To analyze your followers and following with InstaScope, you need a ZIP file exported directly from Instagram. This is Instagram's official data export feature — no third-party tools, no passwords, no API. It's available to every Instagram user and it's completely free.
Here's how to request it, step by step.
On mobile (iOS or Android)
Step 1 — Open your profile. Tap the person icon in the bottom-right corner of the Instagram app to go to your profile page.
Step 2 — Open the menu. Tap the three horizontal lines (☰) in the top-right corner, then tap "Settings and privacy" at the bottom of the menu.
Step 3 — Find the data download section. Scroll down to "Your activity" and tap "Download your information". Then tap "Download or transfer information".
Step 4 — Select what to download. Choose "Some of your information" to keep the file small and speed up processing. From the list, select "Followers and following". You don't need anything else for InstaScope.
Step 5 — Choose format and date range. This is the most important step. Set the format to JSON (not HTML — HTML exports won't work with InstaScope). Set the date range to "All time" to get your complete follower and following history.
Step 6 — Submit the request. Tap "Create files". Instagram will process your request and send an email to your registered email address when the download is ready.
Instagram defaults to HTML format in some regions. Always double-check that you selected JSON before submitting. If you accidentally exported in HTML, InstaScope will show 0 users and you'll need to request a new export.
On desktop (browser)
Go to instagram.com → click your profile picture in the top-right → click "Your activity" → "Download your information" → "Download or transfer information". The steps from there are identical to the mobile flow above.
How long does it take?
It varies. If you only selected "Followers and following", the export is usually ready within a few minutes to a few hours. If you requested your full data (photos, messages, everything), it can take up to 48 hours.
Instagram will send you an email with a download link. The link expires after a few days, so download the ZIP as soon as you get it.
Downloading and using the ZIP
Click the download link in Instagram's email. Save the ZIP file to your device — do not unzip it. Then go to InstaScope, drag the ZIP file onto the upload area, and your analysis will appear in seconds.
Rename your ZIP files with the date before archiving them — for example instagram-export-2026-05-01.zip. This makes it easy to use the History comparison feature later: just upload two exports from different dates and InstaScope will show exactly what changed.
What's inside the ZIP?
If you exported only "Followers and following", you'll find a folder called connections/followers_and_following/ containing:
- followers_1.json (and followers_2.json, etc. if you have many followers) — your full follower list
- following.json — the accounts you follow
InstaScope reads all of these automatically. You don't need to open or extract anything — just upload the ZIP as-is.