How to Use Instagram Close Friends (2026 Guide)

Quick Answer

Instagram's Close Friends list lets you share Stories, posts, and Notes with a select group of people instead of all your followers. To set it up: go to Settings and activity → Close Friends → Create Close Friends list → select the people you want to include. When posting a Story, tap the Close Friends icon (green star) to share only with that list. People on your Close Friends list are not notified that they're on it.

What Is the Close Friends Feature?

Close Friends is a privacy tool that lets you create a curated list of accounts and share content exclusively with them. It works with:

Stories — share a Story only with your Close Friends list (green star icon).
Notes — share a Note only with Close Friends.
Feed posts (in testing) — Instagram has been testing the ability to share feed posts with Close Friends only.

The key difference from a private account: with Close Friends, you can have a public account but still share specific content with a smaller, trusted group.

Step-by-Step: Set Up Close Friends

Go to your profile → tap the three-line menu (≡).
Tap Settings and activity.
Tap Close Friends.
Tap Create Close Friends list.
Search for and select the accounts you want to include.
Tap Create (or Done).

You can create multiple Close Friends lists (e.g., "Family," "Work Friends," "Best Friends") and choose which list to share with when posting.

Create your Story as normal (photo, video, text).
Before sharing, tap the green star icon (Close Friends) at the bottom of the screen.
Select which Close Friends list to share with.
Tap Your Story or Close Friends to share.

The Story will have a green star badge indicating it's shared with Close Friends only.

Who Can See Your Close Friends List?

Nobody. Instagram does not reveal your Close Friends list to anyone — not even the people on it. When someone sees a Close Friends Story, they see the green star badge but cannot see who else is on the list or how many people are on it.

Close Friends vs. Private Account vs. Custom Stories

Feature	Close Friends	Private Account	Custom Story Audience
Who sees content	Selected list only	All approved followers	Custom selection per Story
Account visibility	Public or private	Followers only	N/A
Notification to list members	No	N/A	No
List visible to others	No	N/A	N/A
Multiple lists	Yes	N/A	No (one-time selection)

Common Questions

Can someone tell if they're on my Close Friends list?

No. Instagram does not notify people when you add them to your Close Friends list. They'll see your Close Friends Stories (marked with a green star) but won't know who else is on the list or that they've been specifically selected.

Can I have multiple Close Friends lists?

Yes. You can create multiple lists with different names (e.g., "Family," "Close Friends," "Work") and choose which list to share with when posting a Story or Note.

Do Close Friends Stories disappear after 24 hours?

Yes, just like regular Stories. Close Friends Stories follow the same 24-hour expiration unless you add them to a Highlight.

Can I add Close Friends Stories to Highlights?

Yes. Close Friends Stories can be added to Highlights, but they remain visible only to people on your Close Friends list. Others who view your Highlights won't see Close Friends content.

Can I remove someone from my Close Friends list?

Yes. Go to Settings → Close Friends, select the list, and remove the person. They won't be notified. Past Close Friends Stories they've already seen remain visible until they expire.

How to Hide Your Story from Specific People — alternative to Close Friends for exclusion
Instagram Privacy Checklist — audit all your privacy settings
Instagram Privacy Guide — complete privacy guide
How to Make Your Account Private — full account privacy