Here’s what the green star symbol means on Instagram, and why there are two different ones

Instagram is full of weird buttons and symbols and it’s hard to keep up with what they all mean, like the white star inside the green circle or rectangle. Everyone knows it’s related to Close Friends, but why are there two different ones? And what do they actually symbolise? Here’s a full explanation if you’re confused.

Right, here’s what the white star inside a green circle means on Instagram

The white star inside a green circle appears on someone else’s Instagram story or post when you have been added to their Close Friends list. Basically, the badge just indicates that they have chosen to share that particular story with only their Close Friends list, and you are one of them. Take it as a compliment because you’re one of the chosen ones.

Instagram necesita explicar la diferencia y por qué en ocasiones te sale así y en otras así. pic.twitter.com/E3SKsDSl7y

— Boom💥 (@WeriBomb) April 9, 2026

And what about the white star inside a rectangle with the strange arrow?

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But sometimes, the symbol might look a little different, appearing as a green star inside a rectangle with a little white arrow next to it instead. This one comes up when you share a post or story with your own Close Friends list. The arrow lets you select or edit your Close Friends, or confirm that you’re sharing it to that group.

Here’s how to see who’s on your Close Friends list, and edit it

To set up Close Friends, all you have to do is open Instagram and go to your profile. Then, click on the three lines in the top-right-hand corner to bring up the settings and scroll down to Close Friends. Tick the people you want to be on your exclusive list and tap “Done” to set it up.

Once set up, you can edit your list in the same place. Don’t worry, Instagram doesn’t send any notifications when you add or remove people from your Close Friends list. Phew!

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Featured image credit: Instagram