How to Fix Instagram Explore Page

Is your Instagram Explore page suddenly a bizarre funhouse mirror of content you have zero interest in? One day it's full of inspiring creators and beautiful aesthetics, and the next it's serving you an endless scroll of things that make you wonder if the algorithm knows you at all. This guide will walk you through exactly how to reset and retrain your Explore page, turning it back into a source of inspiration instead of confusion.

Why Your Explore Page Went Rogue

Before we can fix it, it helps to know what's going on behind the scenes. Your Explore page is Instagram's powerful recommendation engine, designed to show you content from accounts you don't follow but might enjoy. The algorithm makes its decisions based on your activity, including:

• Posts and Reels you like, comment on, share, and save.
• Accounts you follow and interact with frequently.
• Hashtags and profiles you've searched for.
• Videos you watch all the way through or re-watch.

Often, the feed goes off the rails for simple, innocent reasons. Maybe you liked a few posts on a random topic as you were doom-scrolling, or a friend sent you a Reel with a trending audio that was completely off-brand for you, and your interaction sent the wrong signal. It's not your fault, the algorithm is just a machine trying to learn from your clues. Now, it's time to give it better ones.

The "Not Interested" Button: Your First Line of Defense

The fastest way to start cleaning house is by directly telling Instagram what you don't like. Marking content as "Not Interested" sends a direct, unambiguous signal to the algorithm that this is not the kind of content you want to see. Think of it as giving pointed feedback to a personal shopper - it's the most effective way to steer them in the right direction.

Here's how to do it, step by step:

1. Open your Instagram app and tap the magnifying glass icon to go to your Explore page.
2. Find a post or Reel that you don't want to see more of.
3. Tap on that piece of content to open it in full view.
4. Tap the three dots (...) in the top-right corner of a post or the bottom-right corner of a Reel.
5. From the menu that pops up, select "Not Interested."

Instagram may give you further options, like hiding all posts from that specific account or posts with similar keywords. Use these options liberally. Each time you mark a piece of content, you're fine-tuning the algorithm. Don't just do this once, make it a habit for a few days whenever something you dislike appears. You'll notice a difference quickly.

A Deeper Cleanse: How to Reset Your Account History

Beyond individual posts, your past searches heavily influence your recommendations. If you once searched for "#homesteading" out of curiosity for a weekend project, the algorithm might assume you've traded your city apartment for a farm. Clearing your search history helps to reset those outdated signals.

Clearing Your Search History

This simple action deletes the trail of breadcrumbs you've left for the algorithm through your past searches. It tells Instagram to stop considering those terms when suggesting content.

1. Navigate to your Profile by tapping your profile picture in the bottom-right corner.
2. Tap the hamburger menu (☰) in the top-right corner.
3. Select "Your activity."
4. Scroll down and tap on "Recent searches."
5. In the top right, tap "Clear All" and confirm your choice.

This step is particularly useful if your Explore page has been co-opted by a topic you only had a fleeting interest in. It wipes the slate clean, preventing old searches from haunting your feed forever.

Retraining the Algorithm: Actively Teaching Instagram What You Love

Now for the fun part. Fixing your Explore page isn't just about removing unwanted content, it's about proactively showing Instagram what you genuinely enjoy. This is where you take conscious control and flood the algorithm with positive data points about your true interests.

Go on an Intentional Engagement Spree

Set aside 10-15 minutes for a focused "retraining" session. Your goal is to interact with as much content as you love as possible. Here's a simple routine:

• Use the search bar: Instead of waiting for content to find you, search for hashtags, keywords, or accounts related to your passions. Looking for interior design? Search for #midcenturymodern, #scandinaviandesign, or @archdigest.
• Like generously: As you scroll through the search results for these topics, like any post that catches your eye. Don't be shy, every like is a vote for more of that content.
• Save and share: Saving a post is a powerful signal. Create specific folders for your interests and save inspiring content to them. Sharing a post to your Story or sending it to a friend is another strong indicator of interest.
• Leave genuine comments: Engage with creators you admire. Leaving a thoughtful comment ("This color palette is stunning!") shows a deeper level of engagement than a simple like.

Audit Your Following and Saved Collections

The accounts you follow and the content you've saved are cornerstones of how Instagram understands you. A quick audit can make a huge impact.

• Review who you follow: Scroll through your "Following" list. Are there accounts you followed years ago that are no longer relevant to your interests? You can either unfollow them or, for a less drastic measure, mute them. A muted account won't leave your following list, but its content (posts and Stories) won't show up in your feed, which tones down its influence on your recommendations.
• Clean out your Saved folder: Your bookmarked posts are a direct line to your interests. Go through your Saved collections (Profile -> Hamburger Menu -> Saved) and un-save anything related to the unwanted topics currently dominating your Explore page. Even that one-off meme you saved months ago could be a data point that's leading the algorithm astray.

Advanced Tactics for a Pristine Explore Page

If you've tried the basics and still need a more targeted cleanup, Instagram offers a few more advanced controls that many people don't know exist. These give you even more power to filter your feed.

Hide Posts with Specific Words and Phrases

Do you keep seeing content related to a specific diet, celebrity, or trend you're tired of? You can tell Instagram to hide posts that contain a list of keywords in the caption or hashtags.

1. Go to your Settings and privacy (Profile -> Hamburger Menu -> Settings and privacy).
2. Scroll down to the "What you see" section and tap on "Suggested content."
3. Tap on "Specific words and phrases."
4. Here, you can enter any words, phrases, or emojis you wish to avoid. Add any terms related to the unwanted content, and Instagram will filter them out of your suggested posts.

This is extremely powerful for blocking out trends or topics you consistently want to avoid, giving you a custom-tailored browsing experience.

Be Patient: How Long Does it Take?

While some changes can be immediate, fully retraining the algorithm takes a little time. It's an ongoing process, as the algorithm is constantly learning from your latest activity. By consistently applying these methods over the course of a week, you'll see a dramatic and lasting shift. Treat your Explore page like a garden - it needs occasional weeding to let the things you love grow.

Final Thoughts

Fixing your Instagram Explore page comes down to a simple, two-part strategy: clearly tell the algorithm what you don't like by using the "Not Interested" feature and clearing old data, then actively show it what you love through intentional engagement. It puts you back in the driver's seat, making your time on the platform more inspiring and aligned with your interests.

Once your Explore page feels like a true reflection of you, it becomes a fantastic source of inspiration for your own content strategy. For creators and brands, we know that getting your content onto other people's Explore pages boils down to consistency and creating high-quality content that resonates. We built Postbase to make that consistency completely manageable. With our beautiful visual content calendar and rock-solid scheduling across all platforms, including Reels and TikTok, we make it simple to plan your strategy and publish flawlessly every time - helping you become the sort of inspiring account the algorithm loves to recommend.