Can you remove Reels from the Instagram app on iPhone? (2026)
Short answer: no. On iPhone, apps cannot change what another app shows, and Instagram itself has no setting that removes the Reels tab for adult accounts. What works instead is a combination: open Instagram somewhere Reels can be hidden, and stop yourself from falling back into the official app.
This page is written by the developer of minulo. Menu names can change with app and iOS updates.
| Approach | What it does | Catch |
|---|---|---|
| Instagram settings | Following feed, daily time reminder | The Reels tab stays. |
| Screen Time | Limits or blocks the whole Instagram app | DMs and group chats are blocked too. |
| Safari content blockers | Hide Reels on instagram.com in Safari | The official app is still one tap away. |
| Filtering apps | Open Instagram's website inside the app with Reels hidden | Same problem unless the official app is locked. |
| minulo | Hides Reels, Shorts and For You in its own view, and locks the official apps with Screen Time | Tapping the official Instagram icon opens minulo's Reels-free Instagram instead. |
Why can't an app remove Reels inside Instagram?
iOS keeps each app separate. A third-party app can block or limit another app through Screen Time, but it cannot change what that app shows.
Then how do people keep Instagram without Reels?
They use Instagram's website somewhere Reels are hidden, and make the official app hard to open. minulo does both: it hides Reels in its own view and, with Screen Time, sends taps on the official Instagram icon to that view.
Do I lose DMs?
No. In minulo, DMs, search, your own posts and posts from people you follow keep working. You can also switch Instagram to DMs only.
Is it free?
Hiding Reels, Shorts, TikTok For You and suggested posts in minulo is free. Pro is optional.
