minulo lets you keep the Instagram app on your iPhone and still use Instagram only for DMs: its free Every tab but DMs setting opens Instagram with Reels, Explore, the home feed and suggested posts hidden, while DMs and group chats keep working. I'm the developer of minulo, so keep that in mind as you read.
Every option compared, step by step: How to use Instagram only for DMs on iPhone
Why not just delete Instagram?
Deleting the app gets rid of Reels, but a lot goes with it. Class group chats, club announcements and friends who only answer on Instagram all live in DMs. The official app is also where voice messages, calls and posting Stories work. So the realistic goal for most people is not "no Instagram" but "Instagram that opens to messages, not to Reels".
Instagram itself doesn't have a messages-only mode. Here is what you can do without deleting anything, from the lightest change to the strongest.
1. Switch the feed to Following (Instagram's own setting)
Tap Instagram at the top left of your feed and choose Following. You get posts from accounts you follow, newest first, with no suggested posts.
What it doesn't do: Instagram doesn't remember this choice, so the next time you open the app you're back on the regular feed. The Reels tab and Explore stay on screen the whole time.
2. Keep notifications to messages only
In the Instagram app, tap your profile, then Menu at the top right, then Notifications. Open each notification type that isn't about messages and turn it off, and leave messages on. If one group chat is too loud, open it, tap the name at the top, then Mute, and turn on Mute messages. Your other chats still notify you.
This stops Instagram from calling you back for likes and suggestions. It doesn't change what you see once the app is open.
3. Screen Time limit on Instagram
An App Limit in iPhone Settings › Screen Time works on the whole app. When the limit is reached, your DMs and group chats are blocked along with Reels. So when you need to reply to someone, you end up turning the limit off, and the Reels come back with the DMs.
4. Use instagram.com in Safari
Some people delete the app and use Instagram in Safari instead. The website has the Reels and Explore tabs too, so it doesn't become DMs-only by itself. A Safari extension can hide parts of it, but only while you remember to open Safari instead of the app.
5. Open Instagram in minulo with Every tab but DMs
This is the option that actually leaves only messages, and the official app can stay installed.
- Install minulo from the App Store and tap Add a service to add Instagram.
- Log in on Instagram's own login page. minulo doesn't receive or store your password.
- Tap the gear next to Instagram and turn on Every tab but DMs. Reels, Explore, the home feed and suggested posts are hidden. DMs, group chats included, and the notifications tab stay.
- Optional: in the Block tab, lock the official Instagram app with Screen Time, free for up to 2 hours per block. When you tap the Instagram icon out of habit, you see a block screen, and Open in minulo takes you to your DMs.
Hiding is free, with no subscription and no time limit. TikTok has the same Every tab but DMs setting.
If you'd still like to see friends' Stories, leave Every tab but DMs off and turn on Hide the Reels tab, Hide Explore and Suggested posts instead. Stories stay at the top of the feed and DMs keep working.
Keeping both apps: a practical split
Because nothing gets deleted, you can split the jobs:
- Everyday DMs and group chats: in minulo, where there are no Reels to fall into.
- Voice messages, calls and posting Stories: in the official app, when you actually need them. minulo shows Instagram's website, which doesn't have these.
Two trade-offs to know before you lock the official app:
- While minulo locks an app, that app's notifications don't arrive, and minulo sends no notifications of its own. If you rely on DM notifications, lock it for set blocks (for example, while studying) rather than all day.
- Locks of up to 2 hours per block are free. minulo Pro ($9.99/month or $39.99/year in the US) adds Sleep mode, which locks the apps at the same bedtime and wake time every day, plus Hard Mode, a Daily limit and blocks longer than 2 hours.
FAQ
Do I have to delete the official Instagram app?
No. minulo can lock it with Screen Time and send you to its DMs-only Instagram when you tap the icon.
Will I still get my group chats?
Yes. Group chats are part of Instagram DMs, and they keep working in minulo's DMs-only view.
What happens when a friend sends me a Reel?
In minulo, a Reel opened from a DM stops before the Reels feed starts. Tap Open for 5 min to watch it, and blocking turns back on by itself after five minutes.
Can I use Instagram DMs on a computer instead?
Yes, at instagram.com in a browser, but the website has the Reels and Explore tabs too. minulo also has a Mac app that works in Safari and Chrome.
Is there an Android version?
No. minulo is for iPhone, plus the Mac app.
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