How to Download Your Instagram Data Export (2026 Guide)
Instagram lets you download all your data through their official “Download your information” feature. This guide shows you exactly how to request, download, and use your data export with Unfollio to track unfollowers — without ever sharing your password.
Last verified against Instagram's Help Center on 2026-05-28.
Open Instagram Settings
Open the Instagram app on your phone (or go to instagram.com on desktop). Tap your profile picture, then the hamburger menu (☰) in the top right. Select "Settings and privacy".
On desktop: click your profile picture → Settings → See more in Accounts Center.
Go to Accounts Center
Scroll down and tap "Accounts Center" (under Meta). Then go to "Your information and permissions" → "Download your information".
If you have multiple Instagram accounts, make sure you select the right one.
Select "Download or transfer information"
Tap "Download or transfer information". Select your Instagram account. Choose "Some of your information" (not "All available information" — that includes everything and takes much longer).
We only need follower/following data, so selecting just what's needed speeds up the export.
Select "Followers and Following"
Scroll through the list and check only "Followers and Following" under the Connections section. Uncheck everything else. This keeps the export small and fast.
If you accidentally select everything, the export still works — it just takes longer to process and the file will be bigger.
Choose JSON if Instagram offers it
On the next screen, select "Download to device". Set the format to "JSON" when you can, set the date range to "All time", then tap "Create files".
JSON is preferred because it preserves the most structure. If you already downloaded HTML, upload the ZIP anyway - Unfollio can parse follower/following HTML exports too.
Wait for the email
Instagram will send a notification and an email with a download link once your export is ready. For a Followers-and-following-only export, this often arrives within minutes, but Instagram says it can take up to 30 days.
Check your spam folder if you don't see the email. It comes from security@mail.instagram.com. (Source: Instagram Help Center, "Review and export a copy of your Instagram information".)
Download the ZIP file
Click the link in the email or go back to the Download your information page in Instagram settings. You'll see a "Download" button next to your ready export. Save the .zip file — don't unzip it.
Instagram makes downloads available for a limited time — currently 4 days in Accounts Center per their Help Center — so don't wait too long.
Troubleshooting
The export flow is sometimes finicky. Here are the issues users hit most often and how to fix them.
| Problem | What to do |
|---|---|
| I never received the email | Wait at least 24 hours, then check your spam folder. If still nothing, go back to Accounts Center → Download your information. Pending exports show up there. You may need to request again with the correct account selected. |
| I selected the wrong account | Instagram lets you switch accounts inside the Accounts Center flow. Start a new request and make sure the account dropdown at the top of the export page shows the handle you want. |
| I selected HTML instead of JSON | Upload the ZIP first. Unfollio supports follower/following HTML exports, though JSON is preferred for the most reliable structure. If anything looks incomplete, request a fresh export and pick JSON on the format screen. |
| The date range was wrong | Always pick "All time" so we see the full picture of who follows you. A short date range will return an incomplete list and produce misleading audits. |
| The ZIP expired before I downloaded it | Instagram keeps ready downloads available for ~4 days. If the link is dead, request a new export — your prior audits in Unfollio aren't affected. |
| The follower file looks incomplete | Some users report Instagram exports returning a truncated list. Re-request with "All time" selected and choose JSON if available; if it still looks low, wait 24h and try again. Unfollio will warn you if a new audit shows a sudden large drop compared to your previous one. |
What to do with the ZIP file
Once you have the ZIP file, go to Unfollio and upload it. We parse the file locally in your browser — only follower/following usernames are sent to our server. The ZIP file itself is never uploaded.
On your first upload, we'll show you who you follow that doesn't follow back (and vice versa). On subsequent uploads, we compare against your previous data to detect unfollowers, new followers, and other changes over time.