Where is Advanced Settings on Instagram? The Ultimate Guide to Finding Hidden Controls

If you're tearing your hair out trying to find "Advanced Settings" on Instagram, take a deep breath. You are definitely not alone. Instagram is notorious for shuffling its user interface (UI) every few months. What was once easy to find is now tucked away behind a cryptic menu or merged into the new "Settings and Privacy" hub.

The main reason for the confusion is that Instagram uses the term "Advanced Settings" in two very distinct places: before you publish a new post (specific post controls) and deep within your main account management (global account controls). This guide will walk you through finding both, so you can stop searching and start optimizing your content.

A Quick Story: The Missing Setting Syndrome

I remember trying to disable comments on a specific post years ago. I searched the main menu for 20 minutes before realizing the setting wasn't under 'Privacy'—it was hidden at the very bottom of the post-creation screen. It's a classic Instagram move: they often hide crucial controls based on context. If you're looking for settings related to *distribution* or *audience*, they usually pop up right before you hit ‘Share.’ Let’s dive into where they are now.

The Quick Fix: Advanced Settings During Post Creation (The Most Common Answer)

When most users ask "Where is advanced settings on Instagram?", they are typically referring to the options available just before finalizing and sharing a new photo, Carousel post, or Reel. These are crucial settings for optimizing your distribution and engagement metrics.

Here is the step-by-step process for accessing these post-specific advanced controls:

1. Start Your Post: Tap the plus icon (+) and select the content you want to upload (Feed Post or Reel).
2. Apply Filters/Edits: Go through the normal editing and cropping steps.
3. Reach the Caption Screen: You are now on the final screen where you write your caption, tag people, add locations, and select cross-posting options (Facebook, etc.).
4. Scroll Down: Scroll past the "Tag People" and "Add Location" sections.
5. Find the Link: At the very bottom, beneath all the sharing options, you will see a small, discrete link labeled "Advanced Settings."

Once you tap this link, you unlock several powerful features that dictate how your content is distributed and perceived by your audience.

What You Find in Post-Specific Advanced Settings:

This menu is essential for professional users looking to control engagement and accessibility.

• Hide Like and View Counts: If you don't want the pressure of public metrics, you can hide the number of likes (for photos/carousels) or views (for Reels) on this specific post. This is a powerful feature for managing mental health or testing content without initial performance anxiety.
• Turn Off Commenting: Need to post something without opening the floor for discussion? You can disable comments entirely for that single piece of content.
• Write Alt Text: This is a massive win for SEO and accessibility. Alt Text (Alternative Text) describes your image for visually impaired users and helps Instagram understand the context of your photo, which can subtly boost your content distribution.
• Share to Facebook (Advanced Distribution Controls): While the quick toggles are on the main caption screen, sometimes the advanced settings offer more granular control over linked Facebook pages and distribution rules, especially for Reels.
• Branded Content Tools (If Applicable): If you are a Creator or Business account and you are posting paid partnership content, the option to add the "Paid Partnership" label is often housed or managed through the link found here.

Remember, these settings are sticky. If you hide like counts once, Instagram often remembers that preference for the next post unless you manually switch it back.

Beyond Posting: Where to Find True Advanced Account and Privacy Settings

If you weren't looking for post controls, you were likely looking for the global, overarching settings that affect your entire account, security, and data. While Instagram has largely removed the single button labeled "Advanced Settings" from the main account screen, these controls are now consolidated under the massive "Settings and Privacy" hub.

To navigate to the global advanced controls, follow these steps:

1. Go to Your Profile: Tap your profile picture icon in the bottom right corner.
2. Open the Menu: Tap the three horizontal lines (hamburger menu) in the top right corner.
3. Select "Settings and Privacy": This is the new centralized control center.

Inside "Settings and Privacy," the features that function as "Advanced Settings" are scattered across two primary areas: the Meta Account Center and the Professional Dashboard.

1. The Meta Account Center (The True Advanced Hub for Data Management)

At the very top of the Settings menu, you will see a massive banner link: "Account Center." This is Meta's attempt to unify Facebook, Instagram, and Messenger controls. This is where you find your most secure and sensitive advanced settings.

• Personal Details: Updating emails, birthdates, and managing identity verification.
• Passwords and Security: Implementing two-factor authentication (2FA), checking login alerts, and managing saved logins across Meta apps. This is the single most important security feature you must use.
• Your Information and Permissions: Managing how your data is tracked, downloading a complete copy of your Instagram data, and controlling how linked apps access your account.

2. The Professional Dashboard (Advanced Creator/Business Tools)

If you have converted your account to a Creator or Business profile (which you should, if you are serious about growth), you gain access to the "Professional Dashboard." This acts as the advanced command center for your content strategy.

You can usually find the Professional Dashboard linked directly under your bio on your profile page, or near the top of the "Settings and Privacy" menu.

Features that make the Professional Dashboard an "Advanced Setting" area:

• Insights and Analytics: Deep dive into audience demographics, content reach, impressions, and follower growth trends—the crucial data needed for professional optimization.
• Monetization Tools: Setting up and managing payouts, accessing Branded Content settings, and applying for badge eligibility.
• Account Status: A crucial advanced check. This tells you if your account is following Community Guidelines, if your content is being flagged, and if you have any restrictions on features like live video or Reels music—all vital for maximizing post distribution.
• Saved Replies and FAQs: Tools designed to save time when managing a high volume of DMs (Direct Messages), allowing for a more professional and efficient response rate.

Understanding Instagram's UI Philosophy and Finding Hidden Settings

Why does Instagram make these advanced settings so difficult to find? Part of it is simplification for the average user; they don't want the casual poster to mess with alt text or privacy settings. But the other part is the continuous merger with Meta properties, constantly shifting where centralized control resides.

As a Senior SEO Content Writer, I need to emphasize that keywords and features are constantly migrating. Today’s "Advanced Settings" might be tomorrow’s "Distribution Controls."

Key Advanced Settings That Are Often Missed:

Even seasoned users often overlook these powerful options, usually because they are buried deep inside the settings structure:

• Sensitive Content Control: Found under "Settings and Privacy" > "Suggested content." This setting allows you to adjust how much sensitive content Instagram shows you in the Explore tab. Setting this to "Less" is a form of advanced curation for your feed.
• Download Your Information: Located in the Account Center under "Your Information and Permissions." This setting allows you to download a complete file of every piece of data Instagram has on you—an incredibly advanced data management control.
• Active Status: Under "Settings and Privacy" > "Messages and story replies." Turning off your Active Status is a crucial advanced privacy setting that stops people from seeing when you were last online.
• Review Tags and Mentions: To maintain a professional brand image, you should utilize the advanced setting that requires you to manually approve any tag or mention before it appears on your profile. This is typically found in the "How others can interact with you" section.

The best way to think about "Advanced Settings" on Instagram is not as a single button, but as a collection of specialized tools grouped by function. If you are dealing with security and logins, go to the Account Center. If you are dealing with content strategy and metrics, go to the Professional Dashboard. If you are dealing with a single piece of content, look at the very bottom of the share screen.

Now that you know exactly where to look for those hidden controls, you can stop feeling frustrated and start taking full advantage of Instagram’s powerful, albeit sometimes confusing, feature set. Happy posting!