How to Export Instagram Followers, Following, and Account Data

To back up information associated with your own Instagram account, begin in Instagram's Accounts Center. Meta announced that information management controls are available there in its official announcement. Menu names can change, so use the current app or website controls rather than relying on a screenshot from an old version.

Use Instagram's official information download

Choose the Instagram profile you want, select the information categories available for download, and request an export. If Instagram offers a choice of date range, format, or media quality, choose what fits your purpose. Wait for the platform's notice that the archive is ready, then download it from the official account interface. Do not share the retrieval link or archive with anyone else.

What the archive may contain

The available categories and fields can change. Depending on the export options and account data, an archive may include connection-related information, profile details, or other account records. It may be delivered as HTML or JSON; inspect the files rather than assuming the export is a ready-made Excel spreadsheet. A download does not necessarily include every detail you might want, such as a verified timeline for another person's follows.

If you want a spreadsheet, work from your own archive and keep the transformation local. For CSV-specific help, follow our Instagram follower export guide. Do not use an unofficial service that asks for your password or session cookie to “prepare” the archive.

Protect your account data

An account archive may contain sensitive personal information. Save it in a private folder on a device you control. Avoid public cloud links and shared computers, and delete temporary copies after you finish. If you store a backup, use the storage protections available on your device. Share only the specific information necessary for a legitimate purpose.

Use an export tool only if you understand what it reads, where it sends data, and how it deletes it. Browser extensions can request access to page content; Google outlines this in its Chrome extension permission guide. For a third-party option, see how to evaluate follower export extensions.

Bottom line

Request your own archive through Instagram’s current controls, inspect the files you receive, and protect the archive as sensitive account data.

Frequently asked questions