Every Instagram influencer wants more likes and more followers, but it's just as important to retain your current followers. This may have left you wondering, "Who unfollowed me on Instagram?". So, how can you see who unfollowed you on the platform?
Instagram doesn't offer any official way to check your unfollows. So, while you can see the followers count on your profile go down, you won't know who unfollowed you on Instagram.
However, there are quite a few third-party apps to see who unfollows you on Instagram. These serve as Instagram trackers for followers and unfollowers, giving you a quick look at who thinks your posts aren't worth seeing anymore.
The Problem With Third-Party Instagram Apps
While these apps are the easiest way to know who unfollowed you on Instagram, they come with their own set of issues. Instagram's API severely restricts what unofficial developers can do.
For example, with all of these apps, you will only see data from the time you first download the app. From the time you set it up, it tracks all changes to your accounts. If you lost followers before installing the app, you won't see any of those. So, before being able to see who unfollowed you on Instagram, you'll have to buy some patience.
These apps are also not authorized by Instagram, which means your account security could be at risk. You leave yourself open to data breaches, the app getting sold to someone with ill intentions, your Instagram account being hacked, and other risks.
Additionally, these apps might stop working at any moment as Instagram has a history of changing its API or rules without any warning. In the past, several good third-party apps shut down because of Instagram's changing rules, including Unfollowgram and FollowMeter, which were two of the best Instagram unfollower apps.
Due to these reasons, we recommend you avoid using Instagram follower tracking apps. But, as long as you know these potential flaws and risks, you can continue to use these apps to find out who unfollowed you on Instagram.
Followers - Tracker Insight (Android): The Easiest and Best App
We tried out a variety of apps to find out who unfollowed us, and Followers -Tracker Insight is our favorite. The setup process is easy, the interface is simple, and the unfollower feature (which the app refers to as Followers Lost) is completely free, without any loopholes. However, the downside is, the app is only available on Android. Again, it will work only from the point of setup onwards, so you can't find out old unfollowers.
To see who unfollowed you on Instagram, log in using your account to access the dashboard. The homepage shows your account statistics, like your followers, following, and posts.
Beneath that are the various cards that display unfollowers, new followers, accounts you follow that don't follow you back, mutual friends, and accounts that follow you but that you don't follow them back. Tap Followers Lost to get a full list of people who unfollowed you on Instagram.
The page shows individual accounts. Tapping an account will take you to a dedicated profile page displaying a summary of the profile and an Unfollow button that you can tap to unfollow them (if you were following them back). If you'd like to unfollow those who unfollowed you on Instagram in one tap, tap the Edit icon in the top right of the Followers Lost page. Next, tap on individual accounts to select and then select Unfollow at the bottom.
Followers -Tracker Insight has other features for interaction analysis to find deleted comments, who removed their likes, top admirers, and more. Some features are locked behind a paywall, you won't access them for free.
Download: Followers -Tracker Insight for Android (Free, in-app purchases available)
Other Apps to Find Out "Who Unfollowed Me?"
Apart from Followers -Tracker Insight, we tested a few other free Instagram unfollower apps. Here's a quick list of those that worked well. While you can try any of them, we'd recommend sticking to Followers -Tracker Insight as it's more likely to keep up with any changes in Instagram API and rules.
How to Unfollow Your Unfollowers on Instagram
"Following back" is important to certain social media users. So now that you know which people have unfollowed you on Instagram, you might want to return the favor. Every time you get a notification, you can unfollow that account, too.
But, what about those who did this already, before you installed the app? You can also use Followers -Tracker Insight to find out who doesn't follow you back and unfollow them.
To do this:
- Sign in to Followers -Tracker Insight with your Instagram account.
- On the Homepage, tap Not Following Me Back.
- On the next page, tap the Unfollow button adjacent to any account you wish to unfollow.
- If you'd like to unfollow more than one account at a go, tap the Edit icon in the top right, tap individual accounts to select multiple. Finally, tap Unfollow button at the bottom to unfollow the selected accounts (You can select up to 30 accounts at a time).
The changes are reflected in your Instagram account immediately.
How to Stop Losing Followers on Instagram
"Following back" is just one of the reasons that someone might have unfollowed you on Instagram. If that doesn't seem to be the cause, and you are wondering why you are losing followers on Instagram, here are a few other possible reasons.
1. You Have Bought Followers
Did you purchase the services of someone who promised to get you thousands or millions of followers for a few dollars? Instagram frowns upon such manipulation, which usually involves a bunch of bots and fake accounts.
Instagram regularly purges such accounts, so that might be a reason your follower count has dropped. Don't rely on these services; they are a waste of money and affect credibility.
2. You Have Been Shadowbanned
Trying to game the Instagram ecosystem can result in your account getting a "shadow ban". This means that while the app functions normally for you, Instagram deliberately hides your posts or puts them in the lowest priority. A shadow ban could render your account and hard work useless.
Instagram will shadowban accounts trying to manipulate the system by buying followers or using third-party cheats. You'll find apps and services that automatically like and comment on your posts, or drive up other engagement in fake ways. Avoid these at all costs.
You can check whether you've been shadowbanned by asking your friend to unfollow you and then search for one of the hashtags you've added under your post. If your post is found in the hashtag, that means your account is safe. To be always on the safe side, you should get familiar with tips to avoid getting shadowbanned on Instagram.
3. You Are Posting Too Often or Too Infrequently
If you post too often, followers will get tired of your pictures spamming their timeline. This is especially true for sponsored posts and brand engagements. On the other hand, if you post too infrequently, followers will think you aren't worth subscribing to.
It's a difficult balance to maintain, but there isn't a golden rule or a recommended number to adhere to. It's something you will have to figure out with your own followers.
The new mantra among social media experts is consistency beats frequency. Figure out a posting schedule that you can maintain consistently.
4. You're Making Basic Instagram Mistakes
These three are the major reasons for losing followers, but there are several other factors that can cause people to unfollow you. For example:
- Posting about topics that are irrelevant to your brand.
- Posting about controversial topics that divide people's opinions.
- Not engaging with commenters on posts.
- Posting without the right hashtags or with poor captions.
- Posting sub-par photos and not editing them well.
Apart from these, our in-house social media expert has highlighted several other things to avoid doing on Instagram.
Don't Obsess Over Instagram Followers
It's easy to get locked into a social network's statistics, especially since there are some excellent analytics tools to see how you're doing on Instagram. But don't obsess over these things. It really doesn't matter if someone unfollows you on Instagram.
In fact, losing a follower does not mean you're doing a terrible job. Instead, enjoy Instagram as a way to escape reality for a few seconds; nothing more, nothing less.