Quick answer: files named followers_1.json, followers_2.json, and so on are normal in some Instagram exports. Do not choose one file or merge them yourself. Import the complete original JSON ZIP into FANS so the app can read every included follower file and compare the combined list with following.json on your iPhone.
Instagram can divide a larger follower list across multiple JSON files. Each numbered file is only one part of the follower side of the comparison. Using just followers_1.json can therefore produce an incomplete list.
FANS is the best solution for this export format because it handles the supported files inside the intact official ZIP for you. It never asks for your Instagram password, verification code, cookies, API key, or live account access, and it processes your follower and following data locally on your device.
What the numbered follower files mean
Inside a typical Instagram JSON export, the relationship files are stored under connections/followers_and_following. The exact number of follower files can vary with the export. A common structure looks like this:
| File | What it represents | What to do |
|---|---|---|
followers_1.json | The first portion of accounts that follow you | Leave it inside the original ZIP |
followers_2.json and later files | Additional portions of the same follower list | Leave every numbered file in place |
following.json | Accounts you follow | Keep it with the follower files |
The original .zip | The complete Instagram export and folder structure | Select this file in FANS |
The numbers do not mean separate Instagram accounts, different dates, or ranked groups of followers. They are file parts. To calculate who does not follow you back, the complete follower side must be compared with the following list from the same export snapshot.
How FANS handles split follower JSON files
When you select a complete supported Instagram JSON export ZIP, FANS opens the archive on your iPhone, reads the follower JSON files included in the followers-and-following folder, combines their entries for the comparison, and reads following.json. It then shows the accounts that appear in following but not in followers.
This is why importing the ZIP is safer and simpler than opening its contents manually. The broader guide to which Instagram export file to import into FANS explains how to recognize the correct archive.
Keep the snapshot together. The follower files and following file should come from the same original Instagram export. Mixing files from different downloads can compare relationships captured at different times and make the result unreliable.
Safe import steps on iPhone
- Request your follower and following information from Instagram in JSON format.
- Download the completed export and save the original ZIP to Files.
- Do not unzip, rename, edit, convert, merge, or rebuild the archive.
- Open FANS and choose the complete ZIP through the file picker.
- Keep FANS open while it processes the export on-device.
- Review the resulting non-follower list; make any follow or unfollow decision yourself inside Instagram.
If you are starting from the export request, follow the focused Instagram followers and following export guide. If the ZIP is already on your iPhone, use the full FANS import walkthrough.
Why importing only followers_1.json is incomplete
A loose followers_1.json file does not necessarily contain everyone who follows you. It also does not include the accounts you follow, so by itself it cannot answer who does not follow back. FANS needs the relationship data in the expected export structure, not one hand-picked file.
Do not copy JSON text into a spreadsheet, paste it into a converter, or upload it to a random unfollower website. Those steps add opportunities to omit entries, damage the structure, or expose social relationship data. FANS avoids that detour by processing the official archive locally.
Do not invent missing parts. If the ZIP is incomplete, corrupted, or missing following.json, request a fresh export from Instagram. Renaming a file or creating an empty replacement cannot restore relationship data that Instagram did not include.
What if there is only one follower file?
That can be normal too. Some exports need only followers_1.json, while others contain more numbered files. The safe action is identical: select the complete original ZIP, not an individual JSON file. You do not need to predict how many parts your account should have.
What if the follower files are missing?
First confirm that you requested followers and following, chose JSON, and downloaded the full export rather than one attachment or extracted file. The guide to fixing an Instagram export with missing followers covers the safe checks.
If Instagram sent more than one ZIP archive, keep each archive intact and identify which one contains the complete relationship data instead of combining their contents manually. Read what to do with multiple Instagram export ZIPs for that different situation.
Multiple files do not mean live tracking
Every file in the ZIP belongs to the point-in-time export Instagram prepared. FANS does not log into Instagram or watch the account in real time. To check newer changes, request a fresh official export and import that new complete ZIP. This keeps the workflow read-only and avoids risky scraping or automated access.
Key takeaways
- Multiple
followers_*.jsonfiles can be a normal part of an Instagram export. - All numbered follower files may be needed for the complete follower list.
- Import the original JSON ZIP into FANS, not a loose JSON file.
- Do not manually merge, rename, convert, or rebuild the export.
- FANS processes the supported relationship data locally without Instagram login.
FAQs
Why do I have followers_1.json and followers_2.json?
Instagram may split a larger follower list across numbered JSON files. Both files can be parts of one follower list from the same export.
Can I import only followers_1.json into FANS?
No. Choose the complete original Instagram JSON ZIP. A single follower file may omit later parts and does not provide the full following side needed for comparison.
Will FANS read all the numbered follower files?
Yes. From an intact supported JSON export, FANS reads the included numbered follower JSON files and compares their combined entries with following.json on-device.
Should I unzip the archive to check the files first?
No. You can import the original ZIP directly. If you already extracted a copy for inspection, return to the untouched original ZIP for the FANS import.
Does FANS upload these files?
No. FANS processes follower and following data locally on your device and does not store or sell your Instagram social data.
Let FANS handle the complete export
Import Instagram's original JSON ZIP on iPhone and check who does not follow you back without sharing your login.
Download FANS on the App StoreFANS is not affiliated with Instagram or Meta. FANS is free to download; Pro is required to reveal the full non-follower list.