Unfollow

Unfollow is the action of ceasing to follow a user on a social media platform. When you unfollow, you stop seeing that user’s posts in your main feed; you remain connected through any existing mutual follows, and you will not automatically notify the other user.

The exact impact of unfollowing depends on the platform. In most cases, unfollowing is private and reversible: you can follow the person again later. Some platforms offer alternatives such as muting or restricting the user, which hides content without breaking the follower/following relationship. Blocking is a stronger step that prevents the blocked user from interacting with you and may sever other connections.

Not all apps use the same terminology, but the core concept remains: unfollowing reduces content you see from that account, without necessarily ending the ability to interact in other ways. For creators, unfollowing can affect the reach and engagement patterns of posts in feeds but does not remove content from the public profile itself.

Reasons to unfollow include reducing noise, removing toxic or irrelevant content, and adjusting personal boundaries. Etiquette is to use unfollow as a private action; if the relationship is delicate, muting first or explaining briefly can be considered. Some platforms provide “unfollow” or “remove from followers” options, offering control over what appears in your feed.