How to See Sent Follow Requests on Instagram

  • By Muhid Suleman

    Muhid Suleman

    Author Image

    Muhid Suleman, An expert writer from Pureprivacy's content team, Dedicate to make data privacy simple and accessible for you. Muhid, Our Content Wizard, weaves tales about online privacy using simple and user friendly procedures. He firmly believes that online privacy is your right and a big deal in the digital jungle.

    See author profile
  • 3 July 2024
  • 9 mins read

Are you curious about who you’re following on Instagram? Wondering if your request to your favorite dog influencer went unnoticed? 

Here's how to find exactly who you've sent follow requests on Instagram.

Get Privacy Settings across all Social Media platforms

With PurePrivacy’s first-ever social media privacy manager, you can auto-scan & fix privacy settings on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Spotify, LinkedIn, Google and YouTube. In just $5.83/month, connect your social accounts with our app & get automatic social privacy settings and recommendations.

Step-by-Step Guide on How to See Sent Follow Requests on Instagram

Instagram doesn’t allow you to view sent follow requests directly, so you must download your account information to find out who has not accepted your follow requests. 

To download and look at your followers and the following information, take these simple steps:

Step 1: Open the Instagram app on your smartphone or tablet and tap the profile icon in the bottom right corner of the screen. This takes you to your Instagram profile page.

Step 2: When you're on your profile page, tap the three horizontal lines or "hamburger" icon in the upper right corner of the screen. This will take you to Instagram's Settings and Activity menu.

Step 3: From the "Settings and Activity" menu, choose "Your Activity". This will send you to a page where you may request to get our account information.

From the "Settings and Activity" menu, choose "Your Activity"

Step 4: Scroll down the "Your Activity" page until you see the option labeled "Download Your Information." It is normally situated around the bottom of the page. Tap on this option.

Scroll down the "Your Activity" page

Step 5: When you click "Download Your Information," Instagram will take you to the "Meta Accounts Center" from where tap on Download or transfer information. Then confirm your account and click Next.

When you click "Download Your Information,"

Step 6: To finish the download request, select which account's data you want to download and whether you want to get all of your information or only a certain sort of information.

Step 7: Instagram will now allow you to decide which types of information you want to download. In this scenario, you'll want to select the option for Followers and following under the Connections tab, which pertains to follow requests.

you'll want to select the option for Followers and following under the Connections tab
follower and following

Step 8: Depending on the Instagram interface and settings, you will be prompted to enter an email address to which the downloaded information will be sent. In addition, you will be able to select the format of the downloaded file.

Step 9: Adjust the media quality and date range settings to meet your needs.

Step 10: After configuring your preferences, click the "Create Files" button to submit the download request. 

click the "Create Files" button

Step 11: After completing all of these steps, Instagram will notify you via email that your data is being processed and may take up to four days to be available.

Step 12: When your file is ready for download, click the download button.

Step 13: To begin the download process, enter your Instagram password or another form of authentication.

Step 14: After the download is complete, locate the HTML file on your device. Open the file to check the contents.

Step 15: Navigate to the section of the downloaded data that shows your followers and followers. Look for an option that shows pending follow requests.

While receiving a list of sent follow requests can be beneficial, it is important to prioritize your account security. Downloading your Instagram account information involves a transmission of sensitive data, which could be intercepted by malicious parties if not handled carefully. 

This is where PurePrivacy, an all-in-one privacy app, comes in. It includes tracker blocking to prevent prying eyes from tracking and data collection. You can get alert recommendations and a privacy score to ensure your personal information remains secure. 

Secure Your Online Activities & Digital Footprints

PurePrivacy helps you take control of your online presence through features such as tracker blocking, data breach monitoring, and automated privacy recommendations

This proactive strategy protects personal information, reduces online tracking, and promotes digital autonomy.

Manage gallery feed activities

PurePrivacy gives you the liberty to explore the online world with security:

Get a Privacy Score 

The app will assess your social media accounts and create a privacy score by assessing the level of access allowed and the potential privacy hazards associated with these permissions.

Auto-Delete or Hide Posts

Take control of your posted content by hiding it, limiting visibility to yourself, or completely deleting it from the social networking platform. 

Scan Multiple Data Brokers

It allows you to enter Personally Identifiable Information (PII) such as your email address, first and last name, nationality, and location. PurePrivacy will run a risk scan to show any exposed data and analyze the risk associated with information collected by brokers.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

  • Is there a way to view the profiles of persons I sent follow requests to without downloading data?

    Plus

    No. Unfortunately, Instagram does not allow you to directly view the profiles of people you have requested to follow within the app. Downloading your data is the only way to obtain a list of usernames.

  • After downloading data, can I cancel any pending follow requests?

    Plus

    No. Currently, there is no way to cancel requests directly from the downloaded data. To manually cancel them, go to Instagram and look for the usernames.

  • What if I can't recall the username of someone I issued a request to?

    Plus

    Downloading your data may not be beneficial in this situation. Without a username or other identifying information, it would be difficult to locate the individual request in the downloaded list.

  • Are there any risks associated with obtaining my Instagram data?

    Plus

    No. Instagram offers a safe way to download your data. However, to avoid security threats, only download data from the official Instagram app and website.

  • Simplify your online presence today

    With PurePrivacy, make sure all your personal data remains safe without a hassle!

Get Your Hidden Information!

Instagram does not provide a direct way to view your sent follow requests within the app, but you can download your account details. 

This downloaded data will include a list of recent follow requests, allowing you to view pending approvals and who you've recently attempted to follow. 

It's a simple process, but bear in mind that Instagram may take some time to compile your data, depending on how much information you choose to download.