pending_follow_requests.json Explained

If you have downloaded your Instagram data, you have likely opened the followers_and_following folder and discovered far more than just the two files you were looking for. One of these is named pending_follow_requests.json. This is the only place where Instagram provides a complete list of the follow requests you have sent that have not yet been answered.

Here is what it contains, how to read it, and what you can do with it.

What is pending_follow_requests.json?

When you follow a private account, Instagram does not approve the follow request immediately. A request is sent, and the button then displays "Requested" until the user either accepts or declines it.

The pending_follow_requests.json file contains a list of all the requests you have sent that are still pending. Each entry typically includes the account's username, a link to their profile, and a timestamp indicating when the request was sent.

Here are a few items that are not included:

• Requests that have been accepted. These individuals now appear in the following.json file.
• Requests that have been declined. Instagram removes these discreetly; therefore, they do not appear anywhere.
• Requests that others have sent to you. These can be found in a separate file, located in the same folder.

Why would you care?

Most people never think about the requests they've sent, but they pile up. A request you sent two years ago to an old classmate is still sitting there, and Instagram's app has no simple screen that lists them all.

The file is useful if you want to:

• Clean up requests you no longer want to be pending
• Check whether someone has seen your request but not answered
• Tidy your account before making it more professional

Where to find it

1. Request your data from Instagram in JSON format. You can select only the "Followers and following" category to speed up the process. Our step-by-step guide to downloading your Instagram data will walk you through this.
2. Once you receive the email, download and unzip the file.
3. Open the followers_and_following folder. In recent exports, this is located inside a folder named connections.
4. Look for the file named pending_follow_requests.json.

If you cannot find it, it is likely because you have no pending requests, or because the time range selected for the export does not include them. Try selecting the "All time" option when exporting your data.

The file is plain text, so you can open it in any browser, Notepad or TextEdit. Each entry shows the username, a link to their profile, and the date you sent the request (as a Unix timestamp, which any free online converter turns into a normal date).

How to cancel old follow requests

Instagram does not offer a "cancel all" button, so you must cancel requests one by one:

1. Open the file and click the link for a specific account.
2. On the relevant profile, tap Requested.
3. Confirm; the button will then change back to Follow.

If you have dozens of these, process a few each day. Canceling a large number of requests all at once may be interpreted by Instagram as automated activity.

How it fits with the other files

pending_follow_requests.json sits next to the two files most people actually need:

File	What it lists
followers_1.json	Everyone who follows you
following.json	Everyone you follow
pending_follow_requests.json	Requests you've sent that are still waiting

Unfollow Finder only needs the first two to show you who unfollowed you and who doesn't follow you back. Here's why we only ask for two files, and what's inside followers_1.json and following.json.

Frequently asked questions