Instagram rolls out chronological Following and Favorites feeds to all iOS and Android users globally, neither of which can be set as the default

TechCrunch 2022-03-24 Sarah Perez

Context & Ripple Effects

Instagram had first signaled a return to a chronological option, then tested switching among Home, Favorites, and Following before expanding the controls worldwide. The rollout preserves a user-selected alternative without displacing the platform’s primary feed.

The distinction over defaults matters because Twitter’s later feed changes similarly separated a Following timeline from an algorithmic Home/For You experience, before restoring the last-open timeline as the default on mobile.

First-order effects

Instagram users on iOS and Android can now manually move to a chronological Following view or a Favorites view, while Instagram retains control of the starting feed because neither alternative can be made default.

Second-order effects

The design makes feed choice a competitive product feature: Twitter’s subsequent Following and Home/For You labels show rival platforms confronting the same tension between chronological control and algorithmic discovery.

Third-order effects

If platforms continue offering chronological modes without making them persistent defaults, feed choice becomes a pressure-release mechanism rather than a transfer of distribution control from recommendation systems to users.

The trend: Social platforms are adding explicit chronological and favorites views while protecting algorithmic feeds as the central distribution layer.

Discussion

@instagram @instagram on x
We heard you loud and clear — chrono is back! 🚨 Two new chronological views have been added to your Feed. Tap “Instagram” on the top left of your app to switch between Favorites and Following. https://twitter.com/...
@mosseri Adam Mosseri on x
📣 Chrono Update 📣 Today, we're launching two new chronological views for your Instagram Feed - Following and Favorites. These options give you more choice and control over what you see in the app. Let me know what you think 👇🏼 https://twitter.com/...
@alexvoica Alexandru Voica on x
Today, @instagram is introducing Favorites and Following, two new ways to choose what you see in your feed. We want you to be able to shape Instagram into the best experience, and giving you ways to quickly see what you're interested in is an important step in that direction. htt…
@kifleswing Kif on x
chronological feed is cool, but have you ever considered: instagram for ipad
@regi_nacho Regina on x
Instagram is finally bringing back its chronological feed. Nature is healing and it's the best time, now more than ever, to post some ass.
@ashindestad @ashindestad on x
Lmao instagram probably saw that users were dropping like flies... Cos I even stopped using it for MONTHS. https://twitter.com/...
@leyawn Leon on x
@katienotopoulos katie this is the most wrong you've ever been
@joannastern Joanna Stern on x
Me:"We the people: Give us social-media feeds that don't use algorithms to manipulate what we see." https://www.wsj.com/... @katienotopoulos:"You big babies have been pissing your diaps + crying over Instagram no longer having a chronological timeline." https://www.buzzfeednews.c…
@charlesarthur Charles Arthur on x
It's taken *years*. First Twitter, now Instagram. https://twitter.com/...
@liahaberman Lia Haberman on x
BUT... Instagram's chronological feed can't be set as the default so you'll need to select Favorites or Following each time you log in https://techcrunch.com/...
@kjramming Karen Ramming on x
IG's feed has been a bit of a mess for a while, glad to see them taking steps to improve it https://about.fb.com/...
@meghara Megha Rajagopalan on x
“Just like actual babies, you lack object permanence and can't remember what it was actually like back in 2013 when Instagram was chronological” https://twitter.com/...
@brettsvergara Brett S. Vergara on x
Big day!! https://twitter.com/...
@mikeisaac @mikeisaac on x
this is interesting and a thing folks wanted since instagram switched to algorithmic feed IG debuts option to let you go back to reverse chronological feed posts (at the same time twitter is trying to nudge folks away from reverse chron into algorithmic) https://t.co/nHJxTbz6Qn
@taylorlorenz Taylor Lorenz on x
.@katienotopoulos remains a master of the craft https://www.buzzfeednews.com/ ... https://twitter.com/...
@katienotopoulos Katie Notopoulos on x
I'd like to present possibly the worst piece of writing I've ever done. If I were a BuzzFeed investor and I saw this, I'd say to fire all of news, too https://t.co/o56iabHMyf
@mattnavarra Matt Navarra on x
You can now choose between THREE feed options on Instagram 1. Main feed (non-chronological / algorithmic) 2. Following (chronological) 3. Favorites (chronological) https://twitter.com/...
@martinsfp Martin Sfp Bryant on x
Agreed. It's great for Twitter, not so much if you start getting rubbish images in your usually well-tuned feed. https://t.co/4aeddAs8Ah
@darylbaxter Daryl Baxter on x
I spoke with @instagram about why they're bringing back Chronological feeds to its iOS and Android apps from today on @techradar. https://www.techradar.com/...
@katienotopoulos Katie Notopoulos on x
One thing I feel so strongly and sure about is that people will actually HATE going back to a chronological Instagram feed https://t.co/o56iabHMyf
@alexvoica @alexvoica on x
Favorites shows you the latest from accounts that you choose, like your best friends and favorite creators. In addition to this view, posts from accounts in Favorites will also show up higher in your home feed. https://twitter.com/...
@alexvoica Alexandru Voica on x
To use Favorites and Following, tap on Instagram in the top left corner of your home page to choose what you see. Learn more about today's announcement from our blog 👇 https://about.instagram.com/ ...

Chronicles