3. Press the three horizontal lines at the top-right of the page.
4. Select Close Friends.
5. Press Add or Remove next to the accounts you wish to add or remove.

How to post a Story only for your list

Now that your list is created and curated, here’s how to post a Story to your Close Friends:

1. Open the Instagram app and tap the camera icon in the top left corner of the home screen.
2. Take a photo or video or choose one from your camera roll.
3. Tap the “Close Friends” icon in the bottom right corner of the screen.
4. Choose whether you want to post the Story to all of your Close Friends or select specific people from your Close Friends list.
5. Once you’ve selected your Close Friends, tap “Done.”
6. Customize your Story with text, stickers, or other features if you’d like.
7. When you’re ready to post, tap “Share” to post the Story exclusively to your Close Friends list.

When you post a Close Friends Story on Instagram, it will be displayed with a green circle around your profile icon in the Stories feed, instead of the regular pink circle. You can access it on your profile by tapping your profile picture. Only the people who are on your Close Friends list will be able to view your Close Friends Story, and they will see a “Close Friends” label at the top-right of the screen. Others who are not on your list won’t be able to view the story and won’t see the green circle.

Just like normal Stories, Close Friends Stories are only visible for 24 hours. Both private and public accounts can use this feature.

How can you use Close Friends for your photography account?

While the intended use of the Close Friends feature is to post Stories for your close personal friends, there are other creative ways to use this tool for your photography account. Here are a few of our favorites:

• Add all of your current and past clients and use Close Friends Stories to share information about upcoming events or specials.
• Include your most active followers and use your Close Friends list to share exclusive tips and how-tos.
• Add any followers who have asked questions about your photo editing process and share Stories about how you edit your photos.

How to message your Close Friends list on Instagram

In addition to posting content specifically for one group of followers, you can also message them directly using Threads by Instagram. This standalone app is free to download in the App Store and gives users a way to contact their Close Friends list through status updates and direct messages.

Here’s how to message your Close Friends list by using Threads by Instagram:

1. Open the Threads by Instagram app.
2. Log in with your Instagram profile information.
3. Either continue with the same Close Friends list you have on Instagram or add more people to it by scrolling down.
4. Press Continue.
5. Take or upload a photo or video.
6. Select the account you wish to message.
7. Press Send.

This will send a direct message to the selected account, which you’ll be able to view and respond to either in the Threads by Instagram app or within the Instagram app in your direct messages inbox.

Instagram’s Close Friends feature is a user-friendly and straightforward tool that allows users to interact and share content with a selected group of people. This guide aims to provide all the necessary information about the feature to help users make the most of it.