Not So Sneaky: How To See Who Unfollowed You on Instagram

Getting new followers is a huge source of validation on Instagram. It means people like your page and are interested in the content you put out. So, it sucks when people unfollow you on Instagram without you knowing why. It’s even worse when you don’t know exactly who it is that unfollowed your page. 

Are you wondering how to see who unfollowed you on Instagram? In this guide, we’ll share all the ways you can do it, from manual methods to using third-party tools.

Why Might Someone Unfollow Your IG Page?

There are many different reasons why someone might choose to unfollow your Instagram page. Most of the time, it has to do with your content strategy and posting schedule. So, to keep your followers moving forward, you must understand what you might be doing wrong.

According to a Nielsen Norman study, it’s common for users to unfollow brands and creators who post way too much. An account that posts multiple times a day might flood the feed, drowning out other content. So, some people unfollow these accounts to make space for more posts on their feeds. Plus, it can be annoying seeing posts from the same person repeatedly because it’s a little spammy!

Instagram unfollowers might also lose interest in accounts that produce low-quality content. This might mean low-definition, blurry photos and videos, or boring, irrelevant posts that don’t excite others. It makes sense for people to unfollow pages from which they no longer enjoy seeing content.

Aside from boring content, people may also unfollow your page if you publish offensive content. Maybe you express your thoughts and opinions too candidly to the point that you end up hurting some fans. If some people unfollow you because of that, it’s super understandable. So, always be careful and respectful when posting about sensitive topics.

It’s also easy for users to unfollow brands with which they don’t have a good relationship. These include creators and companies that don’t engage with their fans and ignore interactions.

Unfollowers might also include fake followers who previously followed your page only to get a follow-back from you. Watch out for these fakes who aren’t actually interested in your page.

How To Check Who Unfollowed You on Instagram

Instagram allows anyone to check on other users’ lists of followers and following, at least for public pages. But while Instagram notifies you if someone new follows you, it doesn’t grant the same courtesy when someone unfollows you.

That doesn’t mean you can’t get to the bottom of who unfollowed you, though. If you’re smart about it and are familiar with Instagram’s in-app functions, it’s easy to see who unfollowed you.

If you want to see who unfollowed you, you’ll be happy to hear that you have two options. The first is through manual methods straight from the Instagram app, which is the safer option. The second is by using third-party apps that track followers and unfollowers. Keep reading to see how to check if someone unfollowed you on Instagram with these two approaches.

Manual Checks: How To See Who Unfollowed You on Instagram Without Getting Banned

Relying on third-party tools to detect your unfollower activity can raise alarms for Instagram and lead to temporary suspensions. So, it’s safer to use manual methods to check on your unfollowers. Are you wondering how to see who unfollowed you on Instagram without getting banned? Here’s how to do it manually, straight from the app:

1. Go to your Instagram profile.

2. Click on your follower count at the top of the page. This leads you to the list of people who follow you.

3. Tap the search bar at the top of the page.

4. Type the username of anyone you suspect may have unfollowed you. If they don’t appear in the search results, then it means they’ve unfollowed your page.

You can also use this method to check who has unfollowed other public profiles. Note that the method won’t work on private or hidden Instagram accounts unless you already follow them.

Enlist the Help of Third-Party Apps To Find Sneaky Unfollowers

The method above is very accurate in showing you who has unfollowed your Instagram page. However, it can be very time-consuming. You also have to play a trial-and-error guessing game until you find unfollowers.

If you want an overview of your follower activity, including your unfollowers, try using third-party unfollow Instagram trackers. One of the most popular unfollower apps is FollowMeter, available in both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.

This third-party app lets you track followers and detect who isn’t following you back. You’ll even see other follower-related insights, such as your top likers and who has blocked you on Instagram.

All you have to do is download the app and link your Instagram account with it. The app quickly analyzes your profile and shares topline data and insights about it. There’s a special section on the app that shows you everyone who has unfollowed your page since your app installation. So, if you want to check on your unfollowers regularly, it’s wise to keep the app on your device long-term.

Note that some third-party apps will ask for your Instagram credentials to scan and analyze your follower list. To reduce the risk of account compromise, you should only link your profile with reputable and trustworthy apps.

How To See Who Doesn’t Follow You Back on Instagram

There are many reasons why you might be looking to see who doesn’t follow you back on Instagram. Maybe you want to declutter the list of people you follow, starting with those who don’t follow you back. Or maybe you just want to balance your follower-to-following ratio.

Instagram shows you the users who follow you, but you don’t follow back. However, they don’t provide info on the reverse.

But boy, we have a treat for you. Here’s a little trick you can use to see the accounts that don’t follow you back:

1. On your Instagram profile, click the three horizontal lines to go to your settings.

2. Tap Your activity under How you use Instagram.

3. Choose Download your information. This leads you to the download section of the Meta Accounts Center.

4. Tap Download or transfer information.

5. Select your Instagram profile.

6. Choose how much info you want to extract. Since you want to see follower activity only, tap Some of your information.

7. Select Followers and following. Then, hit Next.

8. Choose Download to device, then tap Next.

9. Click Create files. You’ll see your pending download request on the next page.

10.  When your file is ready, Instagram will notify you via email. Download this file on your computer.

11.  Open your data file and an Excel spreadsheet.

12.  Copy and paste your followers’ usernames into one column of the spreadsheet. Then, do the same for the people you follow in the next column.

13.  Select both columns and click Conditioning formatting, then Highlight duplicate cells. This highlights the usernames that appear in both columns. Those who don’t follow you back are not among the highlighted individuals on your list of people you follow.

Tips for Keeping Your Followers Interested in Your Page

Instagram has a limit on how many accounts you can unfollow in a day. That number is set to around 200. That’s a huge number that’s kind of hard to reach even when you’re cleaning out your following list. That means every day, there’s a big chance that someone will unfollow you.

So, it’s incredibly important to put out all the stops to ensure that your current followers stay interested in you. That way, they’ll have no reason to click the unfollow button. Here are some things you can do to keep your followers engaged and tuned into your content to avoid being unfollowed:

• Post consistently, but don’t overdo it. Keep a regular posting schedule, ideally a few times per week. The key here is to always come out with something fresh when your followers expect posts from you. Try not to post multiple times a day, as posting too often can be overwhelming or a turn-off for some.

• Publish high-quality, interesting content. Refrain from posting low-quality, pixelated photos and videos that may be an eyesore for your followers. Only upload high-quality content that is visually stunning and adds value to the lives of your fans. 
• Try experimenting with different creative formats. Use Reels and carousel posts to keep your content format varied. The more helpful, interesting, and entertaining your content, the less likely people are to unfollow your page.

• Engage with your followers and form a strong connection with them. Reply to comments on your posts or direct messages sent to your inbox. Post interactive Stories where people can share their thoughts and feedback on your brand. Keep communication strong between you and your followers.
• Co-author posts. You can use the Instagram Collab Post feature to attract more followers to your posts. By working together with a more popular influencer on Instagram, you can increase your reach and gain more followers, so in theory, you can make up for any followers you may have lost.

Stop Losing Followers and Gain Loyal Fans Instead With Path Social

Losing followers can be stressful, especially when you can’t pinpoint what exactly made them leave your fanbase. But one way to learn more about why you’re losing followers is figuring out who is leaving in the first place. You can do that through manual methods, like using the search bar on your list of followers. You can also use a third-party app to show you your page’s unfollowers and other important follower-related insights.

Knowing how to see who unfollowed you on Instagram is handy when you need to analyze your page’s weaknesses. But it’s just as important to know how to attract loyal followers, to begin with. That way, you won’t have to worry much about people unfollowing you.

Working with Path Social is a great way to gain a loyal fanbase. Our targeting algorithm pushes your content to people most likely to enjoy and resonate with it. That means you’ll win over new fans who are genuinely interested in your page and aren’t likely to leave. Get authentic and loyal followers with our help today!