Following our report earlier this month on Instagram’s upcoming AI-powered stories and voice filters, the Meta-owned platform is seemingly accelerating its feature roadmap. Fresh leaks have surfaced, revealing three significant developments: a user-controlled exit from Close Friends lists, a direct shortcut to “Manus AI” in the settings page, and a potential new tier of paid subscriptions with “stealth” features.
As is often the case, these discoveries come courtesy of reverse engineer Alessandro Paluzzi, offering a glimpse into what might be coming in future updates.
Self-removal from ‘Close Friends’
Currently, the “Close Friends” dynamic is entirely unilateral. The creator decides who is on the list, and the recipient simply views the content. That appears to be changing.
According to new screenshots, Instagram is developing a “Leave Close Friends list” option. Users viewing a Close Friends story will seemingly be able to access a menu that offers the choice to remove themselves.
A confirmation dialog in the leaked interface warns: “You’ll no longer see their Close Friends content. [User] will need to add you again if you change your mind.”
This adds a layer of privacy and boundary-setting for users who may have been added to lists they didn’t ask to be part of, allowing them to quietly opt out of exclusive content without unfollowing the account entirely.
Manus AI shortcut in the settings page
Meta’s push into AI continues to bleed into the Instagram interface. A new settings menu item labeled Manus AI has been spotted in testing.
Located between the “Meta Quest” and “Login” sections in the settings page, the shortcut is described as a tool to “Research, create and build with Manus.” While details on “Manus” are still thin, the placement suggests a dedicated workspace or toolset for creators, potentially linking to Meta’s broader generative AI initiatives for content creation directly within the app.
A new “super” subscription?
Perhaps the most controversial of the leaked features is a new paid subscription tier that appears to target power users and those seeking “stealth” capabilities.
Unlike the verification-focused “Meta Verified,” this potential subscription bundle is rumored to offer functional perks that manipulate how you interact with the feed and followers. Leaked details point to three main features:
- Unlimited audience lists: Going beyond just “Close Friends,” this would likely allow for granular control over who sees which stories.
- Follower insights: A feature to explicitly see a list of followers who don’t follow you back.
- Stealth viewing: The ability to “sneak a peek” at a Story without your name appearing in the user’s viewer list.
Paluzzi notes that previously spotted features, such as “Super Like” and the ability to search within a story’s viewer list, could also be rolled into this subscription. It remains unclear if this will be a standalone “Instagram Premium” service or an expansion of the existing Meta Verified benefits.
As with all unreleased features discovered through reverse engineering, there is no official timeline for rollout. Instagram frequently tests concepts that are eventually scrapped or significantly altered before public release. However, the UI for the “Close Friends” removal looks nearly complete, suggesting it could be the first of these to go live.
