Instagram is working on a new feature that would allow users to remove themselves from someone else’s Close Friends list.
Meta confirmed the development to TechCrunch, saying the idea is still in an early stage and is not being tested publicly yet.
The Close Friends feature lets people share Stories, Reels, and posts with a smaller, more private group instead of all their followers. Since it was introduced in 2018, users have not had any control over being added to someone else’s Close Friends list. If a person included you, there was no way to quietly opt out.
The internal version of this new option was first spotted by Alessandro Paluzzi, who is known for uncovering unreleased social media features while they are still under development. A screenshot shared by Paluzzi suggests that users will see a warning before leaving a Close Friends list, explaining that they will no longer be able to view that person’s private content unless they are added again later.
#Instagram is working on a feature that lets users remove themselves from another user's Close Friends list 👀 pic.twitter.com/ftgDSfxE7p
— Alessandro Paluzzi (@alex193a) January 29, 2026
While some users might feel uncomfortable or offended if someone leaves their Close Friends list, the feature could be helpful for people who prefer more control over who they interact with on the platform. It may also reduce awkward social situations where users feel pressured to stay on a list they do not want to be part of.
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