Instagram Close Friends: how the list works

Close Friends is a list of people you pick. When you share a story, reel, post or note, you can show it only to that list instead of all your followers.

How to add or remove people

1. 01Go to your profile and tap the menu in the top right.
2. 02Under Who can see your content, tap Close Friends.
3. 03Tap the people you want to add, or search for them. Tap again to remove someone.
4. 04Tap Done.

Sharing with Close Friends

• Stories: when you're ready to share, tap Close Friends at the bottom. The story disappears after 24 hours like any other.
• Reels: tap Audience before sharing and choose Close Friends.
• Notes: choose Close Friends as the audience.

What people on the list see

• A Close Friends label on content you shared with the list, and sometimes a green ring around your profile photo.
• On a Close Friends reel, other people on the list can see who liked, commented on or shared it.

Does Instagram tell people?

No one is notified when you add or remove them. People on the list do find out that they're on it when they see the Close Friends label. Nobody can ask to be added; only you control the list.