How to hide the Explore page on Instagram on iPhone (2026)

Instagram has no setting that removes the Explore tab. We could not find one in Instagram's help as of October 2026. Inside the Instagram app you can only change what Explore shows: tap Not interested on posts, set Sensitive content to Less, or reset suggested content. To make Explore disappear, open Instagram in an app that hides it. In minulo, hiding Reels and Explore is free and your DMs keep working.

Updated 2026-10-23

Written by Ayumu Kitabayashi, the developer of minulo. Facts about Instagram come from the sources listed below, checked on 2026-10-23. Menu names can change with app updates.

Method	What it does	Limits
Not interested (touch and hold a post in Explore)	Hides that post and shows fewer like it.	One post at a time. The Explore tab stays.
Sensitive content › Less (Content preferences)	Shows less content that may be upsetting in Explore, Search, Reels and feed recommendations.	Only covers sensitive content. Explore keeps showing everything else.
Reset suggested content (Content preferences)	Starts your recommendations over across Explore, Reels and Feed.	Cannot be undone. Recommendations personalize again as you use Instagram.
Your Algorithm (Reels and Explore)	See more or less of certain topics.	Meta says it is available in English-speaking countries. The tab stays.
iPhone Screen Time	Limits or blocks the whole Instagram app.	Cannot target Explore. Blocking the app blocks DMs too.
minulo (free)	Opens Instagram with the Reels and Explore tabs hidden. DMs keep working.	The official Instagram app itself does not change. Its notifications don't arrive while minulo blocks it.

How to see less of what you don't want in Explore

These steps change what Explore shows. They do not remove the tab.

Tap Explore (the magnifying glass) at the bottom of Instagram.
Touch and hold a post you don't want to see, then tap Not interested. You can also tap Options (the three dots) on a post and choose Not interested.
To cut back on posts that may be upsetting, go to your profile, tap Menu at the top right, tap Content preferences, then Sensitive content.
Tap Select next to Less, then tap Confirm.

Instagram's help says Sensitive content applies to Explore, Search, Reels, comments, accounts you might follow, hashtag pages and recommendations in your feed. Teen Accounts are set to a 13+ content setting automatically.

If Explore is full of things you no longer want, Reset suggested content under Content preferences starts your recommendations over across Explore, Reels and Feed. It cannot be undone and does not change who you follow. See how to reset Instagram recommendations.

What does not remove Explore

The Following feed removes suggested posts from your feed while you are in it. The Explore tab is still there. See how to see only people you follow.
Snoozing suggested posts pauses suggested posts in your Feed for 30 days. It does not cover Explore. See how to hide suggested posts.
Your Algorithm lets you see more or less of certain topics in Reels and Explore. Meta says it is available in English-speaking countries. It changes the topics, not the tab.
iPhone Screen Time works on the whole Instagram app, so it cannot block only Explore. Blocking the app blocks DMs too.

No third-party app can change the official Instagram app itself.

Hide Explore for free with minulo

minulo opens Instagram's official website inside the app with the parts you choose hidden.

Install minulo from the App Store.
On the home screen, tap Add a service and choose Instagram.
Tap the gear next to Instagram and turn on Reels and Explore tabs. Explore and Reels are hidden together with this switch. You can also hide suggested posts, Stories, or every tab but DMs.
If you keep opening the official app out of habit, open the Block tab, allow Screen Time and choose Instagram in Apps to block. Tapping its icon then shows a Blocked screen with a button that opens minulo.

Hiding stays on until you turn it off. DMs, posts from people you follow and search keep working. While the official app is blocked, its notifications don't arrive, so block it only when you can miss them.

What is free and what needs Pro

Hiding Explore, Reels, suggested posts and Stories is free. Blocking the official app is free for up to 2 hours per block, and you can start a new block when it ends. minulo Pro adds schedules that switch by day and time, blocks longer than 2 hours, Hard Mode and multiple block lists.

Can you remove the Explore page on Instagram?

Not with a setting. As of October 2026 we could not find one in Instagram's help. You can change what Explore shows, but the tab stays. To hide it, open Instagram in an app that hides Explore, such as minulo, where this is free and DMs keep working.

How do I clean up my Instagram Explore page?

In Explore, touch and hold a post you don't want and tap Not interested. You can also set Sensitive content to Less under Content preferences, or use Reset suggested content to start your recommendations over. A reset cannot be undone.

Does resetting suggested content clear Explore?

It clears your recommendations across Explore, Reels and Feed at the same time, so Explore starts fresh. The tab itself stays, and Instagram's help says suggestions become personalized again as you like, share and interact with content.

Can Screen Time block only Explore on Instagram?

No. Screen Time limits or blocks the whole Instagram app. It has no option for one tab inside the app, and blocking Instagram this way blocks your DMs too.

How do I hide Explore but keep my DMs?

Use an app that opens Instagram with Explore hidden. In minulo, turn on Reels and Explore tabs in the Instagram settings. It is free, it stays on until you turn it off, and DMs, posts from people you follow and search keep working.

Sources

How to see only people you follow on Instagram →How to hide suggested posts on Instagram →How to reset Instagram Reels recommendations →How to turn off Instagram Reels →How to use Instagram for DMs only →Hide Reels and Explore with minulo →