following.json: your Instagram following list explained
Short answer
following.json is the single file in your Instagram data export that lists every account you follow, each with a profile link and the date you followed it, under a key called relationships_following. It's the file that answers when you followed someone, and combined with your followers file it reveals who doesn't follow you back. Upload it here for a free CSV.
following.json is the file in an Instagram data export containing a relationships_following array, in which each element records one account you follow along with its profile URL and the timestamp of when you followed it.
How it works
- 1
Request the export from Accounts Centre
In the Instagram app go to your profile → menu (☰) → Settings and privacy → Accounts Centre → Your information and permissions → Export your information → Create export. Select only Followers and following, date range All time, format JSON, and Download to device.
- 2
Download the ZIP within 4 days
A followers-only export usually takes 10–20 minutes to prepare. Instagram emails you a download link that expires after 4 days; save the ZIP to your phone or computer.
- 3
Upload the ZIP or the JSON files
Drop the whole ZIP on this page, or drag in
followers_1.jsonandfollowing.jsonon their own if you have already unzipped it. Everything is read in your browser. The results step includes free CSV buttons for your followers and following lists.
No login. No password. Your export never leaves your browser.
What following.json contains
Where the followers list is a bare array split across numbered files, following.json is one object with one key, relationships_following, holding an array of entries — one per account you follow. Each entry has the same shape as a follower entry: an often-empty title, and a string_list_data array with one object carrying href, value and timestamp. The value is the username, href is the profile link, and timestamp is the moment you tapped Follow, as Unix seconds. The companion file is described on the followers_1.json page.
It lives next to the followers files: at the top of a followers-only export, or under connections/followers_and_following/ in a full one.
The relationships_following key
The key name is why some home-made scripts fail on this file: people expect an array like the followers file and get an object instead. Everything on this site handles both shapes, and also the variant where the followers file is wrapped in a relationships_followers key, which some export versions use. If you're writing your own script, read data.relationships_following and iterate the entries; if you're using this site, upload the file and the shape is detected. The export analyzer page explains what happens to each file once it's read.
Follow dates and what they're good for
The timestamp in following.json is the only record anywhere of when you followed an account — Instagram's app doesn't show it. Converted to a date, it lets you sort your following list oldest-first and find accounts you followed in 2016 and haven't thought about since, which is where most of the easy unfollows live. The guide to seeing when you followed someone goes through it step by step; the free Your following list (N) — CSV button on this page gives you the whole list with a Date Followed column in yyyy-mm-dd form.
Deleted and renamed accounts in the file
If an account you follow has been deleted, its entry remains in following.json as a placeholder with no usable username — the export can't name an account that no longer exists. Those entries are skipped and counted, which is why the following count on this page can be a few lower than the number on your profile. A renamed account appears under its current username, since the export is generated fresh each time. Deactivated accounts, the temporary kind, are usually present with their username and simply lead to an empty profile if you tap through.
Using it to find non-followers
The reason most people care about this file is the comparison: every username in following.json that isn't in your followers files is someone who doesn't follow you back. Upload the ZIP or both JSON files and that count appears immediately; the names are the one paid list, $2.99 one-time. The who doesn't follow me back page covers it in full, and followers vs following explains the three-way split into non-followers, fans and mutuals. If you only want the following list as a spreadsheet, the following list export is free.
What this tool can't do
It can't show pending follow requests you've sent — those sit in a separate file the tool doesn't read. It can't tell you why you followed someone or what they've posted since. It can't unfollow anyone; the file is a record, not a control panel, and bulk unfollowing is what gets accounts blocked. And it can't reveal anything about who follows you — that's the followers file. This page reads following.json as it is, converts it and compares it.
Frequently asked questions
Why is following.json one file when followers are split?
Instagram caps following at 7,500 accounts, so the list always fits in one file. Followers have no cap, and accounts with many thousands get the list split into followers_1.json, followers_2.json and so on.
Does following.json include pending follow requests?
No. Requests you've sent to private accounts that haven't accepted yet are in a separate file, pending_follow_requests.json. following.json only lists accounts you actually follow.
What does a __deleted__ entry mean?
It's a placeholder for an account that was deleted after you followed it. There's no username to show, so the parser skips the entry and reports how many were skipped rather than listing a blank row.
Is the timestamp in UTC?
Yes. It's Unix seconds in UTC, so the date can differ by a day from your local time if you followed someone late at night. The CSV converts it to a plain yyyy-mm-dd date.
Can I edit following.json before uploading?
You can, but there's little reason to. If you remove entries, the comparison just won't see them. Make sure the file stays valid JSON — a stray comma makes it unreadable, and the fix is to re-download the original.
Does following.json show who follows me?
No. It lists accounts you follow. Who follows you is in followers_1.json. The overlap between the two files is your mutual followers; the differences are non-followers and fans.
Ready to check your own account?
Free to see your count. Full list of usernames unlocks for $2.99.
Updated 12 October 2026 · Last verified against a real Instagram export 12 October 2026.