Can you turn off Reels and the video feed on Facebook? (iPhone, 2026)
No. We could not find a setting in Facebook's help that turns off Reels or the video feed, and since September 2025 every video on Facebook is a reel. Facebook says reels are recommended and can appear in your Feed and in Video. What Facebook offers instead is feedback: on a reel, tap More and choose Not Interested or Hide reel, and Facebook shows fewer like it over time. You can also stop videos from playing on their own with Never Autoplay Videos. If you want Reels gone from the screen, open Facebook in minulo: Reels and Watch are hidden for free, and notifications and messages keep working.
Written by Ayumu Kitabayashi, the developer of minulo. Facts about Facebook come from the sources listed below, checked on 2026-10-25. Menu names can change with app updates.
| Method | What it does | Limits |
|---|---|---|
| Not Interested (More on a reel) | Shows you fewer similar reels. | Facebook says the effect builds slowly and fades over time. |
| Hide reel (More on a reel) | Removes that reel right away and reduces content from that creator. | One reel at a time. Facebook says you can't undo it directly. |
| Not Interested or Unfollow (Options on a post) | Fewer posts like that one in Feed, or none from that person, Page or group. | Works post by post. |
| Never Autoplay Videos (Settings › Media) | Videos and animations in your Feed stop playing on their own. | Reels still appear. They just don't start by themselves. |
| minulo (free) | Opens Facebook with Reels and Watch hidden. Suggested posts, the home feed and Marketplace can be hidden too. | The official Facebook app itself does not change. |
Is there a setting to turn off Reels on Facebook?
We could not find one in Facebook's help as of October 2026. Facebook's help says that, as of September 2025, all videos on Facebook are reels, whatever their length or orientation. It also says reels are recommended based on what may be relevant to you and may appear in places like your Feed and in Video. The help pages describe ways to give feedback on reels, not a way to remove them.
See fewer reels: Not Interested and Hide reel
- While watching a reel, tap More.
- Tap Not Interested to see fewer similar reels, or Hide reel to remove that reel.
Facebook says Hide reel removes the reel immediately and reduces content from that creator. Your choices change future reels gradually, and the effect on your feed fades over time. You can't undo Not Interested or Hide reel directly; Facebook suggests marking similar reels as Interested instead.
Tune your Feed
For posts in your Feed, tap Options on a post and choose Not Interested to see fewer like it, or Unfollow to stop seeing posts from that person, Page or group. Facebook points to Settings and privacy › Settings › Content preferences for more about how your Feed is personalized.
Stop videos from playing by themselves
- Tap Menu.
- Tap Settings & Privacy, then Settings.
- Under Preferences, tap Media.
- Under Autoplay, choose Never Autoplay Videos.
Facebook's help says that if you don't see Media, update the Facebook app first. This doesn't remove reels. It means a video waits for you to tap it.
Can you remove the Video tab?
We could not confirm this in Facebook's help, so we are not giving steps for it here. The help pages we checked say reels can appear in Video, and they do not describe removing it.
What minulo does and doesn't do
minulo is an iPhone app that opens Facebook's official website inside the app. With the gear next to Facebook you can turn on Hide Reels, Watch and Marketplace and Hide suggested posts, and you can also hide the Home feed and the "Open app" banner. Notifications, Messages, Friends and Feed open straight from the minulo home screen. Hiding is free.
The official Facebook app itself does not change. minulo can lock it with Screen Time, free for up to 2 hours per block. While it is locked, its notifications don't arrive, and minulo sends none of its own. minulo Pro adds schedules by day and time, longer blocks, Hard Mode and multiple block lists. There is no Android or iPad version.
Can you turn off Reels on Facebook?
Not with a setting, as far as Facebook's help shows in October 2026. Since September 2025 every video on Facebook is a reel. You can tap More on a reel and choose Not Interested or Hide reel, which makes similar reels show up less over time.
How do I see fewer reels on Facebook?
While watching a reel, tap More and choose Not Interested, or tap Hide reel to remove it and reduce content from that creator. Facebook says the effect builds gradually and fades over time.
How do I stop Facebook videos from playing automatically on iPhone?
Tap Menu, then Settings & Privacy, then Settings. Under Preferences, tap Media, and under Autoplay choose Never Autoplay Videos. Reels still appear, but they don't start by themselves.
Why do I see reels from people I don't follow?
Facebook says reels are recommended based on what may be relevant to you, using signals such as what you watch, like and share, what is trending, your location and the time of day. That is why they show up in your Feed and in Video.
Can I use Facebook without Reels and keep my messages?
Not in the official app. In minulo, Facebook opens with Reels and Watch hidden, and Notifications, Messages, Friends and Feed open from the minulo home screen. Hiding is free.
Sources
