Instagram is working on a way to let users leave someone else’s Close Friends list

Instagram

• Instagram may let users remove themselves from others' Close Friends lists.
• Feature is in early development; public release is not guaranteed.
• Meta is also exploring premium subscriptions for more user control and features.

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Meta is working on a new Instagram feature that could quietly change how social boundaries work on the platform. According to a report from TechCrunch, Instagram is developing a tool that would allow users to remove themselves from someone else’s Close Friends list.

Meta confirmed the feature’s existence on Friday, but said it is still in the early stages of development and is not being tested publicly. That means there is no guarantee it will ever launch, but its mere consideration highlights growing pressure on social platforms to give users more control over their digital relationships.

Instagram’s Close Friends feature, introduced in 2018, lets users share Stories, Reels, and posts with a limited group of people instead of their entire follower base. The idea was to enable more private, casual sharing without the need to manage multiple accounts. However, from the start, the control has been entirely one-sided. If someone adds you to their Close Friends list, there has been no official way to opt out.

The internal prototype for this new option was first spotted by Alessandro Paluzzi, who is known for uncovering unreleased features by analysing Instagram’s code. Paluzzi shared a screenshot showing a prompt that would appear when a user chooses to leave someone’s Close Friends list. The warning makes it clear that once removed, the user will no longer be able to see that person’s Close Friends content unless they are added again.

This small detail is important. Leaving a Close Friends list is not framed as a silent preference tweak, but as a clear break in access. That transparency may deter some users from using the feature, but it also avoids confusion and misaligned expectations.

The social implications are more complicated. Some people may feel snubbed or offended if someone leaves their Close Friends list, especially since the feature is often used as a signal of trust or intimacy. At the same time, many users would likely welcome the option. Being added to someone’s Close Friends list can sometimes feel awkward, intrusive, or simply unwanted, particularly in professional or loosely social contexts.

Instagram would not be the first platform to offer this kind of control. Snapchat already allows users to remove themselves from someone’s private story, which is functionally similar to Instagram’s Close Friends feature. That precedent makes Instagram’s current limitation feel increasingly outdated.

As with any internal prototype, it is unclear when or if this feature will roll out to the public. Instagram frequently tests ideas internally that never see the light of day. Still, Meta’s willingness to discuss it suggests the company is at least seriously evaluating the concept.

This potential change also fits into a broader pattern of experimentation at Instagram. Meta recently told TechCrunch that it plans to test new subscription offerings across Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp. These subscriptions are expected to unlock exclusive features while keeping the core experience free.

While Meta has not officially detailed what those features will include, Paluzzi has shared that a premium Instagram subscription could offer tools such as unlimited audience lists, visibility into which followers do not follow you back, and the ability to view Stories anonymously. Meta says the goal of these subscriptions is to give users more control over how they share and connect, rather than locking basic functionality behind a paywall.

Taken together, these developments point to a shift in how Instagram is thinking about user agency. Whether through opt-out controls like leaving Close Friends lists or paid tools that offer deeper insights and customisation, Meta appears to be testing how much control users want, and how much they are willing to pay for it.