How to Stop Scrolling Instagram and TikTok Without Deleting Your Accounts
Deleting apps doesn't work for most people—you just reinstall them. Here's how to keep social media while breaking the endless scroll.
Key takeaways
- When you cut back on one feed app, your brain will look for alternatives.
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- I check it once a day, usually in the evening, for about 10-15 minutes
Why deleting apps usually fails (I tried it three times)
I've deleted Instagram three times. The first time, I reinstalled it after 4 days. The second time, I made it 11 days. The third time, I didn't even make it 48 hours.
Deletion feels like taking control. Finally doing something. But for most people, including me, the underlying urge doesn't go away just because the app does. You reinstall. You check on Safari instead. You pick up a different feed app and develop the same habit there.
I'm not saying never delete apps. For some people, full abstinence is the right answer. But for most of us, a more sustainable approach is keeping the apps while changing our relationship with them.
The actual goal: intentional use, not zero use
Here's a useful reframe: the problem isn't that you use Instagram or TikTok. The problem is that you use them unintentionally—opening them without deciding to, scrolling past your planned stop point, feeling worse afterward instead of better.
Intentional use looks different. You decide to spend 15 minutes catching up with friends' posts. You do that. You close the app. No guilt, no regret, no lost hour.
Getting there requires changing the default from "always accessible" to "accessible when I choose."
The three changes that made the difference for me
These are in order of impact. Start with the first one and add the others as needed.
- 1. Turn off all notifications from these apps. Not just sounds—all notifications. Likes, comments, "someone you follow posted," all of it. Each notification is a trigger that pulls you in when you weren't planning to go. Check when you choose to, not when the app summons you
- 2. Remove the apps from your home screen. Move them to a folder on the second or third page, or just access them through search. The goal is adding one step. The muscle memory of thumb-tapping the icon is real—break it
- 3. Add friction before opening. This is where it gets more serious. Use Screen Time to set a low limit with a passcode you don't have memorized (have someone else set it), or use a physical friction tool. The goal is a moment of "do I actually want to do this?" before you're already scrolling
Watch for app substitution
When you cut back on one feed app, your brain will look for alternatives. TikTok blocked? Hello, YouTube Shorts. Instagram gone? Hello, Twitter. Apply the same changes to all your scroll-prone apps, not just the most obvious one.
How to use social media on purpose (my current approach)
Here's how I use Instagram now, after all the above changes:
- I check it once a day, usually in the evening, for about 10-15 minutes
- I have a specific purpose: see what friends posted, reply to messages, maybe look at Stories from people I actually care about
- I don't scroll Explore or Reels. If I find myself there, I close the app. Those features are designed to be infinite; I can't win a self-control battle with them
- I keep track (roughly) of how long I spend. Screen Time helps, but even just a mental note. The moment it starts feeling mindless rather than enjoyable, I stop
When you find yourself in a scroll hole
You'll slip. I still do sometimes. When you notice you're 25 minutes deep in Reels when you meant to spend 5 minutes checking DMs, try this:
- Don't beat yourself up. Self-criticism doesn't help and might make you scroll more to cope with the bad feeling
- Just close the app. You don't need a dramatic declaration. Just close it and move on
- Notice what triggered it. Were you stressed? Bored? Avoiding something? The trigger is valuable information. If you keep slipping in the same context, address that context
- Strengthen one thing. If your current friction isn't enough, add more. Move the app deeper, change the password, use a stricter tool
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FAQ
What if my job requires social media?
Separate work use from personal use. Use business accounts on a computer during work hours, not your phone. Keep personal accounts behind friction. Many people who "need social media for work" are actually doing 10% work tasks and 90% personal scrolling on the same platform—be honest about that split.
Is it okay to just browse occasionally?
Yes, if it's genuinely intentional. The goal isn't never opening these apps—it's opening them because you chose to, for a specific reason, and closing when you're done. Some people can do this naturally. If that's not you yet, you need friction to help you get there.
What about FOMO—won't I miss things?
Maybe, but probably less than you fear. The algorithm shows you content designed to maximize engagement, not the most important updates from people you care about. If there's something genuinely important, you'll probably hear about it anyway. The things you "miss" are mostly manufactured urgency.
Keep reading
I was checking my phone 15+ times per hour during work. Here's the setup that dropped that to near-zero—without turning my phone off.
Different life situations need different approaches to Screen Time. Here's what actually works for each—based on real feedback from each group.