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What is the Meaning of CFS on Instagram?

If you’re familiar with social media and how it works, it’s no secret that you might come across some slang along the way. Understanding the terms and acronyms that you might find as you scroll is important in getting the full user experience. 

Instagram is one of those social media networks that’s known for its acronyms. Keep reading to find out what the meaning of CFS is on Instagram. 

Instagram CFS

It doesn’t take long for Instagram to come out with a new feature after their previous one. When they added CFS in 2018, social media users were excited to finally be able to control some of their privacy. 

Everyone who uses Instagram is well aware of how time-consuming it is to go through your followers and select the ones that you don’t want to be able to view your story. CFS is an added feature that will save you the time and hassle of that. 

So, what is CFS and how does it work? 

 

The Meaning of CF on Instagram

Close Friends (CF) or Close Friends Stories (CFS) is an Instagram feature that allows users to select members to be a part of their private stories. Only those that are selected will be able to view any stories that the user posts. 

Instagram Story

Using CFS is a great way to limit how many people see what you’re sharing. If you don’t feel like having all 500 of your followers see something that you post, use CFS!

Now that we’ve gone over what CFS is, it’s time to go over how to actually create a Close Friends list on Instagram.

 

How do you make a CFS on Instagram?

Follow these steps to begin your CFS journey:

Instagram CFS Story

  • Open the Instagram app. 
  • Tap your profile in the bottom right-hand corner.
  • Tap the menu button in the top right-hand corner. 
  • Select the “Close Friends” tab.
  • Choose which friends you want on your list.

 

How do you post to CFS on Instagram?

Here are the easy steps you’ll have to take before posting to your CFS:

Instagram CFS Story

  • Open the Instagram app. 
  • Click the “+” at the top of your screen. 
  • Click “Story” at the bottom of your screen. 
  • Select what you want to post. 
  • Click the green “Close Friends” button.

And that’s it! Only the closest friends on your list can see what you post on your private story after enabling this feature. 

 

FAQ

  • How does Instagram suggest Close Friends?

When creating your list for your Close Friends, you will see the “Suggested” tab. Essentially, it’s a list that Instagram has created for you to get an idea of who to put in your CFS. You’ll notice that Instagram suggests those that you interact with the most in the app. 

  • How do you know if you’re in someone’s Instagram CFS?

You can tell if you’re in someone’s Close Friends Story only if they post. If they included you in their list of closest friends, the ring surrounding their story on the home page will be highlighted green. After you click on their story, you will see a green bar labeled “Close Friends.” 

Otherwise, if someone doesn’t post to their CFS you won’t be able to tell if you are or aren’t in their story. 

  • Can you remove yourself from someone’s Instagram CFS?

Unfortunately, Instagram doesn’t let you easily remove yourself from someone’s Close Friends. The only way that can get you out of someone’s Close Friends on Instagram is by either blocking them or unfollowing them.

If you don’t want to take it to that extreme, then simply click and hold on to the story you want to remove and click “Mute story.” This will stop any future stories from that person from popping up in your Story list. 

  • Will Instagram notify your friends when you post on CFS?

Adding to your Close Friends Story is no different than adding to your regular Instagram story in terms of notifying users. After you post your private story, it will be added to the story bar at the top of everyone’s home page. But since it’s a Close Friends Story, it will be brought to the front of the Story list on the homepage with a green ring around it. 

Regular stories on Instagram only stay up for 24 hours and Close Friends Stories are no different. If you want your story to stay up longer than 24 hours, try adding it to a highlight so it can be featured on your profile permanently. The same goes here for who is allowed to view it – only those that you included in your Close Friends list will be able to see the story in your highlight. 

  • Can you go LIVE on Instagram on CFS?

Although going live on CFS is not a feature that Instagram currently supports, it might not be something that you have to count out forever. Instagram is constantly updating its features for its users to enjoy, so be on the lookout for this update in the future. 

 

Conclusion

In today’s world, it’s hard to keep things private. If you’re a frequent Instagram user who wants to have more private moments shared online, then looking into starting your own CFS on Instagram might be an excellent option for you. 

Instagram CFS

Take what you’ve learned from this article and try out the CFS feature on Instagram.

Here are some things to remember before you start:

  • To access your Close Friends, go to Profile > Menu > Close Friends 
  • Only the friends you pick to be on your list can see what you post. 
  • Instagram won’t notify users when you post, so it’s just like any other regular Instagram story. 

So go ahead and share your posts within your close circle of friends without any fear!

Written by Lucia Summa

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