5 ways to remove creepy clickbait ads from your instagram feed

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This amazingly useful question just came through from Molly C, who asked:

How do I keep those onerous commercial/advertising clickbait posts off of my Instagram feed and reels, please?

This is a common issue that people are bothered by on Instagram and other social media feeds, and there are a few different ways to solve this problem.  So Molly, thanks for asking about it.  Here’s your answer:

 

 

How to reduce obnoxious ad posts on Instagram

If your feed feels overloaded with sponsored posts and clickbait, these built-in tools can help you take back some control.

1) Hide posts

This is the quickest way to tell Instagram you’re not interested in a specific ad and want to see fewer posts like it.

• If you come across a commercial post you don’t want to see, you can hide it by tapping on the three dots in the upper right-hand corner of the post
• Select Hide ad or Not Interested – then you will be asked – Why are you hiding this ad? Select the answer. Instagram will use that feedback to adjust what ads you see – but it’s not a perfect block.

2) Unfollow accounts

If you no longer want to see posts from a specific account, you can unfollow it by:

• Open the Instagram app and go to the account’s profile.
• Tap the Following button
• In the confirmation menu that appears, tap Unfollow to remove them from your feed.

 

3) Ad preferences

Instagram allows you to manage your ad preferences:

• Open the Instagram app and go to your profile.
• Tap the three horizontal lines (hamburger menu) in the top-right corner.
• Tap Settings and privacy.
• Tap Accounts Center (usually near the top of the menu).
• Tap Ad preferences – from there, you can choose the types of ads you want to see or not see

• Under Ad preferences, you can tap Ad topics or Activity information from ad partners –
  • If you tap Ad topics, you can then scroll down and see all the ad topics based on your activity on Meta Technologies. Just click on the topic, and then you will be asked to click either No preference or Show less ads about this topic.
  • If you tap Activity information from ad partners, you will be asked to Review setting. Then you will be asked this question: Do you want us to use your activity information from ad partners to show? Select Yes or No. 

4) Report spam

If you come across a post that is spam or violates Instagram’s terms of service:

• Tap the three dots on the post
• Select Report 
• From there, you’ll be taken to a page with prompts for why you’re reporting the post (i.e., spam, hate speech or symbols, bullying or harassment, etc)

 

5) Use Hidden Words

You can use this feature to hide suggested posts with hashtags or captions that have specific words, phrases, or emojis:

• Go to your Instagram profile by clicking the icon or your picture in the lower right-hand corner
• Click the 3 horizontal lines in the top right of the page
• Tap Settings and then Privacy
• In the Privacy tab, select Hidden Words
• Scroll down to Custom words for posts and select Manage custom words and phrases
• Type whatever words or phrases in the text bubble that says Add words separated by commas – you can add multiple words, phrases, and emojis
• Press Add when finished

Remember, Instagram is a free app, and ads are one way the platform generates revenue. While doing the above actions may help cut down on commercial and advertising posts, they might not entirely get rid of them from your Instagram feed.

Instagram’s algorithms are always changing, so you may still see new sponsored posts on your account, no matter how much we all try our best to avoid them.

 

Related Links: 

• Clean up your social media feed and cut the noise
• How hackers can craft an attack from your social media profile
• How to protect yourself from social media scammers

 

Kurt’s key takeaways

Instagram isn’t going to remove ads completely, but you are not powerless. When you consistently hide ads, adjust your ad preferences and unfollow accounts that clutter your feed, you send strong signals about what you do and do not want to see. Over time, those signals can make your feed feel more relevant and less overwhelming. The key is to use these tools regularly instead of ignoring posts that bother you. If your Instagram feed still feels overloaded after trying these steps, it may be worth reviewing who you follow and how often you interact with sponsored content. Small changes in your behavior can shape what the algorithm shows you next.

Have you tried these options to help reduce the number of ads on your Instagram page? Let us know how they work for you in the comments below.

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