Instagram Auto Refresh Feed: Meta-owned platform Instagram has introduced a new update aimed at enhancing user experience by addressing a common frustration: automatic feed refresh. Notably, the most often-criticised feature is called the “rug pull”.
Now, Instagram ensures that the feed remains unchanged after brief inactivity, allowing users to pick up exactly where they left off. This small yet significant change is designed to give users more control over their browsing experience and prevent unwanted content refreshes.
This development comes after the company revealed that it purposely lowers the quality of Instagram Stories and Reels that don’t get many views. This way, it can save resources for videos that are watched by more people.
Earlier, when users reopened the app after a short break, their feeds would instantly refresh, causing them to lose sight of posts they hadn’t yet explored. Hence, this often led to missing out on content that initially appeared at the top of their screens.
What Is Instagram’s “Rug Pull” Feature?
“Rug pull” was an internal term Instagram used for the feature that automatically refreshed the feed whenever users reopened the app, especially after a short period of inactivity.
Why Instagram Removed “Rug Pull” Feature?
Instagram’s head, Adam Mosseri, recently confirmed the removal of this feature during an AMA (Ask Me Anything) session. He explained that, although the feature was intended to boost user engagement by refreshing the feed automatically, it often ended up frustrating users.
This was because posts that first appeared on the screen would disappear before users had a chance to interact with them, disrupting their browsing experience.
Conclusion:
With the removal of the rug pull feature, Instagram users can now enjoy a smoother and more predictable experience when opening the app. Instead of content shifting unexpectedly, users can view the posts that first appear on their screen without the interruption of automatic feed refresh.