For those times when you only want a select few to see your activity, Instagram has created “close friends.”
Like a VIP list for your besties, it allows you to keep more sensitive information or inside jokes between you and your best pals.
You can enable it for virtually any post on the app, from the photos you post on your grid to throwaway notes and stories. Now, Instagram is bringing it full circle by allowing you to share live videos with only your close friends.
Starting today (June 20), you can broadcast a livestream or live room (for up to four people) with your besties only, instead of everyone on the app. Instagram hopes the change encourages more people to try out live videos, especially those users put off that they are public.
Livestreams are already a massive hit on TikTok, where some creators are streaming around the clock to make cash. However, not everyone wants to broadcast their every move or shill for brands. Close friends could be a boon for the Instagram format, where people increasingly share in smaller circles.
How to set up a close friends list on Instagram
You can create a close friends list in just a few quick steps, with no limits on the amount of people you can add:
- Tap your profile pic at the bottom right of the app.
- Tap the menu button (three horizontal lines stacked on top of each other) at the top right of the app.
- Scroll down to “who can see your content” and select “close friends”.
- Choose the friends you want to add from your following list or by searching for them individually.
- To remove someone from the list, tap the checkmark next to their name.
Instagram won’t notify people when they're added or dumped from your close friends group.
Now, when you post a story, live video, or other supported post, you can share it with everyone or only your close friends.
Choosing the latter will show your story or livestream with a green border around it to your chosen followers.
