Hide Stories: Simple Steps To Mute Annoying Updates

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Hide Stories: Simple Steps to Mute Annoying Updates

Hey guys! Ever found yourself bombarded with stories from someone you'd rather not see? We've all been there. Whether it's an ex, a frenemy, or just someone whose daily life is a tad too extra for your taste, muting their stories can bring some much-needed peace to your social media experience. Let's dive into how you can achieve this blissful state on various platforms.

Why Hide Stories?

Before we jump into the how-to, let's quickly touch on the why. Hiding stories isn't about being mean; it's about curating your online environment for your own well-being. Think of it as decluttering your digital space.

  • Mental Health: Constant exposure to certain people's lives can trigger unwanted emotions or comparisons. Muting them can reduce anxiety and improve your overall mood.
  • Time Management: Endless scrolling through stories can be a huge time-sink. Hiding irrelevant content helps you focus on what truly matters.
  • Avoiding Drama: Sometimes, seeing updates from certain individuals can stir up unnecessary drama or conflict. Muting them can help you maintain a peaceful existence.

Hiding Stories on Instagram

Instagram is arguably the most popular platform for sharing stories, so let's start there. Here’s how you can mute someone’s stories without unfollowing them or blocking them entirely.

Method 1: Muting from the Story Tray

  1. Open Instagram: Launch the app on your phone.
  2. Find the Story Tray: This is the horizontal row of profile icons at the top of your feed.
  3. Locate the Offender: Find the profile of the person whose stories you want to hide.
  4. Long Press: Tap and hold on their profile icon.
  5. Select Mute: A menu will pop up with options like “Mute Story” or “Mute Story and Posts.” Select “Mute Story.”
  6. Confirmation: Instagram will confirm that you've muted their story. You’ll no longer see their stories in your story tray.

Method 2: Muting from Their Profile

  1. Navigate to Their Profile: Search for the person’s username and go to their profile page.
  2. Tap the Following Button: This is usually located next to their profile picture.
  3. Select Mute: A dropdown menu will appear. Choose “Mute.”
  4. Mute Stories: Toggle the switch next to “Stories” to mute them.
  5. Confirmation: You've successfully muted their stories!

What Happens When You Mute Someone's Stories on Instagram?

  • They Won't Know: Instagram doesn't notify users when you mute their stories, so they'll be none the wiser.
  • Stories Disappear: Their stories will no longer appear in your story tray at the top of your feed.
  • Still Following: You'll still be following them, and their posts will still appear in your feed (unless you mute those too).
  • Direct Messages Unaffected: You can still send and receive direct messages from them.

Hiding Stories on Facebook

Facebook also has a stories feature, and the process for muting them is quite similar to Instagram.

Method 1: Muting from the Story Tray

  1. Open Facebook: Launch the app on your phone or go to Facebook's website.
  2. Find the Story Tray: This is the horizontal row of profile icons at the top of your feed.
  3. Locate the Offender: Find the profile of the person whose stories you want to hide.
  4. Tap the Three Dots: Click on the three dots in the upper right corner of their story.
  5. Select Mute: A menu will pop up with the option to mute their story.

Method 2: Muting from Their Profile

  1. Navigate to Their Profile: Search for the person’s username and go to their profile page.
  2. Tap the Following Button: This is usually located next to their profile picture.
  3. Select Unfollow: A dropdown menu will appear. Choose “Unfollow” option, then select Snooze for 30 days.

What Happens When You Hide Someone's Stories on Facebook?

  • They Won't Know: Facebook doesn't notify users when you hide their stories.
  • Stories Disappear: Their stories will no longer appear in your story tray.
  • Still Following (Potentially): If you only mute their stories, you'll still be friends with them and see their posts. If you unfollow, you won't see their posts either.
  • Direct Messages Unaffected: You can still send and receive direct messages from them.

Hiding Stories on WhatsApp

WhatsApp Status is another form of stories, and you can mute these too.

  1. Open WhatsApp: Launch the app on your phone.
  2. Go to the Status Tab: This is usually located in the middle of the bottom navigation bar.
  3. Find the Offender: Locate the contact whose status you want to hide.
  4. Long Press: Tap and hold on their name.
  5. Select Mute: A menu will pop up with the option to mute their status.
  6. Confirmation: You've successfully muted their status updates.

What Happens When You Mute Someone's Status on WhatsApp?

  • They Won't Know: WhatsApp doesn't notify users when you mute their status.
  • Updates Disappear: Their status updates will no longer appear in your updates feed.
  • Still Chatting: You can still send and receive messages from them as usual.

Unmuting Stories

Changed your mind? No problem! Unmuting stories is just as easy as muting them. Here’s how:

On Instagram:

  1. Go to Your Profile: Tap your profile picture in the bottom right corner.
  2. Tap the Menu Icon: This is the three horizontal lines in the top right corner.
  3. Select Settings: Scroll down and tap on “Settings.”
  4. Tap Privacy: Find and tap on “Privacy.”
  5. Tap Story: Find and tap on “Story.”
  6. Tap Muted Accounts: You’ll see a list of accounts you’ve muted. Tap “Unmute” next to the person you want to unmute.

On Facebook:

  1. Go to Your Profile: Tap your profile picture in the bottom right corner.
  2. Tap the Menu Icon: This is the three horizontal lines in the top right corner.
  3. Select Settings & Privacy: Scroll down and tap on “Settings & Privacy.”
  4. Select Settings: Tap on “Settings”.
  5. Select News Feed Preferences: Scroll down and tap on “News Feed Preferences.”
  6. Select Snoozed: Tap on “Snoozed”. You’ll see a list of accounts you’ve snoozed. Tap “Unsnooze” next to the person you want to unsnooze.

On WhatsApp:

  1. Go to the Status Tab: Open WhatsApp and go to the “Status” tab.
  2. Scroll to the Bottom: Scroll down to the bottom of the screen.
  3. Tap Muted Updates: You’ll see a section labeled “Muted Updates.”
  4. Long Press: Tap and hold on the contact you want to unmute.
  5. Select Unmute: A menu will pop up with the option to unmute their status.

Other Tips for Managing Your Social Media Feed

  • Unfollowing: If muting isn't enough, consider unfollowing the person altogether. This removes their posts and stories from your feed.
  • Blocking: As a last resort, you can block someone. This prevents them from seeing your profile, posts, and stories, and also removes them from your followers list.
  • Take Breaks: Sometimes, the best solution is to simply take a break from social media. Step away from your phone and engage in other activities that bring you joy.

Conclusion

Managing your social media feed is essential for maintaining your mental health and overall well-being. Hiding stories is a simple yet effective way to curate your online experience and avoid unwanted content. Whether it's on Instagram, Facebook, or WhatsApp, the steps are straightforward and can be done discreetly. So go ahead, take control of your feed and create a more positive and enjoyable social media experience. You deserve it! Remember to use these tips to keep your social media experience pleasant and stress-free, ensuring you only see what you want to see. Enjoy the peace, guys!