Compare two Instagram lists in your browser

What you can find out

• Who follows you back — people in both your following and followers lists.
• Who doesn’t follow you back — people you follow who aren’t following you.
• Who you haven’t followed back — people who follow you that you don’t follow.
• Who unfollowed you — you’ll need two follower downloads from different dates, not just one.

More detail for each goal: compare Instagram followers and following · who doesn’t follow you back · who unfollowed you

Which file goes on which side

If you’re checking follow-backs, keep the sides the same every time. Mix them up and the answer flips.

• First list → following.json (people you follow)
• Second list → followers file, often followers_1.json
• Only in the first list → you follow them; they do not follow you back
• Only in the second list → they follow you; you do not follow them
• In both lists → mutual follows

Step by step

1. Open Instagram’s download page (you must be logged in): Accounts Center — Download your information.
2. Choose Download or transfer information, then Some of your information, and select Followers and following. Prefer JSON.
3. Request the download and wait until Instagram says it is ready, then download and unzip the package.
4. Open connections/followers_and_following/ and find following.json plus a followers file.
5. Open the compare tool below (or the home tool). Put following in the first list and followers in the second—upload the JSON files, or paste usernames one per line.
6. Compare the lists. Look first at who shows up on only one side, and who shows up on both—that covers most questions.

Not sure how long the download takes, or which file is which? Here’s a short guide.

About those download files

Instagram’s followers and following download is mostly usernames (sometimes with profile links). When you upload the JSON files here, those usernames are pulled out for you—you usually don’t need to clean anything up first.

Missing a followers file? Request the download again and make sure Followers and following is selected.

Your password stays with Instagram

• You download the data from Instagram yourself—ListDiff never signs into your account.
• The comparison happens in your browser, on your computer or phone.
• You don’t have to trust a “who unfollowed me” app with your login.

See also: Is ListDiff safe? and Privacy.

What this won’t tell you

• It won’t alert you the moment someone unfollows you. For that, save two follower downloads from different days and compare those.
• It can’t pull someone else’s private lists—only the files from your own download.
• It doesn’t replace Instagram’s block, restrict, or report tools.

Easy mistakes to avoid

• Uploading following on both sides—you won’t see who follows you back.
• Swapping the two files, then reading the “only on the first side” result as if it were non-followbacks.
• Mixing profile display names with @usernames.
• Extra spaces or different capitalization making the same person look like two people.
• Expecting “who unfollowed me” from one download instead of two dated follower lists.

Related guides

• Followers vs following — how to read each result
• Who doesn’t follow you back — step-by-step for that question
• Who unfollowed you — compare two follower downloads from different dates
• Download time and files — how long it takes and which files you need

FAQ