If you are wondering how to get rid of reels on Facebook, you are not alone. Many people open Facebook to check family updates, community posts, groups, Marketplace listings, or messages, only to find short videos taking up a large part of the feed. Reels can be entertaining, but they can also feel distracting, repetitive, or simply unwanted when you are trying to use Facebook in a calmer way.
The important thing to know is that Facebook does not usually offer one simple button that removes every Reel from every part of the app. Instead, you can reduce them, hide individual Reels, train your feed, adjust video settings, limit notifications, and change how you use shortcuts and tabs. These steps can make Reels appear less often and give you more control over your experience.
This guide explains what Facebook Reels are, why they keep showing up, how to reduce them on mobile and desktop, which mistakes to avoid, and what to do if Reels continue appearing. The goal is not to fight the app endlessly, but to shape your feed so it better matches what you actually want to see.
Facebook Reels are short vertical videos that appear in the main feed, Watch area, profiles, pages, groups, and sometimes inside suggested content blocks. They are designed for quick viewing, fast scrolling, and high engagement, which is why Facebook gives them prominent placement.
You may see Reels from friends, pages you follow, creators you do not follow, public accounts, groups, and advertisers. Even if you rarely tap on them, Facebook may still test them in your feed because video content often keeps users on the platform longer.
Getting rid of Reels completely is difficult because they are built into the Facebook experience. However, reducing them is realistic. The more consistently you hide, dismiss, and avoid interacting with Reels, the more signals you send that this content is not useful to you.
Your actions matter. Watching a Reel fully, liking it, commenting on it, sharing it, pausing on it, or visiting the creator’s profile can all encourage Facebook to show similar short videos. Even accidental engagement may influence what appears later.
A better approach is to combine feed controls, notification cleanup, video preference changes, and mindful browsing habits. This gives you the best chance of seeing fewer Reels without needing to delete your account or stop using Facebook entirely.
Why Do Reels Keep Showing Up On Facebook?
1. Facebook Promotes Short Video Content
Facebook pushes Reels because short videos often get quick reactions and long viewing sessions. The platform uses them to compete with other video-first apps and to keep people scrolling. This means Reels may appear even if you mainly use Facebook for posts, groups, or messages.
2. Your Feed Learns From Small Actions
Facebook studies more than obvious likes and comments. If you stop scrolling to watch a Reel, replay it, open the comments, or tap the profile behind it, the feed may treat that behavior as interest. Reducing Reels means avoiding small signals that suggest you enjoy them.
3. Suggested Content Expands Your Feed
Many Reels appear as suggested content rather than posts from people you know. Facebook uses suggestions to fill your feed with material beyond your friend list. Hiding suggested Reels and choosing options such as seeing less can help reduce this type of content over time.
4. Pages And Groups May Share Reels
Even if you do not follow many creators, pages and groups you joined may post or reshare Reels. A group about recipes, sports, local news, or hobbies can still include many short videos. Reviewing the pages and groups you follow can reduce unexpected Reels.
5. The App Layout Changes Often
Facebook regularly tests layouts, tabs, shortcuts, and feed modules. A setting that reduces Reels today may look different later, or the option may move to another menu. This is why it helps to know the general controls instead of relying on one exact button.
6. Ads Can Look Like Regular Reels
Some Reels-style videos are sponsored content. These may appear because of ad targeting rather than your normal feed preferences. Hiding ads, adjusting ad topics, and giving feedback on irrelevant sponsored videos can help reduce similar placements.
How Can You Remove Facebook Reels?
1. Open Facebook and find a Reel in your feed. Use the three-dot menu on the post to look for options such as hide, see less, or snooze related content.
2. Avoid watching Reels fully. Scroll past them quickly because long viewing time may tell Facebook that you are interested in more short videos.
3. Unfollow or snooze pages, groups, and creators that repeatedly post Reels. This is often more effective than hiding one video at a time.
4. Review your shortcuts and tabs. If a Reels or Video shortcut appears, remove it from your shortcut bar when the app gives you that option.
5. Turn off unnecessary video and Reel notifications so Facebook has fewer chances to pull you back into short video content.
Best Ways To See Fewer Reels
- Use See Less: When Facebook offers a see less option, use it consistently. One tap may not change everything, but repeated feedback helps train the feed away from similar Reels.
- Hide Reels Quickly: Do not spend time watching a Reel before hiding it. The longer you watch, the more mixed your signal becomes. Hide unwanted Reels as soon as you notice them.
- Clean Up Follows: Unfollow pages and creators that post mostly short videos. You can often remain friends with people or stay in groups while reducing noisy content from public pages.
- Limit Video Notifications: Go through notification settings and turn off alerts related to videos, creator updates, and suggested content. This reduces the number of prompts leading you back to Reels.
- Use Feeds Carefully: The Feeds area may help you focus on friends, groups, or pages instead of algorithmic recommendations. It will not remove every Reel, but it can make browsing more intentional.
- Avoid Accidental Engagement: Do not like, comment, share, save, or replay Reels you do not want more of. Even negative comments can count as engagement and may encourage similar content.
What Mistakes Make Reels Come Back?
1. Watching Reels Before Hiding Them
A common mistake is watching a Reel for several seconds and then choosing hide. Facebook may still read the viewing time as interest. If you want fewer Reels, skip or hide them immediately instead of sampling them first.
2. Commenting To Complain About Reels
Leaving comments on unwanted Reels can backfire because comments are strong engagement signals. Even if your comment says you dislike the content, the system may still learn that this format gets your attention and show more related videos.
3. Ignoring Pages That Post Too Often
Sometimes the problem is not Facebook Reels in general, but a few pages filling your feed with short videos. If the same sources keep appearing, unfollowing, snoozing, or hiding content from those pages can make a noticeable difference.
4. Expecting One Setting To Fix Everything
There is usually no permanent master switch for removing every Reel from Facebook. The best results come from combining several actions, including feed feedback, notification changes, follow cleanup, and careful browsing habits over time.
5. Tapping Reels From Notifications
Notifications can restart the cycle. If you tap alerts about videos or creators, Facebook may increase related recommendations. Reducing notification categories helps prevent Reels from becoming a repeated entry point into the app.
6. Forgetting To Update The App
An outdated app may have missing controls, display issues, or older menu layouts. Updating Facebook does not guarantee fewer Reels, but it can make sure you have the newest available options for hiding and managing content.
You may not be able to remove every Reel from Facebook permanently, but you can reduce them a lot by using the right controls consistently. Hide unwanted Reels, choose see less when available, avoid engagement, and clean up the pages and groups that post too many short videos.
The best approach is steady and practical. Facebook’s feed learns from behavior, so each action you take helps shape what appears next. If you want a calmer experience, treat every unwanted Reel as a chance to send a clearer signal.
With a little patience, your Facebook feed can become more focused on the updates, communities, and conversations you actually came to see.
FAQs About How To Get Rid Of Reels On Facebook
Can I Completely Turn Off Facebook Reels?
In most cases, Facebook does not provide a single setting that completely turns off all Reels everywhere. You can reduce them by hiding individual Reels, selecting see less, changing notifications, removing shortcuts when possible, and avoiding engagement with short video content.
Why Do I Still See Reels After Hiding Them?
Hiding one Reel usually affects similar content, not the entire Reels feature. Facebook may continue testing other short videos from different creators, pages, or advertisers. Consistent feedback over time works better than hiding one or two videos.
Does Unfollowing Pages Help Reduce Reels?
Yes, unfollowing pages that frequently post Reels can help a lot. If a few pages are responsible for most of the short videos in your feed, removing them from your follow list can make Facebook feel cleaner almost immediately.
Will Deleting The Facebook App Remove Reels?
Deleting the app removes Facebook from your device, but it does not change your account preferences. If you reinstall the app or use Facebook on another device, Reels may return unless you also change your content behavior and settings.
Can I Remove The Reels Shortcut From Facebook?
Sometimes you can remove or hide shortcuts from the Facebook shortcut bar, depending on your app version and device. Look for shortcut bar settings in the menu. If the option is not available, you can still avoid tapping the Reels area.
Do Reels Appear Less If I Stop Watching Them?
Often, yes. Facebook uses viewing behavior to shape recommendations. If you scroll past Reels quickly, avoid tapping them, and hide them when possible, the system may gradually show fewer similar videos in your main feed.