StillfeedStillfeed vs deleting Instagram: which is better for your scrolling?
Deleting Instagram is the classic fix for endless scrolling. Here's an honest comparison with keeping Instagram and removing only the feeds, so you can choose what fits you.
Quick answer: deleting Instagram does stop the scrolling, but it also cuts you off from DMs, group chats and friends' posts, which is why many people end up reinstalling it. Using Instagram in Safari doesn't help much either, because Reels are still on the website. Stillfeed keeps Instagram and removes Reels and Explore for free, so you keep the useful parts. If you don't need any of Instagram, deleting it is still a perfectly good choice.
What "deleting Instagram" can mean
People usually mean one of three things:
- Deleting the app from your iPhone. Your account, posts and messages stay. You can still log in from a browser.
- Deactivating your account for a while. Instagram lets you take a temporary break; your profile is hidden until you come back.
- Deleting your account for good. Your profile, posts and messages go, and you can't get them back once the deletion goes through.
All three remove the endless feeds from your day. They also remove everything else Instagram does for you.
Why deleting works for some people
It's simple, it's free and it doesn't depend on willpower in the moment. If Instagram mostly gives you Reels and comparison, and the people you care about are reachable elsewhere, removing it completely is a clean, honest fix.
Why it often doesn't stick
- You lose your DMs. Friends, group chats, a club or a class may only use Instagram to talk.
- You lose the people you follow. Instagram is also where friends share news, photos and events.
- It's easy to reinstall. The App Store is a few taps away. One "I just need to check a message" brings back the whole app, Reels included.
- The website isn't a way round it. Some people delete the app and use instagram.com in Safari instead. That adds a little friction, but as of October 2026 Reels are still on the mobile website.
What Stillfeed does instead
Stillfeed is an in-app browser for iPhone. It loads the real instagram.com, signed into your own account, and hides certain parts before they're shown.
- Free from your first launch: Reels and Explore removed from Instagram (and Shorts from YouTube), and Instagram opens to your Following feed.
- Stillfeed Pro (optional): block Stories and the main Feed too, a DMs-only mode, and a daily time limit.
- Your account is untouched. Stillfeed never changes your account, followers or posts, and your login goes straight to Instagram.
The full details are in How to block Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts on iPhone.
Side-by-side comparison
| Deleting the app | Deleting the account | Stillfeed | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reels and Explore | Gone from the app, still on the website | Gone | Removed, free |
| DMs | Only through the website | Lost | Kept |
| Friends' posts | Only through the website | Lost | Kept, opens on Following |
| Your posts and followers | Kept | Lost | Kept, never changed |
| Easy to undo by habit | Yes, reinstall in seconds | Need a new account | Yes, if you open the official app |
| Cost | Free | Free | Free core features; Pro is optional |
| Works on Android | Yes | Yes | No, iPhone only |
Stillfeed's trade-offs
- It only works inside Stillfeed. If the official Instagram app is still installed, you can always go back to it. That's why we suggest deleting the app, or moving it off your home screen, once Stillfeed is set up.
- It's the website. Some app-only features may not be available.
- It's not a complete break. If what you need is total distance from Instagram, deleting your account does that and Stillfeed doesn't.
Which should you choose?
- You don't need Instagram for anything: delete it. It's the simplest option.
- You need DMs or want to see friends, but Reels take your evenings: use Stillfeed, and delete the official app so it isn't tempting.
- You want a break but aren't ready to lose everything: deactivate for a while, then come back through Stillfeed instead of the app.
Many people find the middle ground works best: delete the Instagram app, keep the account, and open it only in Stillfeed. You keep your friends and lose the feed. For a wider look at the habit, read What is doomscrolling? and 10 strategies to stop doomscrolling, or see how it compares with Screen Time and app blockers like Opal and Brick.
How to set it up
- Download Stillfeed from the App Store and open it.
- Pick Instagram.
- Log in as you normally would. Your username and password go straight to Instagram, never to Stillfeed.
- Browse. Reels and Explore are already gone, and you start on your Following feed.
- Delete the official Instagram app, or move it off your home screen.
Curious what the feed has been costing you? The doomscrolling calculator shows it per week, per year and over a lifetime. Stillfeed also works on X, Reddit, TikTok, Snapchat and LinkedIn.
Common questions
Does deleting the Instagram app delete my account?
No. Removing the app from your iPhone only removes the app. Your account, posts and messages stay, and you can still use Instagram in a browser or reinstall the app.
If I delete the app, can I use Instagram in Safari without Reels?
Not really. As of October 2026, Reels are still on the instagram.com mobile website. Safari adds a bit of friction, but the feeds are still there. Stillfeed loads instagram.com with Reels and Explore removed.
Can I keep Instagram DMs but get rid of Reels?
Yes. Open Instagram through Stillfeed. Reels and Explore are removed for free, your DMs and the Following feed stay, and Stillfeed Pro adds an optional DMs-only mode.
Is deleting Instagram ever the better choice?
Yes. If you don't need Instagram for messages, friends or work, and you want a complete break, deleting it is simple and effective. Stillfeed is for people who want to keep the useful parts.
