You’re posting consistently, your content looks great, and your calendar is full. But some weeks your posts take off, while others barely make get 100 views. If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone. It’s just how Instagram algorithms works in 2025.
The new Instagram algorithm has evolved into something more complex than ever. It’s not one system anymore — Feed, Reels, Stories, and Explore each have their own ranking signals. Instagram is pushing more recommended content into your feed, and posts that actually hold people’s attention are winning.
So what changed? And more importantly, how do you work with it instead of against it?
In this guide, we’re breaking down exactly how the new Instagram algorithm works in 2025, including what shifted in the latest update. You’ll learn practical strategies to boost views, saves, and shares (plus how to reset and train the algorithm to better understand what your audience actually wants).
End result? Less guesswork. More results.
So, let’s dive right in!
The Instagram algorithm is a set of rules that decides which posts show up in your feed, the Explore page (FYP), and Reels. It determines the visibility of content based on different factors like relevance, engagement, timeliness, and more. But it’s not just a single algorithm, Instagram uses multiple algorithms across different features (like Feed, Explore, and Reels), and each has its own set of ranking signals.
Clearly mentioned in Instagram’s official guidelines for creators – “No one algorithm decides what you see, because each part of the app — Feed, Explore, Reels — has its own ranking system based on how you use it.”
Now, you might wonder why does this matter for you? Because understanding how the algorithm works can help you create better content, which is more engaging, more discoverable, and ultimately, more successful.
In late 2025, Instagram has started testing new topic controls that let people tell the app what they want to see more of and what they want to see less of. With this move, their goal is simple — to give users a way to steer recommendations in Reels first, and then in Explore and the main feed.
This sits on top of how the new Instagram algorithm works in 2025. Multiple models still predict interest and likely actions, but now there is a small dial the user can turn.
You will also notice more recommended posts in the feed than a year ago. That shift began in 2024 and is stronger now. It matters because discovery does not depend only on followers. A post that holds attention and gets shared in DMs can travel well beyond your base.
At the same time, Instagram continues to favor original work. Obvious reposts and watermarked clips tend to reach fewer non-followers. For creators, this means native edits, clear value, and crisp hooks at the start of a reel or carousel.
There is one more algorithmic change that helps both sides. If your recommendations feel off, you can use Reset Recommended Content to start fresh. Think of it as clearing the slate so the system can relearn your interests. For brands, that reset matters because a cleaner feed often leads to better engagement habits, which feeds back into how far your content can go.
Everything put together, the September 2025 update is not a single switch. It is a small set of controls and ranking tweaks that make recommendations more personal, while keeping the focus on watch time, saves, and shares. Build for those signals and you align with where the platform is headed.
In 2025, the Instagram algorithm is not a single rule. It is a set of ranking systems that run across Feed, Reels, Stories, and Explore. Each system looks at your behavior and tries to predict what you care about and what you will do next. That is why two people can open the app at the same time and see very different posts.
Across surfaces, the new Instagram algorithm studies three things. What you interact with, who you interact with, and how fresh or useful a post looks. As such, the three important ranking factors across all of Instagram are:
On top of that, it predicts a few key actions for every post. Will you spend time on it. Will you like it. Will you comment. Will you share it in DMs. Will you tap through to the profile. If the model thinks the answer is yes, the post moves higher for you. If not, it moves lower.
Each surface adds its own flavor. The Feed mixes accounts you follow with suggested posts. It leans on those predicted actions and on your history with the creator. Reels puts more weight on watch time, replays, and sends because short video lives or dies on attention. Explore hunts for fresh posts that people save and that often lead to new follows. Stories focuses on closeness. It looks at whose stories you watch, reply to, and keep up with.
TL;DR: So how does the Instagram algorithm work in 2025 for creators and marketers? Hold attention early, earn saves and sends, and keep real conversations going. Use native edits, clear hooks, and captions that help the model understand the topic. For regular users, your actions teach the system. If you like more of something, you will see more of it. If you mute or mark “Not Interested,” you will see less. The reset and topic preference tools sit on top of this and let you nudge the feed in the right direction.
👉 RELATED: Social Media Engagement 101: How to Get Seen or Heard in 2025?
Your main feed has transformed from a chronological stream of friends’ posts into a hybrid experience. Instagram’s AI initially pulls a pool of up to 500 relevant posts that it thinks you could see, then ranks them to decide which ones show up top.
The five interactions Instagram cares about most for feed ranking are spending time on the post, commenting, liking, sharing, and tapping into the author’s profile. The algorithm makes predictions for each post based on:
The major shift: Instagram is increasingly injecting recommended content into the feed from accounts you don’t follow. Even the Head of Instagram, Adam Mosseri, has acknowledged that following will “matter less” as the platform reorients around recommendations.
However, users still have options. You can switch to the “Following” view for a chronological feed of only accounts you follow, or use the “Favorites” view for your closest connections.
(PS: In case you don’t know about the Favorites tab, check this blog by Instagram.)
For creators and marketers, this means two things. First, relationships still matter. If someone often likes, comments, or messages you, they will see more of your posts. So, make it easy to interact. Second, build for save and share. A useful carousel or a short reel with a clear takeaway travels beyond followers because people send it to friends.
Reels reach is mostly driven by recommendations. Many views come from people who do not follow you, which is why the first seconds matter so much. The model studies how long people watch, how many finish the video, and how often they send it in DMs. When watch time and sends look strong, the system shows the Reel to more viewers who have similar tastes.
As such, we can conclude that key ranking factors for Instagram Reels include:
Instagram also avoids recommending Reels that are overly promotional or reposted from elsewhere. The algorithm prioritizes original, entertaining content that keeps viewers engaged.
Explore is where Instagram helps people find new accounts. Most posts you see here are from creators you do not follow. The system studies what you have liked, saved, watched, and searched for, then looks for similar posts that people with your taste enjoyed. It also watches early signals on a post. If many viewers save it or follow the creator after seeing it on Explore, that post is more likely to reach similar users.
The most important Instagram Explore ranking factors are:
The cover image matters too. People scroll the Explore grid fast. A clean cover that shows the topic clearly will get more taps than a busy visual. If it is a Reel, add short on-screen text that explains the idea in a few words. Keep it readable on a small screen.
Stories rank by closeness. Instagram looks at whose stories you watch, who you reply to, and which accounts you keep up with over time. Close friends and accounts you engage with often appear first in your tray. There are no suggested stories from strangers in the tray, so Stories work best to nurture people who already follow you.
The key signals Instagram has confirmed for Stories are viewing history (whose stories you watch most often), engagement history (how often you interact with that person’s stories by sending a reply or reacting with an emoji), and closeness/relationship.
Instagram considers your overall relationship, with close friends and family likely to appear early in your Stories carousel, especially if you and someone follow each other, tag each other, message frequently, or have real-life connections.
The takeaway for creators: Mosseri noted that the Stories section is primarily where “people look for their closest friends,” implying that for a business or new creator, Stories might not be the best way to reach a fresh audience. Stories excel at nurturing existing followers rather than finding new ones.
After studying Instagram’s latest algorithm update and decoding creators’ experiences, here are some major shifts that distinguish Instagram in 2024 from 2025:
Original Content Priority (2024): In early 2024, Instagram explicitly adjusted its recommendation algorithm to favor original content and boost smaller creators’ reach, announcing an update to “boost reach of smaller creators,” discourage blatant re-posting, and even remove content aggregators from recommendations.
Views as the Key Metric (Mid-2024): Instagram head Mosseri revealed in summer 2024 that they were shifting focus to Views as the primary metric in analytics, with users advised to “optimize for Views instead of likes and engagement”. This signaled that content visibility and reach matter more than individual engagement actions.
Recommendation Surge (2024-2025): Instagram’s user growth in 2024-25 was driven largely by Direct Messages, Reels, and AI-based recommendations (posts from strangers), fundamentally changing the feed from friend-focused to interest-focused.
Fighting AI Spam (Mid-2025): Mid-2025 saw Instagram quietly adjust its algorithmic distribution to address a flood of AI-generated “spam” content, with the algorithm testing showing new posts primarily to one’s own followers for the first few hours as “protection against AI slop”. The platform emphasized that “the algorithm will start prioritizing and rewarding content that is original and creative,” with shares via DMs elevated as a top signal as Instagram “doubles down on messaging as the primary way people share content”.
Sometimes your feed feels off. You can fix that. Start with a reset, then tune your preferences when topic controls arrive in your region.
Reset recommended content (current):
In the video below, you’ll learn a simple method to reset your Instagram algorithm in less than 30 seconds! Watch now and take back control of your feed:
Fine-tune topics (rolling out):
A reset does not boost any one creator. It simply wipes the slate. After that, your actions teach the system again. Like what you want to see. Save posts you find useful. Mark Not Interested on what misses. Within a few days, your feed improves.
Creators can guide this process too. In your captions, use clear keywords so the model understands the topic. If you serve a niche, invite followers to add that topic when controls are available. The goal is not to game the system. The goal is to help it match your content with people who actually want it.
Instagram wants to recommend safe and useful content. Anything that looks risky or low effort is less likely to reach non-followers.
For Instagram, organic ranking and ad delivery are different systems, but they meet on the same screen. Ads reach people through targeting and bidding. Creative quality still decides how much attention you keep and how much you pay.
How Ad Targeting Works: When you see a “Sponsored” post or Story, it’s there because an advertiser paid for it and targeted you by demographics, interests, or behaviors, using a separate ad delivery algorithm that looks at factors like the advertiser’s chosen target audience, the bid, and importantly the predicted relevance of the ad to you.
However, signals look familiar. A scroll-stop matters. So does how long someone watches the first three seconds of a video. Click-through and hold on the landing page are strong signs of relevance. If the ad keeps people and drives action, delivery improves and cost per result drops.
For creators and advertisers, best part is to let organic learnings to guide paid. Take your best-performing Reels or carousels and build ads from them. Keep the hook, the payoff, and the clean frame. Add a single next step. For top-of-funnel, design for watch time and sends. For mid-funnel, design for saves and clicks. For bottom-funnel, get to the offer fast and show proof.
If you’re advertising on Instagram, also use analytics to guide the next step of your marketing strategy. Usually, you would have to go through Meta Ads Manager to check the performance of Ads! However, Vaizle AI now simplifies that. You can simply ask a question and get back answer in plain language.
Instagram is continuously refining its algorithm to keep up with changing user preferences and trends. So, what’s new in 2025?
In 2025, Instagram’s algorithm is even more reliant on AI and machine learning. These technologies enable Instagram to analyze user behavior in real-time and deliver a more personalized experience. This also means the algorithm can adapt and change more quickly based on shifting trends and user interactions.
Instagram has made it clear that video content is king in 2025. With the rise of Reels, video has become the go-to format for creators looking to reach a wider audience.
In fact, Reels now accounts for the majority of organic reach on the platform. The algorithm prioritizes Reels that are engaging, shareable, and creative.
Instagram is doubling down on e-commerce features, allowing businesses and creators to sell products directly through the platform.
In 2025, the algorithm is heavily integrated with shopping and product discovery. This means if you’re a business or influencer promoting products, Instagram will prioritize posts that drive commerce.
👉 RELATED: How to Sell on Instagram and Gain Recognition in 2025?
As we all know, Instagram is constantly changing its algorithm to improve the quality of content on its platform. So to ensure that your content is in line with what the new Instagram algorithm will favor in 2025, here are some best practices to follow.
According to the new Instagram algorithm update, If you want to stay ahead of the curve on Instagram, you must post regularly. In addition, the algorithm favors accounts that post frequently, so if you want your content to be seen by as many people as possible, you need to post regularly.
Ideally, you should be posting at least once a day. But if that’s not possible, try to post at least a few times a week. And make sure that your posts are high-quality and engaging. If you can do those things, you’ll be in good shape regarding the algorithm.
Instagram has been increasingly favoring videos and stories in its algorithm, so it’s essential to ensure that you’re incorporating these types of content into your strategy. Videos perform exceptionally well on Instagram, so if you can create engaging and informative videos, you’ll likely see a boost in your reach and engagement. Stories are also a great way to connect with your audience on a more personal level, so don’t be afraid to utilize this feature.
Hashtags and geotags are great ways to ensure your content is discoverable by those interested in what you have to offer. According to the new Instagram algorithm, when using hashtags, use relevant, popular hashtags that are specific to your niche. Don’t overload your posts with hashtags – a few well-chosen ones will do the trick. As for geotags, they can also help increase your reach since people often search for content based on location.
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If you want your content to be seen by more people on Instagram, make sure it’s eye-catching. Use high-quality photos and videos and exciting captions and hashtags.
Also, consider using Instagram Story highlights to showcase your best content. It should be relevant to your business to give viewers an idea of what you are trying to convey.
As per the new Instagram algorithm, businesses should promote their posts in the following ways:
As Instagram Live becomes increasingly popular, businesses are finding new and innovative ways to use the platform to connect with their audience in real time.
· Use hashtags to promote your live stream.
· Go live at least once a week.
· Engage with your audience by asking questions and responding to comments.
· Keep your live streams short – no more than 20 minutes.
· Make sure your live stream is high quality – use a stable internet connection and good lighting
Instagram’s 2025 algorithm represents both a challenge and an opportunity. The platform has become more transparent while simultaneously more complex, prioritizing authentic creativity over gaming the system. Success now requires understanding these ranking signals, producing original content that drives genuine engagement, and leveraging the new customization tools to reach your ideal audience. The algorithm isn’t your enemy – it’s a system designed to connect content with interested viewers. Work with it, not against it.
Yes, as labels. Use a few that match the topic. One to five relevant tags are enough when your caption already explains the content. Hashtags alone do not drive reach. Clear topics, watch time, and sharing do.
No. Photos still work when they tell a clear story and fit your audience. Carousels often perform better than single images because people spend more time on them and they can resurface. If reach is low, test a carousel with a stronger cover and tighter slides.
Check Account Status. If nothing is flagged, a reach dip is usually due to content fit or normal changes in recommendations. Focus on a cleaner topic, better hook, and a clear takeaway. Avoid watermarks and low-effort reposts.
Views and watch time open the door. Saves and sends keep it open. Likes are fine, but they do not move distribution as much as attention and utility. Build posts people want to finish, keep, and share.
Post when your audience is online and able to watch. Use Insights to spot your peaks by day and hour. If a post needs comments, publish when your core followers can reply. If it is a save-worthy guide, timing is less sensitive than clarity and value.
Reset recommendations, then interact with what you enjoy. Save useful posts, mark Not Interested on misses, and mute accounts or words you do not want. When topic controls arrive, add the themes you want more of and remove the ones you do not.
Siddharth built two bootstrapped companies from the ground up: Vaizle and XOR Labs. He’s personally managed over Rs 100cr in ad budget across eCommerce, D2C, ed-tech, and health-tech segments. Apart from being a full-time marketer, he loves taking on the challenges of finance and operations. When not staring at his laptop, you’ll find him reading books or playing football on weekends.
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