How to Mute Someone on Instagram Without Unfollowing Them

Instagram is a fantastic platform for staying connected, but sometimes, certain posts and stories can be overwhelming. Maybe a friend posts too frequently, a brand’s content no longer interests you, or you simply need a break from someone’s updates. However, unfollowing them might not be an option, especially if you want to avoid awkward conversations or social tension. The solution? Muting them. Instagram allows you to mute someone’s posts, stories, or both without them knowing. It’s a simple and discreet way to take control of your feed while maintaining your social connections. In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to mute someone on Instagram, why you might want to, and how to manage your muted accounts.

Why You Might Want to Mute Someone on Instagram

Before diving into the steps, let’s explore why muting can be helpful.

Avoiding Unwanted Content Without Unfollowing

Muting is ideal when you no longer enjoy someone’s content but don’t want to unfollow them. Unfollowing might seem rude or even lead to uncomfortable conversations if they notice and ask about it. Muting allows you to maintain the connection without hurting anyone’s feelings.

Reducing Clutter in Your Feed

Over time, Instagram feeds can become overwhelming with content from hundreds of people and brands. Muting helps you prioritize what matters most by eliminating unnecessary distractions. Whether it’s a page that no longer interests you or a friend who posts excessively, muting keeps your feed clean and engaging.

Maintaining Social Connections

Sometimes, you may want to keep an eye on someone’s updates without seeing everything they post. Muting allows you to check their profile when you choose while keeping your feed clutter-free. It’s the perfect middle ground between following and unfollowing.

How to Mute Someone on Instagram Without Unfollowing Them

Instagram offers multiple ways to mute someone, depending on whether you want to mute their posts, stories, or both.

1. Muting Someone from Their Profile

This is the easiest and most common way to mute someone on Instagram.

Steps to Mute a User from Their Profile:

1. Open Instagram and go to the profile of the person you want to mute.
2. Tap the “Following” button.
3. Select “Mute” from the menu that appears.
4. Choose whether to mute their Posts, Stories, or both.

Pro Tip: You can always visit their profile and engage with their posts manually—muting doesn’t block access.

2. Muting Someone from Your Feed

If their post appears in your feed and you realize you don’t want to see similar content in the future, you can mute them directly from there.

Steps to Mute from the Feed:

1. Tap the three dots (•••) in the top-right corner of their post.
2. Select “Hide”, then tap “Mute”.
3. Decide whether to mute only their posts or both their posts and stories.

3. Muting Stories from the Story Tray

If you only want to mute someone’s stories without affecting their posts, you can do so from the Instagram Stories section.

Steps to Mute from the Story Tray:

1. Open Instagram and tap & hold the person’s story icon in the Stories bar.
2. Select “Mute” and choose either “Mute Story” or “Mute Story and Posts”.

Note: Their stories will no longer appear in your Story bar, but you can still view them by visiting their profile manually.

What Happens When You Mute Someone?

Let us discuss the few things that happen when you mute someone.

1. They Won’t Be Notified

Instagram does not send any notification when you mute someone. This makes it a completely discreet feature, ensuring there’s no awkwardness or confrontation.

2. You Can Still Visit Their Profile

Muting doesn’t block the person; it simply hides their content from your feed. You can still check their profile, like their posts, and engage with their content whenever you choose. Know how to see who unfollowed you on instagram.

3. You Can Still Receive Messages and Notifications

Muting someone does not affect your Direct Messages (DMs). They can still message you, and you will still receive notifications for their story replies or post comments.

4. You Can Unmute Anytime

Muting isn’t permanent. If you change your mind, simply go to their profile, tap “Following”, and select “Unmute”.

How to Manage Muted Accounts on Instagram

If you’ve muted multiple people over time, you might want to review or adjust your muted accounts. Here’s how to do it:

1. View and Unmute Accounts from Settings

1. Open Instagram and go to Settings > Privacy.
2. Tap “Muted Accounts” to see everyone you’ve muted.
3. Tap any profile to unmute them if you wish.

2. Adjust Your Feed Preferences

• If you still feel overwhelmed by too much content, consider unfollowing or restricting accounts instead.
• You can also use Instagram’s “Favorites” feature to prioritize posts from your closest friends and favorite creators.

Difference Between Muting, Restricting, and Blocking

Here is a tabular difference between muting, restricting, and blocking:

 

Feature	Muting	Restricting	Blocking
Hides their posts from your feed	✅ Yes	❌ No	✅ Yes
They get notified	❌ No	❌ No	❌ No
Stops them from messaging you	❌ No	✅ Messages go to “Requests”	✅ Yes
Prevents them from seeing your content	❌ No	❌ No	✅ Yes
They can still interact with you	✅ Yes	✅ But limited	❌ No

When to Use Each:

• Mute – When you just want to hide someone’s content without them knowing.
• Restrict – When you don’t want them to know you’re limiting their interactions.
• Block – When you completely want to cut off all contact.

Can Someone Tell If You Muted Them?

Instagram does not notify people when they are muted. However, if someone closely monitors their engagement, they might notice the following:

• You stop liking or commenting on their posts.
• You don’t view their stories anymore.
• Your engagement with them suddenly drops.

Some people may suspect they’ve been muted, but since there’s no direct way to confirm it, it’s purely guesswork on their end.

Conclusion

Now that you know how to mute someone on Instagram without unfollowing them, you can take full control of your Instagram experience. Whether you’re looking to declutter your feed, avoid social awkwardness, or simply take a break from certain accounts, muting is a quick and effective solution.

The best part? They’ll never know. And if you ever decide to re-engage, unmuting them is just a few taps away. Instagram is all about curating your experience, so make it one that works best for you!