Instagram will soon let you leave someone's 'Close Friends' list
31 Jan 2026

Instagram is working on a new feature that would let users remove themselves from someone else's "Close Friends" list.

The social media giant confirmed the development to TechCrunch, but said the feature is still in its early stages and not yet available for public testing.

The Close Friends feature was introduced in 2018 to allow users to share Stories, Reels, and posts with a select group of people instead of their entire follower base.

Prototype discovered by reverse engineer Alessandro Paluzzi
Discovery

The internal prototype of this feature was first discovered by Alessandro Paluzzi, a reverse engineer known for uncovering unreleased features still in development.

A screenshot shared by Paluzzi shows that Meta will warn users about the consequences of leaving a Close Friends list, they won't be able to view that person's Close Friends content unless re-added.

Similar to Snapchat's existing feature
Reception

The new feature could be a double-edged sword.

While some users may feel offended by others leaving their Close Friends list, it would be a welcome addition for those who prefer not to be included on certain people's lists.

This is similar to Snapchat's existing feature that lets users remove themselves from someone's private story.

Instagram is also working on new subscription features
Uncertainty

As with any internal prototype, it remains unclear when or if Instagram plans to publicly release this feature.

Along with the Close Friends update, Instagram is also working on other new features.

Meta has announced plans to test new subscriptions giving access to exclusive features on Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp.

What are these new subscription features?
Subscription details

Although Meta has not revealed what specific features these subscriptions would include, Paluzzi has hinted that a premium subscription on Instagram could allow users to create unlimited audience lists, see which followers don't follow them back, and view Stories without the poster knowing.

Meta's goal with these upcoming subscriptions is to give users access to special features and more control over their sharing and connecting experience while keeping the core experiences free.