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Does Instagram’s Data Download Include Your Followers List in 2025? (Yes — Here’s Where to Find It)

2025-11-17

If you downloaded your Instagram data and thought:

  • “Where is my followers list?”
  • “Why does my export look empty?”
  • “Why does it say ‘connections’ instead of ‘followers’?”

You’re not alone. Instagram changed the folder structure in late 2024–2025, and it confused everyone.

The short answer:

Yes — Instagram’s data download DOES include your followers list.
It’s just located in a different folder now, and the file names changed.

Let’s break it down.

1. Your followers list is in the export — Instagram just renamed everything

Starting in 2025, Instagram changed where your followers and following lists are stored.

Here’s what the new folder structure looks like:

connections/
└── followers_and_following/
    ├── followers_1.json
    └── following_1.json

If you have a large account, Instagram splits the data into multiple files:

connections/
└── followers_and_following/
    ├── followers_1.json
    ├── followers_2.json
    ├── followers_3.json
    └── following_1.json

Each file uses the newer string_list_data format.

Most users expect the old:

followers.json

…but Instagram removed that file entirely.

2. You can avoid downloading your entire account

Instagram defaults to exporting your full media library:

  • photos
  • videos
  • stories
  • reels
  • messages
  • comments
  • ad data

This creates massive ZIP files (1–8 GB+), which:

  • take hours to generate
  • get corrupted
  • overwhelm phones
  • cause missing JSON files
  • break unfollower apps

You don’t need any of that.

The only folder you need for checking followers is:

Followers and Following

Here’s how to export only that:

  1. Instagram app → Settings & privacy
  2. Accounts Center
  3. Your information & permissions
  4. Download your information / Export your information
  5. Export to device
  6. Customize information
  7. Deselect all
  8. Scroll to Connections → check Followers and Following
  9. Export

This gives you a tiny, clean ZIP with only the data you need.

3. Why your followers might look missing

Even when the export works, Instagram sometimes excludes certain accounts.

This is normal.

Instagram may hide followers who are:

  • deactivated
  • deleted
  • restricted
  • under review
  • region-limited
  • parental-controlled
  • safety-flagged
  • temporarily disabled
  • shadow-removed

These accounts will still appear in your following, but they may NOT appear in your followers export.

This makes your follower list look “short.”

This is not a glitch — Instagram simply excludes sensitive accounts from data exports.

4. Why the follower count in-app doesn’t match your export

Common reasons:

(a) Deactivated users are removed from exports

But you still “follow” them according to the app UI.

(b) Username changes create new entries

Exports don’t show the old handle, only the updated one.

(c) Export splitting

If you only opened followers_1.json, the rest of the list is in followers_2.json, followers_3.json, etc.

(d) Export delays

New followers sometimes take up to 48 hours to appear in the export.

5. How to use the export to check who unfollowed you

Instagram still doesn’t show unfollowers in the app.

But your export makes it possible.

If you compare:

  • Snapshot A (your first export)
  • Snapshot B (your latest export)

You can instantly see:

  • who unfollowed
  • who deactivated
  • who renamed
  • who is missing
  • who you follow but doesn’t follow back
  • who you added or lost over time

Doing this manually requires comparing JSON files line-by-line — painful.

A safer, automatic method:

👉 /instagram/unfollower-checker
(No login. Uses your official export. Free preview.)

The first upload creates a Snapshot.
Your next upload shows who unfollowed you.

6. Troubleshooting: if your followers still don’t appear

Try these steps:

1. Make sure you exported only “Followers and Following”

Full exports are huge and often corrupt.

2. Re-request the export

Instagram sometimes sends incomplete ZIPs.

3. Check all follower files

Large accounts are split into:

  • followers_1.json
  • followers_2.json
  • followers_3.json

4. Avoid Safari ZIP previews on iPhone

They silently fail.
Download to Files app or desktop.

5. If you see “string_list_data,” you’re in the right file

That’s the correct 2025 format.

Final Answer

Yes — Instagram’s data download absolutely includes your followers list, even in 2025.
It’s just organized differently, split into multiple files, and may hide certain restricted or deactivated accounts.

If you want the easiest way to read it, clean it, and find out who unfollowed you:

👉 Upload your Instagram export →
https://dontfollowback.com

Safe-Upload™ — processed in memory, deleted immediately.

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