What Happens When You Unfollow Someone on Instagram? (2026)

Updated January 3, 2026

Quick Answer

When you unfollow someone on Instagram, they don't receive a notification. You'll stop seeing their posts in your feed, and you'll be removed from their followers list. If their account is private, you'll need to request to follow them again to see their content.

Whether you're cleaning up your following list or distancing yourself from certain content, understanding exactly what happens when you unfollow someone helps you make informed decisions. Here's the complete breakdown.

Does Instagram Notify Someone When You Unfollow Them?

No, Instagram does not send a notification when you unfollow someone.

This is one of the most common questions people have about unfollowing. Unlike likes, comments, or new followers, unfollows happen silently. The person you unfollow won't receive any push notification, email, or in-app alert.

What They DON'T Get

No notification, no alert, no email, no indication that you specifically unfollowed them.

What They CAN See

A decrease in their follower count, your absence from their followers list if they check manually.

Can Someone Tell If You Unfollowed Them?

While there's no notification, someone can still figure out you unfollowed them through a few methods:

1. Checking Their Follower Count

If they pay attention to their follower count, they might notice it dropped. However, unless you were their only recent unfollow, they won't know it was specifically you.

2. Searching Their Followers List

They can manually search for your username in their followers list. If you don't appear, they'll know you unfollowed. But this requires them to actively look for you.

3. Using Unfollow Tracker Apps

Apps like FANS help users see exactly who unfollowed them. If the person you unfollow uses such an app, they'll know. This is the most reliable way for someone to discover an unfollow.

4. Noticing the "Follow" Button

If they visit your profile and see a "Follow" button instead of "Following," they'll know you don't follow them back.

The Reality

Most people don't obsessively check their follower lists. Unless someone is specifically monitoring their followers with an app or has a small, close-knit following, your unfollow will likely go unnoticed.

What Changes When You Unfollow Someone

For You (The Unfollower)

Their posts disappear from your feed - You won't see their photos, videos, or Reels in your home feed anymore
Their Stories disappear from your tray - No more of their Stories appearing at the top of your screen
Your following count decreases by one - Your total following number drops
The "Follow" button returns - When you visit their profile, you'll see "Follow" instead of "Following"

For Them (The Unfollowed)

Their follower count drops by one - If they check, they'll see one less follower
You're removed from their followers list - Searching for you there won't find anything
Nothing else changes - They can still see your public posts, and you can still see theirs (if public)

Unfollowing Public vs. Private Accounts

The type of account you unfollow affects what happens next:

Unfollowing a Public Account

You can still view their profile, posts, and Stories anytime
You can refollow them instantly without approval
The only change is they won't appear in your feed automatically

Unfollowing a Private Account

You lose access to their posts, Stories, and highlights immediately
To see their content again, you must send a new follow request
They have to approve your request before you can view anything
This can be awkward if you were previously close

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What Doesn't Change When You Unfollow

Some things remain the same after unfollowing:

Your previous interactions stay - Old likes, comments, and DM conversations remain intact
Tagged photos still exist - Photos where you tagged each other aren't affected
They can still find your profile - Unless you block them, they can search for and view your public content
DMs remain accessible - Your message history doesn't disappear
They can still follow you - Unfollowing someone doesn't prevent them from following you

Unfollow vs. Block vs. Restrict vs. Mute

Instagram offers several ways to manage your relationship with other accounts. Here's how they compare:

Unfollow

Stops their content from appearing in your feed. They can still see your public content, DM you, and interact with your posts. Least restrictive option.

Mute

Hides their posts and/or Stories from your feed while still following them. They have no idea you muted them. Great for maintaining relationships without the content.

Restrict

Their comments on your posts are only visible to them. Their DMs go to message requests. They don't know they're restricted. Good for managing problematic followers.

Block

Complete separation. They can't find your profile, see your content, or contact you. You disappear from their followers and following lists. Most restrictive option.

When Should You Unfollow Someone?

Unfollowing is a personal choice, but here are common reasons people unfollow:

Content no longer interests you - Their posts don't add value to your feed
Too many posts - They're drowning out other content you care about
Negative content - Their posts affect your mental health or mood
Follow-unfollow users - They followed you just to get a follow back
Cleaning up your feed - You want a more curated Instagram experience
Inactive accounts - They haven't posted in months or years

How to Unfollow Someone on Instagram

If you've decided to unfollow, here's how:

Go to the person's profile
Tap the "Following" button
Select "Unfollow" from the menu

You can also unfollow from your Following list:

Go to your profile
Tap your "Following" count
Find the person you want to unfollow
Tap "Following" next to their name, then "Unfollow"

Mass Unfollowing: Is It Safe?

If you're planning to unfollow many accounts at once, be careful. Instagram monitors for automated behavior and may temporarily restrict your account if you unfollow too many people too quickly.

Safe practices:

Unfollow gradually - no more than 50-100 accounts per day
Take breaks between unfollowing sessions
Never use automation tools or bots
Spread it out over several days if you have many to unfollow

Learn more about safe Instagram practices to protect your account.

Key Takeaways

Instagram does NOT notify users when someone unfollows them
People can discover unfollows through apps like FANS or by checking their follower list
Unfollowing a private account means you'll need to request access again
Old interactions (likes, comments, DMs) remain after unfollowing
Consider muting instead of unfollowing if you want to maintain the connection
Avoid mass unfollowing to prevent Instagram action blocks

Frequently Asked Questions

If I unfollow and refollow someone, will they know?

If their account is public, they might see a new follower notification when you refollow. If you unfollow and refollow quickly, the notification might not appear. With private accounts, you'll have to wait for approval again, which makes it obvious.

Does unfollowing someone remove my likes from their posts?

No. Your previous likes, comments, and interactions stay on their posts even after you unfollow. Only blocking removes some interactions.

Can I see who I've unfollowed?

Instagram doesn't keep a record of who you've unfollowed. To track this, you'd need to export your Instagram data periodically and compare your following lists over time.

Will unfollowing hurt my engagement?

Unfollowing accounts that don't engage with you won't hurt your engagement. In fact, cleaning up inactive or irrelevant follows can improve your feed quality and make you more likely to engage with content that matters.

Is there a way to unfollow without them ever knowing?

The only way to guarantee they never find out is if they don't use follower tracking apps and never manually check their followers list. Since you can't control what they do, there's no guaranteed way to keep it secret.

The Bottom Line

Unfollowing someone on Instagram is a simple, private action. There's no notification, no drama - just a quiet removal from someone's follower list. Whether you're curating your feed, removing follow-for-follow accounts, or cleaning up your following list, unfollowing is a normal part of the Instagram experience.

And if you want to know who's unfollowing you, FANS makes it easy to track - safely and without risking your account.

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