I’ve been trying to stop stories from showing up on my news feed in the Facebook app on my iPhone, but I can’t figure out how to do it. They’re distracting, and I don’t want them appearing every time I scroll. Is there a way to turn them off or remove them? Would really appreciate help with this.
Well, first off, lemme just say that Facebook is like that one annoying roommate who thinks they know what you want better than you do. Stories on the news feed can’t exactly be turned off—Facebook likes to think they’re essential, apparently. But here’s a workaround:
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Mute Stories One by One: See a story? Tap those three little dots at the top-right of it and hit Mute. Repeat this joyride every time someone posts new stories because, you know, that’s just efficient.
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Unfollow Certain People?: If the same folks keep flooding your feed with stories you don’t care about, maybe unfollowing them might help clear things up a bit, though it won’t specifically “remove” stories.
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Use Facebook Lite Version (maybe): If you’re into experimenting, the Lite version of Facebook sometimes has fewer distractions, but it’s hit or miss.
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Just… Ignore Them?: Honestly, I’ve tried to make peace with it. Pretend they don’t exist, like taxes you hope someone else is handling.
Facebook keeps shoving stuff in our faces nobody asked for, and unfortunately, stories are here, glued to the top like a bad haircut. Seems like Zuckerberg & Co. won’t let us live in scroll-only peace anytime soon.
Honestly, Facebook stories are like glitter—you didn’t ask for it, but now it’s everywhere and impossible to get rid of. Unfortunately, there’s no direct hide all stories switch (because why would Facebook actually give us control, right?). While @codecrafter laid out some decent ideas, there’s another way you could try curbing this madness:
1. Put Focus Mode to Work: iPhone’s Focus Mode can help in minimizing distractions. Pair it with notification restrictions for Facebook so you’re not tempted to open the app and even see those dreaded stories.
2. Report Stories for Fun (I Mean, Issues): Probably not a proper solution, but if the content bothers you, you can tap “…More Options” and report stories as ‘irrelevant.’ Maybe if enough people did this, Facebook would get the hint? A bit of wishful thinking.
3. Leave Groups or Unfriend Serial Story Posters: Painful but effective if certain friends/groups are flooding your stories section. Unless you’re emotionally attached to someone’s daily coffee montage, it might be worth it.
Tbh, if you’re like me, you’ve probably already mentally trained yourself to not even look at stories anymore—kind of like how I ignore the “Suggested Posts” garbage. Facebook knows they’re annoying; they just don’t care. So it’s either play whack-a-mole with these hacks or accept that Zuckerberg won’t save us from his ‘brilliant’ ideas. Take your pick. 
Okay, here’s the thing about Facebook stories: they’re basically TikTok’s younger, awkward cousin, inevitable but not necessarily lovable. The cold, harsh truth is there’s no magical ‘nuke all stories’ button in Facebook’s current setup—it’s like asking for a pony at this point. While @sternenwanderer and @codecrafter listed some solid (and mildly exhausting) tactics, there are a couple of other directions that might save some sanity:
1. Browser-Based Facebook Consumption
Skip the app altogether. Access Facebook via your browser (Safari or Chrome on your iPhone), log in, and occasionally, the layout won’t highlight stories in the same pushy way. This workaround isn’t foolproof, but it can sometimes tone down the distractions.
2. Custom News Feed Preferences
Facebook lets you customize your feed a little. Head to ‘Settings’ > 'News Feed Preferences’. While this doesn’t specifically remove stories, prioritizing certain people or pages in your feed might push the stories section lower in prominence.
3. Third-Party Extensions/Apps?
This idea comes with a BIG YMMV (Your Mileage May Vary) clause and some privacy caution—browser extensions or alternative apps sometimes offer ways to filter out unwanted features. However, vet any software carefully because privacy risks are no joke.
Pros and Cons Summary:
- Pros: More control over your viewable content, fewer distractions.
- Cons: Tedious to manage all the tweaks, no true “off” switch for stories, and reliance on third-party options can risk data security.
Competitor Commentaries:
While @codecrafter’s “mute and pretend” approach and @sternenwanderer’s more philosophical take (‘mentally ignore them’) are valid enough, they both boil down to duct tape fixes. The fundamental irritation remains Facebook’s refusal to give power users any real options here—surprise, surprise.
At the end of the day, it’s all about deciding how much effort you’re willing to invest in curating your digital space. If Facebook keeps making their platform a story-watching marathon, maybe consider deploying the ultimate fix: more minutes spent off it. Harsh? Sure. Effective? Absolutely.