What stays, what goes
Stays
- Your Following feed — real posts from people you chose, in order
- Direct Messages — the part you actually came for
Goes
- Stories tray — no more rings to chase
- Reels and the Explore rabbit hole
- Ads and “suggested” posts from strangers
- “For you” feed — forced back to Following
- Notification nags
How it works
- Install Dumbstagram from the Chrome Web Store.
- Open instagram.com — the junk is gone before the page finishes loading.
- Want the chaos back? One toggle in the toolbar restores everything.
Questions
How do I hide Reels and Stories on Instagram?
On desktop, install the Dumbstagram Chrome extension. It removes Reels, the Stories tray, Explore, ads and suggested posts from instagram.com before the page finishes loading, leaving only your Following feed and Direct Messages.
Does Dumbstagram work in the Instagram mobile app?
No. Browser extensions cannot change native apps. Dumbstagram works on instagram.com in Chrome on your computer — which also makes the desktop site the calmest place to check Instagram.
Does Dumbstagram need my Instagram login or collect data?
No account, no login, no tracking. The extension stores a single on/off switch on your own device and sends nothing anywhere. Its only permission is local storage for that switch.
Does it switch my feed back to Following instead of the algorithm?
Yes. Dumbstagram keeps you on the chronological Following feed — posts from people you actually chose to follow, in order — instead of the algorithmic “For you” feed.
Can I turn Instagram back to normal?
Yes. One toggle in the Chrome toolbar turns everything back on when you actually want the chaos, and off again when you are done.
Is Dumbstagram free?
Yes. Dumbstagram is free on the Chrome Web Store, with no upsells and no premium tier.