You can request your Instagram information directly from Instagram, then use the followers and following lists for your own comparison. Start with the account you want to check and choose a download to your device.
Quick route: profile menu → Meta Account or Accounts Center → Your information and permissions → Export your information. Create a request for your Instagram profile and choose the device destination.
Instagram is gradually moving accounts to Meta Account, so you may still see Accounts Center. These instructions follow the official Help Center checked on October 12, 2026; the options on your account may differ.
Request the download on iPhone, Android or a computer
- Open account settings. On iPhone or Android, open your Instagram profile and use the menu at the top right. On a computer, use the lower-left menu and open settings. Find Meta Account or Accounts Center, then the information and permissions section.
- Create an export. Open Export your information, then Create export. Choose the Instagram profile you intend to check, especially if several profiles are linked. Continue to Export to device.
- Choose the connection information. Use the option to select specific information. Look under Connections for followers and the accounts you follow. If your selector offers a combined followers-and-following category, include it. Check that your selection covers both lists.
- Review the settings. For a broad comparison, choose the widest date range offered, such as all time. Pick a format you can use, check the notification email and confirm enough device storage is available. A wide date range is a useful precaution; it does not prove that every relationship is included.
- Submit the request. Review the selected profile, information and destination, then choose Start export. Keep a note of the request date and settings so you can make a comparable download later.
Instagram’s official export instructions document the device route and its configurable settings. The download categories page explains how to select specific information. Selecting only the relevant information also avoids downloading unrelated messages and media when you do not need them.
Choose HTML or JSON if offered
Choose the format based on what you plan to do with the files:
| Your task | Practical choice |
|---|---|
| Read the lists yourself | HTML, if offered, can be opened in a browser. |
| Use a comparison tool or script | JSON, if offered, is structured data; first check that the tool supports the file you receive. |
| Keep a record for a later comparison | Save the original download, request date and settings together. |
The Help Center confirms a format setting, but does not specify the choices or file layout in the article reviewed here. Follow your account’s selector. Do not rename a file extension to convert it, or assume a tool accepts every Instagram export version.
Download and find both lists
Instagram says preparation can take up to 30 days and a ready export stays available for four days. You should receive a notification when it is ready. Return to the export tool and check the available downloads; avoid relying on an email alone.
- Download the ready files to a private folder with enough space. If Instagram asks you to confirm your identity, complete that check within Instagram.
- If you receive a ZIP archive, extract it with your device’s file manager. If there are several download parts, keep them together. Open any included index or browse the extracted folders for the connection lists.
- Locate both followers and following. If a list is divided into several files, include every part when comparing it. Names and folders can vary, so check the contents rather than relying on one filename.
Keep the original files unchanged. Your export can contain personal information; do not post the archive or send it to a service simply to find out what is inside.
If followers or following seem missing
First check the selected Instagram profile and requested information. A download from the wrong linked profile will not answer your question. If you requested a narrow date range, consider a new request with a broader range. Inspect any additional archive parts and connection folders before deciding the data is missing.
If the request is still preparing, check its status in Instagram and allow for the documented preparation window. If a ready download has expired, request another copy. For a failed request or persistent missing information, use the support options linked from Instagram’s Help Center. Do not treat an absent file or an incomplete list as proof that someone unfollowed you.
Compare the right lists
Following versus followers in the same download answers a relationship question about that export: which accounts in following are absent from followers? It does not establish that those accounts ever followed you, or that the relationship is still the same when you open the files.
An earlier followers list versus a later followers list can identify entries that disappeared between comparable downloads. That difference alone does not establish the reason or an exact unfollow date. Incomplete exports and changed account identifiers can also affect a comparison. The widest date range does not turn a single download into a complete unfollow history.
Use usernames or account identifiers consistently, remove duplicate entries and check questionable results in Instagram before acting on them. For the broader methods, read how to see who unfollowed you on Instagram. If you are deciding how to change a connection, see unfollow versus remove follower.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I download my Instagram followers and following?
Open your profile menu, then Meta Account or Accounts Center. Find Your information and permissions, create an information export for your Instagram profile, and choose the device destination and connection information.
Should I choose HTML or JSON for my Instagram export?
If those formats are offered, HTML is convenient for reading in a browser. Choose JSON when a comparison tool explicitly requires it. Check the choices shown in your export request rather than assuming every account has identical settings.
How long does the Instagram export take?
Instagram says the email with an export link can take up to 30 days. Once the export is ready, it is available to download for four days. Check the export tool for its status.
Does one followers and following download show who unfollowed me?
One download lets you compare the lists it contains. An account in following but absent from followers is non-mutual in that export; that alone does not show whether they previously followed you.