Many Instagram users have recently been confused by the color change of the following button on the profiles of people they visit. Usually this button is gray or blue, but now some have changed to green . What does the green button actually mean? Is it a new feature? Does it have something to do with privacy or account settings?
The ajakteman.com article will thoroughly discuss the meaning of the green follow button on Instagram, why it happens, and how to return it to normal.
What Does the Green Follow Button Mean on Instagram?
Instagram often updates its interface in secret, so a small change like a button color can raise a lot of questions. If you see a green " Follow" button when visiting someone's profile, it means you've added them to your "Close Friends" list on your Instagram Story.
What are Close Friends on Instagram?
The Close Friends feature allows users to share stories only with a select group of people, not all followers. It's a kind of additional privacy feature that gives more control over who sees personal content.
When you add someone to your Close Friends list:
- You can share stories that only they can see.
- They were not directly notified that they were on the list.
- But when they see your story, a green circle will appear around your profile photo.
What many people don’t realize is that when you add someone to your Close Friends list, the “Following” button on their profile will turn green when you visit their account. This is an internal visual indication that only you as the account owner see.
Is This A New Feature?
In fact, this feature has been around for quite some time , but not all users are aware of it. Instagram has never openly announced that the follow button can change color because of the Close Friends list. This change seems to be just part of a design update and the addition of visual elements so that users can be more aware of their social interactions in the application.
How to Restore Green Button to Normal Color?
If you feel uncomfortable or accidentally add someone to your Close Friends list, you can easily remove them from the list. After that, their follow button will revert to its default color.
How to remove someone from your Close Friends list:
- Open your Instagram profile.
- Tap the three lines icon in the top right corner.
- Select “Close Friends” .
- Delete the names of people you don't want to include on the list.
- Close and reopen the person's profile—the follow button will return to normal.
The Difference Between Close Friends and Casual Followers
To understand more clearly, here are the differences between Close Friends and Public Followers :
Close friend:
- See specific stories that other followers don't see.
- It's only visible to you who is on this list.
- Get additional visual signals like a green button.
- Can change at any time according to your wishes.
Public Followers:
- View all the content you've created publicly.
- No access to private stories (Close Friends).
- The follow button remains in the default color (grey or blue).
- There is no limit to how many people are in this category.
Why Do Many People Unknowingly Add Friends to Their Close Friends List?
This could happen for several reasons:
- Have you ever tried the Close Friends feature and unknowingly added their name?
- Instagram sometimes suggests some names automatically the first time you use the feature.
- Or you just wanted to “experiment” with the feature and forgot to delete it.
Do Friends Added to Close Friends Know?
Not directly. They don't get a notification. But they can guess from a few things, like:
- Green circle on your Story.
- If they visit your profile and also use the same feature, they may notice the green button as a hint.
However, if you remove them from the list, there are no visible notifications or signs.
So the conclusion is
If you find the follow button on Instagram has turned green , it is not a bug or system error , but rather a sign that you have added the account to your Close Friends list . The green color is a personal visual cue to let you know that the account has special access to your story content that is limited.
If you want to revert it back to how it was, simply remove the account from your Close Friends list. This will change the button color back to normal.
Managing your Close Friends list is one way to maintain privacy on Instagram, but it’s also important to be aware of who’s on that list. Because even if they’re not directly notified, signs like the green button can be a signal that makes them aware.
Hopefully this article helps you understand this feature more deeply. If you want to know other interesting tips about the digital world and everyday technology, you can read other interesting articles on ajakteman.com .