Key takeaways<\/h2>\n\n- Hide reel<\/strong> removes the selected Reel. It does not disable the entire feature.<\/li>\n
- Not interested<\/strong> gives Facebook feedback about recommendations. Older guides may call it Show less.<\/li>\n
- Feeds and the updated Friends tab<\/strong> can help you focus on people you know, but their posts can still include videos and Reels.<\/li>\n
- Autoplay and tab-bar settings<\/strong> control playback or navigation. They do not remove every video from Facebook.<\/li>\n
- Skip old APKs, modified apps and promises of a guaranteed Reels-free account.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
![\"Conceptual](\"https:\/\/kwebby.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/reels-control-explainer-v2.webp\" "\\"\\"")
AI-generated explainer: choose the control that matches your goal. These are concepts, not a screenshot of Facebook settings. View full-size image<\/a>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/span><\/p>\nCan you hide all Reels on Facebook?<\/h2>\n
Facebook\u2019s documented controls let you hide individual items and influence recommendations. I couldn\u2019t verify an account-wide switch that permanently removes every Reel.<\/p>\n
The word \u201cReels\u201d also covers more than the short vertical clips you may remember. Meta announced that new Facebook videos would be shared as Reels and that the Video tab would become the Reels tab, with the changes rolling out across profiles and Pages. Its video update<\/a> describes support for different lengths and formats.<\/p>\nThat explains why hiding short clips and avoiding Facebook video altogether are increasingly different goals. You might still want a longer tutorial from a Page you follow while wanting fewer unrelated clips in Home.<\/p>\n
I\u2019d use the options below in that order of specificity. Deal with an individual recommendation first, then adjust where you browse if the whole feed feels distracting.<\/p>\n
<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/p>\nHide a Reel or mark it Not interested<\/h2>\n
Start with the menu attached to the unwanted video. This is the most direct place to tell Facebook what you don\u2019t want to see.<\/p>\n
In the Facebook app on iPhone or Android<\/h3>\n\n- Find the unwanted Reel in your feed or open it in the Reels player.<\/li>\n
- Tap its More<\/strong> menu, usually shown as three dots.<\/li>\n
- If you want to remove that item, choose Hide reel<\/strong> when offered.<\/li>\n
- If you want to give feedback about recommendations, choose Not interested<\/strong> when offered.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
Facebook\u2019s indexed Reels help guidance<\/a> describes Hide reel as removing the item immediately and reducing content from that creator. Its iPhone result shows More followed by Hide reel; an Android result also lists Hide reel. The menu placement and available choices can differ.<\/p>\nMeta separately confirms Not interested for Reels<\/a>. Treat it as feedback about what gets recommended next, rather than a guarantee that a topic or creator will never appear again.<\/p>\nOn Facebook in a computer browser<\/h3>\n
Look for the three-dot menu on the video or its Feed post and use the recommendation control that is actually offered. Don\u2019t expect the desktop page to copy the phone app\u2019s layout.<\/p>\n
Meta\u2019s explanation of its recommendation controls<\/a> describes feedback menus across Feed, Video and Reels. If the website does not show the same Hide reel option as the app, use its available feedback option or try the current official app.<\/p>\nOpening facebook.com in a browser does not itself create a Reels-free version of Facebook.<\/p>\n
Why older tutorials say Show less<\/h3>\n
Meta updated its Feed controls announcement<\/a> to explain that Show more and Show less became Interested and Not interested.<\/p>\nIf your screen says Not interested, you don\u2019t need to hunt for a second Show less button. Older screenshots can be useful for recognizing the menu, but I would follow the label on your current screen.<\/p>\n
Use Feeds or Friends when you want familiar content<\/h2>\n
If your real complaint is \u201cI opened Facebook to catch up with people,\u201d changing the feed you browse can be more useful than dismissing recommendations one by one.<\/p>\n
Try Feeds for recent posts from your connections<\/h3>\n
Look for Feeds<\/strong> in Facebook\u2019s navigation or Menu. Choose the available view that matches what you want to read, such as friends, Pages, groups or Favorites.<\/p>\nMeta describes Feeds<\/a> as a place for recent posts from your connections, without Suggested For You posts. Ads are still included.<\/p>\nThe important limit is the content itself: a friend or Page can publish video. Choosing their posts does not filter out every Reel they share.<\/p>\n
Try the updated Friends feed if your account has it<\/h3>\n
If your account has the updated Friends feed<\/a>, it focuses on your friends without recommendations. Meta launched it in the United States and Canada; availability elsewhere should not be assumed.<\/p>\nFriends\u2019 Reels are included, so this still leaves some video in view.<\/p>\n
To make this feed easier to reach, use the tab-bar customization described below.<\/p>\n
For me, the useful question is whether the feed is showing the people you came to see. A few friends\u2019 videos may be perfectly acceptable even when a stream of strangers\u2019 Reels is not.<\/p>\n
<\/span><\/p>\nManage a repeat source with Snooze or Unfollow<\/h2>\n
When most unwanted posts come from one person, Page or group, use a source-level control instead of repeatedly hiding individual videos.<\/p>\n
Check the menu on a Feed post for Snooze<\/strong> or Unfollow<\/strong>. Read the name in the option so you know whose posts you are changing.<\/p>\n\n- Snooze:<\/strong> temporarily stops posts from that source in Feed for 30 days<\/li>\n
- Unfollow:<\/strong> stops that source\u2019s posts appearing in Feed<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
These effects are described in Facebook\u2019s indexed Feed-post help<\/a>. They apply to the named source, so similar videos from someone else can still appear.<\/p>\nYou may also lose photos and text updates you would have enjoyed from that person. If you only dislike one clip, individual feedback is the smaller change.<\/p>\n
If you are considering a wider friends-list cleanup, my guide to removing Facebook friends<\/a> explains the different consequences of unfriending, unfollowing and blocking. I wouldn\u2019t remove a friendship solely because one Reel annoyed you.<\/p>\n<\/span><\/p>\nReduce automatic playback without expecting videos to disappear<\/h2>\n
Autoplay is worth checking when movement in the feed is the distraction. It changes whether videos start automatically; it does not remove their thumbnails or disable the Reels feature.<\/p>\n
In the phone app, look for this route:<\/p>\n
\n- Open Menu<\/strong>, then Settings & privacy<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
- Open Settings<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
- Under Preferences, choose Media<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
- Find Autoplay<\/strong> and select Never autoplay videos<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
These labels are visible in Facebook\u2019s indexed autoplay guidance, within its video settings help<\/a>. On a computer, look in Settings under Preferences for Media and inspect the choices offered. An old tutorial\u2019s separate Videos page may no longer match.<\/p>\nAfter changing it, return to the feed and check the behavior that bothered you. A video you deliberately open is a different situation from a preview starting while you scroll.<\/p>\n
I would not promise that this setting stops every kind of playback inside every version of the Reels player. Sound, autoplay and whether a Reel is visible are separate things to check.<\/p>\n
Can you remove the Reels shortcut?<\/h2>\n
Facebook\u2019s indexed tab-bar guidance<\/a> lists a route through Settings, Tab bar and Customize the bar, with Pin, Auto or Hide choices for shortcuts. Check which tabs your own interface offers.<\/p>\nIf a Reels or video shortcut is listed and Facebook offers a hiding option for it, you can use that option. If it is missing, don\u2019t assume there is another guaranteed setting buried elsewhere.<\/p>\n![\"Cropped](\"https:\/\/kwebby.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/meta-tab-menu-native-clip-v4.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
Actual menu captured from Meta\u2019s published Friends-tab demo. It illustrates shortcut customization, not proof that every account can hide its Reels tab. Source: Meta Newsroom<\/a>. View full-size image<\/a>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nRemoving a shortcut only changes how you reach a feature. Reels can still appear in Feed or open from a shared link, even if their dedicated button is no longer visible.<\/p>\n
Pinning the Friends feed, where available, can be useful if you want an easier route to the content you prefer.<\/p>\n
<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/p>\nWhy I would avoid old APKs and unverified Reels blockers<\/h2>\n
Installing a Facebook release from before Reels existed is not a supported way to configure today\u2019s service. This guide no longer includes download links or installation steps for old Facebook packages.<\/p>\n
Google explains that updating Android apps improves security and stability<\/a>. Deliberately keeping an app years behind is a poor trade just to change your feed, especially when there is no verified guarantee that the old version will deliver the experience you want.<\/p>\nUse Google Play on Android or the App Store on iPhone to keep the official app current. You do not need to disable app updates, turn off security protection or sign into a modified Facebook app for the native controls above.<\/p>\n
A desktop browser extension is another separate decision. Before trusting a blocker, check its publisher, recent maintenance, the exact elements it claims to hide and its requested access to Facebook pages.<\/p>\n
I haven\u2019t installed or tested a third-party Facebook Reels blocker for this guide. I would not describe one as permanently reliable, or assume that a desktop extension will change the Facebook app on your phone.<\/p>\n
<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/p>\nWhat to do when Reels keep coming back<\/h2>\n
First, check what you changed. If you hid one video, seeing another Reel does not mean that individual removal failed.<\/p>\n
<\/span><\/p>\n Facebook\u2019s documented controls let you hide individual items and influence recommendations. I couldn\u2019t verify an account-wide switch that permanently removes every Reel.<\/p>\n The word \u201cReels\u201d also covers more than the short vertical clips you may remember. Meta announced that new Facebook videos would be shared as Reels and that the Video tab would become the Reels tab, with the changes rolling out across profiles and Pages. Its video update<\/a> describes support for different lengths and formats.<\/p>\n That explains why hiding short clips and avoiding Facebook video altogether are increasingly different goals. You might still want a longer tutorial from a Page you follow while wanting fewer unrelated clips in Home.<\/p>\n I\u2019d use the options below in that order of specificity. Deal with an individual recommendation first, then adjust where you browse if the whole feed feels distracting.<\/p>\n <\/span> Start with the menu attached to the unwanted video. This is the most direct place to tell Facebook what you don\u2019t want to see.<\/p>\n Facebook\u2019s indexed Reels help guidance<\/a> describes Hide reel as removing the item immediately and reducing content from that creator. Its iPhone result shows More followed by Hide reel; an Android result also lists Hide reel. The menu placement and available choices can differ.<\/p>\n Meta separately confirms Not interested for Reels<\/a>. Treat it as feedback about what gets recommended next, rather than a guarantee that a topic or creator will never appear again.<\/p>\n Look for the three-dot menu on the video or its Feed post and use the recommendation control that is actually offered. Don\u2019t expect the desktop page to copy the phone app\u2019s layout.<\/p>\n Meta\u2019s explanation of its recommendation controls<\/a> describes feedback menus across Feed, Video and Reels. If the website does not show the same Hide reel option as the app, use its available feedback option or try the current official app.<\/p>\n Opening facebook.com in a browser does not itself create a Reels-free version of Facebook.<\/p>\n Meta updated its Feed controls announcement<\/a> to explain that Show more and Show less became Interested and Not interested.<\/p>\n If your screen says Not interested, you don\u2019t need to hunt for a second Show less button. Older screenshots can be useful for recognizing the menu, but I would follow the label on your current screen.<\/p>\n If your real complaint is \u201cI opened Facebook to catch up with people,\u201d changing the feed you browse can be more useful than dismissing recommendations one by one.<\/p>\n Look for Feeds<\/strong> in Facebook\u2019s navigation or Menu. Choose the available view that matches what you want to read, such as friends, Pages, groups or Favorites.<\/p>\n Meta describes Feeds<\/a> as a place for recent posts from your connections, without Suggested For You posts. Ads are still included.<\/p>\n The important limit is the content itself: a friend or Page can publish video. Choosing their posts does not filter out every Reel they share.<\/p>\n If your account has the updated Friends feed<\/a>, it focuses on your friends without recommendations. Meta launched it in the United States and Canada; availability elsewhere should not be assumed.<\/p>\n Friends\u2019 Reels are included, so this still leaves some video in view.<\/p>\n To make this feed easier to reach, use the tab-bar customization described below.<\/p>\n For me, the useful question is whether the feed is showing the people you came to see. A few friends\u2019 videos may be perfectly acceptable even when a stream of strangers\u2019 Reels is not.<\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n When most unwanted posts come from one person, Page or group, use a source-level control instead of repeatedly hiding individual videos.<\/p>\n Check the menu on a Feed post for Snooze<\/strong> or Unfollow<\/strong>. Read the name in the option so you know whose posts you are changing.<\/p>\n These effects are described in Facebook\u2019s indexed Feed-post help<\/a>. They apply to the named source, so similar videos from someone else can still appear.<\/p>\n You may also lose photos and text updates you would have enjoyed from that person. If you only dislike one clip, individual feedback is the smaller change.<\/p>\n If you are considering a wider friends-list cleanup, my guide to removing Facebook friends<\/a> explains the different consequences of unfriending, unfollowing and blocking. I wouldn\u2019t remove a friendship solely because one Reel annoyed you.<\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n Autoplay is worth checking when movement in the feed is the distraction. It changes whether videos start automatically; it does not remove their thumbnails or disable the Reels feature.<\/p>\n In the phone app, look for this route:<\/p>\n These labels are visible in Facebook\u2019s indexed autoplay guidance, within its video settings help<\/a>. On a computer, look in Settings under Preferences for Media and inspect the choices offered. An old tutorial\u2019s separate Videos page may no longer match.<\/p>\n After changing it, return to the feed and check the behavior that bothered you. A video you deliberately open is a different situation from a preview starting while you scroll.<\/p>\n I would not promise that this setting stops every kind of playback inside every version of the Reels player. Sound, autoplay and whether a Reel is visible are separate things to check.<\/p>\n Facebook\u2019s indexed tab-bar guidance<\/a> lists a route through Settings, Tab bar and Customize the bar, with Pin, Auto or Hide choices for shortcuts. Check which tabs your own interface offers.<\/p>\n If a Reels or video shortcut is listed and Facebook offers a hiding option for it, you can use that option. If it is missing, don\u2019t assume there is another guaranteed setting buried elsewhere.<\/p>\n Removing a shortcut only changes how you reach a feature. Reels can still appear in Feed or open from a shared link, even if their dedicated button is no longer visible.<\/p>\n Pinning the Friends feed, where available, can be useful if you want an easier route to the content you prefer.<\/p>\n <\/span> Installing a Facebook release from before Reels existed is not a supported way to configure today\u2019s service. This guide no longer includes download links or installation steps for old Facebook packages.<\/p>\n Google explains that updating Android apps improves security and stability<\/a>. Deliberately keeping an app years behind is a poor trade just to change your feed, especially when there is no verified guarantee that the old version will deliver the experience you want.<\/p>\n Use Google Play on Android or the App Store on iPhone to keep the official app current. You do not need to disable app updates, turn off security protection or sign into a modified Facebook app for the native controls above.<\/p>\n A desktop browser extension is another separate decision. Before trusting a blocker, check its publisher, recent maintenance, the exact elements it claims to hide and its requested access to Facebook pages.<\/p>\n I haven\u2019t installed or tested a third-party Facebook Reels blocker for this guide. I would not describe one as permanently reliable, or assume that a desktop extension will change the Facebook app on your phone.<\/p>\n <\/span> First, check what you changed. If you hid one video, seeing another Reel does not mean that individual removal failed.<\/p>\nCan you hide all Reels on Facebook?<\/h2>\n
\n<\/span><\/p>\nHide a Reel or mark it Not interested<\/h2>\n
In the Facebook app on iPhone or Android<\/h3>\n
\n
On Facebook in a computer browser<\/h3>\n
Why older tutorials say Show less<\/h3>\n
Use Feeds or Friends when you want familiar content<\/h2>\n
Try Feeds for recent posts from your connections<\/h3>\n
Try the updated Friends feed if your account has it<\/h3>\n
Manage a repeat source with Snooze or Unfollow<\/h2>\n
\n
Reduce automatic playback without expecting videos to disappear<\/h2>\n
\n
Can you remove the Reels shortcut?<\/h2>\n
\n<\/span><\/p>\nWhy I would avoid old APKs and unverified Reels blockers<\/h2>\n
\n<\/span><\/p>\nWhat to do when Reels keep coming back<\/h2>\n