I Tried 3 Ways to See Who Doesn’t Follow You Back on Instagram: Here’s What Actually Works

At some point, I started paying closer attention to the numbers on Instagram, not obsessively, but just enough to notice a pattern. I was following quite a few people, but not all of them were following me back. That’s not a big deal on its own, but if you’re trying to clean up your feed, manage your follower ratio, or just stay connected with people who genuinely engage, it’s something worth checking. 

So I looked into it. I didn’t want to use any sketchy apps or waste time digging through profiles one by one. Turns out, there are a few easy and reliable ways to check who doesn’t follow you back on Instagram. Here’s what I’ve found that actually works.

Key Takeaways

• Not everyone will follow back, especially influencers or public figures, and that’s normal.
• Manual methods are reliable for smaller accounts but time-consuming.
• Apps and browser tools speed things up but come with privacy considerations.
• Filtering in Excel gives you full control and works great if you’re comfortable with spreadsheets.
• Once you know who isn’t following back, unfollowing is optional; stick with accounts that add real value.
• A cleaner feed = better engagement. Less noise, more meaningful connections.

Why People Care About Non-Reciprocal Followers

When I first started digging into who doesn’t follow me back on Instagram, I realized it wasn’t just about curiosity. A lot of people, myself included, care for a few good reasons. It’s not always personal; sometimes it’s about how we manage our digital spaces. Here’s why it matters:

1. Social Media Dynamics: There’s an unspoken rule online: if I follow you, there’s a chance I expect the same in return. When that doesn’t happen, it can feel one-sided. It taps into basic social norms, where mutual connection is often seen as a sign of respect or interest.
2. Account Management: Hundreds of non-reciprocal followers clutter your feed and make it harder to engage with the content you actually care about. Trimming those numbers helped me stay more intentional about who I interact with.
3. Engagement Metrics: Instagram’s algorithm favors interaction. Following people who don’t follow back and never engage can lower your overall visibility. I noticed better engagement on my posts once I started focusing on mutual connections.
4. Personal Experience: I didn’t do this to boost my ego. I wanted a clearer view of who’s still actively part of my Instagram world. It helped me reset my feed and be more present with people who genuinely care to connect.

3 Ways to Check Who Isn’t Following You Back on Instagram

Once I decided to clean up my following list, I tested a few different ways to figure out who wasn’t following me back. Some were manual, others used tools but all of them were straightforward and got the job done. 

Method 1: Manually Check Through Your Following List

For this, there are two approaches. One is to check a suspect’s list and the other is to compare your following and followers list side by side.

Manually checking a suspect’s list

If you want a no-tool, no-login-needed approach, you can simply check things manually. This is the most basic way to spot who isn’t following you back and while it’s time-consuming, it works.

Steps:

1. Go to your Instagram profile.

2. Tap “Following” to see everyone you follow.
3. Tap on a profile you suspect isn’t following you back.
4. On their profile, tap “Following” 

5. Use the search bar to type your username.
6. If your name doesn’t come up—they’re not following you.

This method took me about 30–45 minutes to go through 100 accounts. If you follow a lot more than that, it adds up fast. Nevertheless, It’s 100% accurate, assuming you do it carefully and don’t miss anyone in the process. No tech glitches, no false readings.

Challenges:

• It’s slow and repetitive.
• Consumes time
• You can’t bulk-check; you’re tapping into every single profile.

Verdict

Manual checking works if you have a small follower count or just want to spot-check a few people. But for larger accounts, it’s not realistic. Too time-consuming, and honestly, it gets boring fast.

2. Use the Instagram “Followers” and “Following” Lists Side-by-Side

This is also a manual trick I tried that doesn’t require any third-party tools, but it’s faster than checking profiles one by one.

Steps:

1. Open your Instagram profile.
2. Tap “Following” to view the accounts you follow.

3. Take a screenshot or copy the list (just the usernames).

4. Then tap “Followers” to view who follows you.
5. Compare the two lists, who you follow but who doesn’t follow you shows up easily.

It took me about 10–15 minutes to check around 100–150 accounts this way. Still not instant, but noticeably faster than Method 1. Also, If you’re careful during the comparison, it’s very accurate. It’s just manual sorting, so no room for algorithm mistakes.

Challenges:

• No automatic sorting, so it takes mental energy or a notes app to compare side-by-side.
• Still not ideal for accounts with over 1,000 followers.
• It’s easy to make errors if you’re rushing or distracted.

Verdict:

This method is a solid in-between. It’s faster than profile-by-profile checking and doesn’t rely on any outside app. If your numbers aren’t massive and you’ve got a bit of time, it works well.

Method 2: Use a Third-Party App (e.g., Followers & Unfollowers, FollowMeter)

When I realized manual checking was eating up too much time, I decided to test a few third-party apps. Some of them are decent, especially if you want quick answers without digging through profiles one by one.

Steps:

1. Go to your app store and search for “Followers & Unfollowers” or “FollowMeter.”

2. Download and install the app (many have free versions).

3. Log in with your Instagram credentials (use trusted apps only).

4. Let the app sync your data, it’ll usually take a minute or two.
5. Navigate to the section labeled something like “Not Following Back” or “Ghost Followers.”

6. The app lists all the accounts you follow that don’t follow you back. 

Setup took less than 5 minutes. Once it’s running, results are instant. That’s the biggest advantage here. It’s also pretty accurate overall, especially right after syncing. Some apps update more slowly or glitch occasionally, so I cross-checked a few usernames to be sure.

Challenges:

• Most of these apps come with ads or paid upgrades.
• Some features are locked behind subscriptions.
• You need to be careful with what app you use, not all are safe or approved by Instagram.
• Too many glitches with loads of complaints from users.
• Logging in through third-party tools always carries a security risk.

Verdict

This method should have won for speed and ease, but it’s a bit tricky. Most of the apps I tried were glitching badly and couldn’t get the work done like I’d want. However, If you find a trusted app and don’t mind a few ads, it’s way more efficient than manual checking. Just make sure your account security is a priority.

Method 3: Use a Browser-Based Tool (e.g., IGExport, Inflact)

After testing mobile apps, I also tried a few browser-based tools. These platforms usually let you export your followers/following lists into spreadsheets, making it easier to compare.

Steps:

1. Visit a browser-based tool like IGExport 

2. Click the IGExport extension icon located on the right side of your browser’s toolbar to open the popup window.
3. Type in the Instagram username of the account you want to analyze.

4. Choose either “ Followers” or “Following” depending on what data you need. (Do both because you’ll be comparing side by side)

5. The IGExport dashboard will launch automatically and begin processing the export

How to Filter the List in Excel to See Who Doesn’t Follow You Back

Once you’ve exported your Followers and Following lists as separate CSV files, here’s how to compare them in Excel and spot the non-reciprocal follows.

Step-by-Step:

Check out this video to see the side-by-side Excel comparison for better understanding. Here are the steps you should follow:

1. Open Both CSV Files in Excel:  You should now have two spreadsheets: one for people you follow (Following.csv) and one for people who follow you (Followers.csv).
2. Copy the Data into One Workbook
   • Create a new Excel workbook.
   • In Sheet1, paste the list of usernames you follow under Column A (Label it “Following”).
   • In Sheet2, paste the list of usernames who follow you under Column A (Label it “Followers”).
3. Go Back to Sheet1:  You’re going to compare the “Following” list in Column A to the “Followers” list in Sheet2.
4. Insert a Formula to Check for Matches:  In Sheet1, Column B (next to each username), enter the following formula:  =IF(COUNTIF(Followers!A:A, A2)=0, “Not Following Back”, “Follows Back”)
   • This checks if the username in A2 of the “Following” sheet exists in the “Followers” sheet.
   • If not, it labels them as “Not Following Back.”
5. Copy the Formula Down:  You’ll see a back plus button at the corner of the first column. Use your cursor to hold the button and drag down the rest of your list in column A. 
6. Apply a Filter
   • Highlight both Column A and B.
   • Click the “Data” tab.
   • Click “Filter.”
   • Use the dropdown in Column B to filter by “Not Following Back.”

Boom, you’ll now only see the usernames you follow who aren’t following you back.

It took about 10 minutes from login to full comparison, which isn’t bad considering the amount of data. It was also spot-on, especially since you’re working with actual exported data. It’s easy to verify and even keep for future checks.

Challenges:

• Some tools require payment after a trial or limit how often you can export.
• Not all tools are Instagram-approved, so again, account safety matters.
• The spreadsheet comparison needs basic Excel or Sheets skills (filters, highlights, etc.).

Verdict

This method is great for people who like structure and don’t mind working with spreadsheets. It’s faster than manual, more customizable than apps, and perfect for bulk account management, if you’re willing to put in a bit of effort upfront.

Quick Comparison: Which Method Works Best?

Method	Time Taken	Accuracy	Ease of use	Best for
Manual Check (Profile by Profile)	30–45 mins per 100 accounts	Very High	Tedious and slow	Small accounts or occasional spot-checking
List Comparison (In-App)	10-15 minutes	High	Slightly faster manual	Mid-sized accounts
Third-Party App (e.g., FollowMeter)	< 5 mins setup + sync	High (mostly)	Very Easy	Fast checks, regular monitoring
Browser Tool + Excel Filter	~10 mins total	Very High	Moderate (if Excel-savvy)	Data lovers, spreadsheet fans

Bottom Line:

• If you have time and don’t want to use third-party tools, manual methods will get the job done eventually.
• If you value speed and convenience, apps work well (as long as they’re trusted).
• If you’re okay using a spreadsheet, the browser tool + Excel filter combo gives you both accuracy and control.

What to do after finding non-followers 

After I ran my checks, I was surprised, but not entirely shocked by some of the names on the list. A few of them were people I genuinely admire: creators, entrepreneurs, even one or two celebrities. Honestly, I never expected them to follow me back in the first place. They’ve got thousands, sometimes millions, of followers and barely engage one-on-one. That’s fair.

So, I didn’t hit the unfollow button just because the numbers didn’t match. For me, the real question was: “Do I still enjoy their content?” If the answer was yes, I left it alone. But for others, especially inactive accounts or people I followed out of obligation, I started trimming.

Here’s what you might consider doing too:

• Unfollow accounts you no longer connect with. It helps declutter your feed and makes room for creators or friends who actually resonate with your interests now. Now, for most of the apps I tested, you can’t unfollow from within. You’d have to use another app or start unfollowing manually once you finish filtering.
• Keep following high-value accounts, even if they don’t follow back. Inspiration, education, or pure entertainment is sometimes worth more than a mutual follow.
• Use the opportunity to refresh your following strategy. Maybe focus more on engaging with people who regularly interact with your posts. That keeps your account healthier overall.

Doing this made my feed feel more intentional and less cluttered, and I noticed better engagement too. Not from those I unfollowed, of course, but from people I started noticing again because I wasn’t lost in a sea of random updates.

Final Thoughts

Checking who doesn’t follow you back on Instagram isn’t about being petty; it’s mainly being intentional. After going through the process myself, I realized it’s less about chasing numbers and more about curating a space that feels good to log into. Some people won’t follow back, and that’s okay. But cleaning up your list and being aware of your engagement circle can actually improve how you show up on the app.

Whether you go the manual route, use an app, or spreadsheets, the goal is the same. You get better clarity, better content, and maybe even better peace of mind.

Tried one of these methods yourself? I’d love to hear how it worked for you or if you’ve got your own go-to way of managing your Instagram follows, drop it in the comments. You might help someone else find a better system.