Instagram recently introduced the ability to view your feed in chronological order, allowing you to see posts from the accounts you follow in the order they were posted. This is a welcome change for many users who prefer seeing the most recent posts first rather than having an algorithm determine what you see.
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Why View Your Feed Chronologically?
Here are some of the main benefits of viewing your Instagram feed chronologically:
- See the newest posts first. With a chronological feed, the most recently posted content appears at the top of your feed. This allows you to easily catch up on the latest updates.
- No missing posts. An algorithmic feed can sometimes bury posts and cause you to miss content from people you follow. A chronological feed shows all posts in timely order.
- Better for tracking events or conversations. Seeing posts grouped by timing rather than relevance makes it easier to follow along with unfolding events or discussions.
- Avoid confusing order. Jumping from new posts to old posts can be confusing. A chronological feed shows posts in a logical order.
How to View Your Instagram Feed Chronologically
Instagram provides two options for seeing your feed in chronological order:
Following Feed
The Following feed shows all posts from the accounts you follow in timely order.
To view your Following feed:
- Open the Instagram app
- Tap the Instagram logo in the top left
- Select “Following”
You will now see the most recent posts from accounts you follow at the top of your feed.
Favorites Feed
The Favorites feed allows you to select up to 50 accounts and view only their posts in timely order.
To view your Favorites feed:
- Open the Instagram app
- Tap the Instagram logo in the top left
- Select “Favorites”
- Tap “Add favorites” and select up to 50 accounts
- Confirm your selections
You will now see the most recent posts from your selected favorite accounts. Posts from accounts in your Favorites will also be highlighted in your main Instagram feed.
Tips for Managing Your Chronological Feed
- Check your Following or Favorites feed frequently to keep up with latest posts.
- Curate a Favorites list of your must-follow accounts for easy access to their posts.
- Use the Favorites feed as a way to take a break from your main feed.
Limitations of Instagram’s Chronological Feeds
While the Following and Favorites feeds allow you to view posts chronologically, there are some limitations:
- Not the default view. You have to select the Following or Favorites feed each time you open Instagram.
- Can’t see Stories. Instagram Stories do not appear in these feeds.
- Temporary setting. If you close the app, your feed reverts back to the algorithmic view.
Hopefully Instagram will allow users to set a default chronological feed in the future. But for now, the Following and Favorites options provide a handy way to briefly switch to a timely post order.
Whether you want to avoid missing posts from friends or simply prefer seeing the newest posts first, viewing your Instagram feed chronologically is easy. Just tap the Instagram logo and select Following or Favorites whenever you want to catch up on posts in timely order.
