New features are introduced on Instagram from time to time to improve user experience. One key feature that has become very popular is mutual friends or followers. It is a great way to organize existing friends/followers and find new ones. Keep reading to learn how it works.
What Does Mutual Mean on Instagram
Basically, when two users follow each other on Instagram, they are called mutual. When you see the word “mutual” on the platform, then it means you and the user you are viewing have something in common. It could be something as simple as following each other or it could mean that you share some of your followers.
The Mutual feature is an excellent way to determine whether or not you might be interested in following someone on Instagram. If you have a lot of mutuals, then it is likely that you will find their content enjoyable since you have similar interests.
How to Use Instagram Mutual Feature
Using the mutual feature to find new like-minded users on Instagram is a straightforward process. To use this feature, you need to make sure you are following the person that you would like to check mutual friends with. Their account should be public as well otherwise the feature won’t work. Here are the instructions:
- Launch the Instagram app on your phone.
- Use the search bar to find the profile of the user you would like to check mutual followers with.
- On their profile, select the following or followers option.
- On the next screen, you will find a tab called “Mutual”. Tap on it and you will be able to see and use the mutual friends/followers feature.
How to See My Mutual Friends on Instagram
To see your mutual friends, you will need to use the Discover People option of Instagram. You can access it from your profile. Follow these instructions:
- Launch the Instagram app on your phone and navigate to your profile.
- Tap the three lines located in the top corner and then scroll down and select the Discover People option.
- Now select the Most Mutual Connections. In this tab, you will be able to see your mutual friends. You can also use the search bar to find the person you wish to find mutual friends with.
How to See Other People’s Mutual Friends on Instagram
If you wish to see other people’s mutual friends, you will need to navigate to their profiles on Instagram and then take a look at the list of people that follow them. For this to work, you must be following those users and they must have set their privacy to public. Here are the instructions:
- Launch the Instagram app and log in using your credentials.
- Now visit the profile of the user with whom you wish to check the mutual friends.
- On their profile page, open the ‘followers’ or ‘following’ section. In those sections, you will see the ‘mutual’ options appear.
- Tap on it and you will be able to see their mutual friends/followers.
How to Turn Off Mutual on Instagram
Unfortunately, similar to your following and followers list, it is not possible to turn off the mutual feature on Instagram. There is no option to do this. Even if you set your profile to private, you can still see the mutual on the profile.
What you can do is hide mutual friends. The steps are similar to how to find mutual friends on Instagram. You only need to unfollow the people after you found them on your mutual list.
FAQs
Why Can’t I Find Mutual Friends on Instagram?
There could be a number of reasons:
- You are not following the user with whom you want to see your mutual friends.
- The user has set their profile as private or only me.
- Instagram’s algorithm cannot find followers/friends you have in common with someone.
Can You Hide Mutual Friends on Instagram?
You can hide mutual friends on Instagram by switching to private mode. You can also uncheck the ‘Show Mutual Friends” option in your profile edit settings to achieve this.
Can I See Mutual Followers on Private Instagram?
Officially, there is no way to see mutual followers on private Instagram. However, there are third-party mutual follower tools available that can help you achieve success.
What Makes Mutual Friends Different from Friends?
A mutual friend is different as it is someone who is friends with you as well as your other friend(s). Instagram uses this feature to help you find new like-minded users that you may already know or who are already friends with your other friends.
Conclusion
The Mutual feature of Instagram is a great way to expand your network on the platform. It can prove to be beneficial in a number of ways. If you are unfamiliar with this feature, use the above-listed guidelines to learn how it works, how to use it, and more. By using this feature properly, you can start expanding your network and achieve success on the popular social media platform that is Instagram.
