Instagram is testing a profile display change that replaces the “Following” label with “Friends”, reflecting the number of accounts that mutually follow each other. The test was first highlighted through in-app examples shared publicly by app researcher Radu Oncescu, and Social Media Today reports that Instagram has confirmed to Business Insider that this is a small-scale experiment. [1]
Instagram’s statement frames the test as an effort to make friend connections “more visible and meaningful,” aligning with the platform’s broader shift toward private sharing and conversation-driven engagement.[1]
What changed
- “Following” is replaced with “Friends” in the profile display (test): Some users are seeing “Friends” shown instead of “Following,” where “Friends” represents reciprocal/mutual follows (people who follow you and whom you also follow). [1][2]
- The change affects how connection counts are interpreted: Because it highlights mutual relationships rather than total followed accounts, the label can alter what the number communicates at a glance (from outward interest-following to reciprocal connections). [1]
- Instagram confirms it is an experiment: Social Media Today reports Instagram confirmed to Business Insider that it is running a small-scale test to understand how users respond to emphasizing friend connections. [1]
Why Instagram is doing this
Instagram stated that friends are central to the experience and that it is exploring ways to make these connections more visible and meaningful.
The same Social Media Today report also references Instagram’s broader engagement pattern, much interaction increasingly happens through direct messaging supporting the platform’s focus on relationship-based activity. [4]
Practical implications for users, creators, and brands
- Profile signals may shift toward relationship strength: A “Friends” label puts attention on mutual connections rather than the total number of accounts a user follows, which can change how audiences interpret a profile’s social graph.[1]
- Discovery behavior could be affected: The “Following” list is often used as a discovery surface (to find accounts someone follows). Replacing it with mutual connections may change that dynamic by emphasizing personal ties rather than interest-based following.[1]
- Perception metrics may be recalibrated: Social Media Today notes the change could influence how people interpret follower/following ratios and perceived popularity, since the display logic becomes centered on mutual relationships instead of one-way following.[1]
Overall, Instagram’s test replaces the “Following” count with a “Friends” indicator that highlights mutual follows, signaling a product direction that prioritizes relationship-based connections in profile presentation. The experiment is confirmed as small-scale and is positioned by Instagram as a way to make friend relationships more visible and meaningful, consistent with the platform’s broader emphasis on private, connection-driven engagement.[1][3]