How to Export Instagram Followers to Excel: Step-by-Step Guide

Exporting your Instagram followers to Excel isn't about hoarding data—it's about understanding who follows you so you can segment audiences, track growth patterns, identify superfans, and make content decisions based on evidence instead of guesses.

Why Export Followers to Excel
What Data You Can Export
Method 1: Official Instagram Data Download
Method 2: Browser-Based Export Tools
Method 3: Third-Party Apps and Services
Step-by-Step Export Process
Cleaning and Organizing Excel Data
Excel Analysis Techniques
Common Use Cases
Troubleshooting Export Issues
Privacy and Compliance
Tools Comparison Matrix
FAQ: Exporting to Excel
Next Steps

Why Export Followers to Excel {#why-export}

Instagram's native analytics show you follower counts and basic demographics, but Excel exports let you do analysis the app can't handle:

Segment your audience

When you have follower data in Excel, you can sort and filter by follower count, engagement level, bio keywords, or location. That segmentation reveals which follower groups matter most for your goals.

If you run a fitness brand and export shows that 40% of your followers mention "yoga" in their bio while only 15% mention "CrossFit," that's a signal to adjust content mix—something you'd never see in native Instagram Insights.

Track growth patterns over time

Export your follower list monthly and compare in Excel. You'll see:

Which followers are new vs. returning
Growth rate by follower segment (micro-influencers vs. consumers)
Unfollowers (by comparing old and new lists)
Follower quality changes (more engaged users or more bots?)

One e-commerce brand discovered through monthly exports that 60% of their new followers had zero posts and suspicious follower/following ratios—a bot problem they fixed by changing their hashtag strategy.

Identify high-value followers

Sort by follower count and engagement to find:

Micro-influencers who could become partners
Superfans who consistently engage (for UGC campaigns)
Industry peers for networking
Potential customers with buying signals in their bio

Prepare for campaigns

Before launching influencer outreach or partnership campaigns, export followers to:

Build target lists for personalized DMs
Find email addresses (when publicly displayed)
Cross-reference with customer databases
Calculate audience overlap with potential partners

Backup and portability

If Instagram changes policies, your account gets compromised, or you need to move to another platform, having follower data in Excel means you're not starting from zero.

What Data You Can Export {#what-data}

Typical Instagram follower exports include:

Core fields

Username: The Instagram handle (e.g., @fitness_enthusiast_sf)

Full name: Display name shown on profile (e.g., "Sarah Johnson")

Profile picture URL: Link to current profile image

Follower count: How many accounts follow this user

Following count: How many accounts this user follows

Post count: Total published posts

Bio text: Profile description, including emojis and hashtags

External link: Website or link tree URL (if provided)

Verification status: Blue checkmark indicator

Account type: Personal, Business, or Creator (when detectable)

Calculated metrics

Once you have basic data in Excel, you can calculate:

Follower-to-following ratio: =Follower_Count / Following_Count

Ratio > 2: Likely influencer or popular account
Ratio 0.5-2: Typical personal account
Ratio < 0.5: Aggressive follower strategy

Profile completeness score: Percentage of fields populated

Influence tier: Nano (<1K), Micro (1K-10K), Mid (10K-100K), Macro (100K-1M), Mega (1M+)

Engagement estimate: Based on follower count and account type

What you typically CAN'T get

Email addresses: Unless publicly displayed in bio or Contact button

Phone numbers: Rarely included unless Business account with public contact info

Follower engagement rates: Requires separate scraping of their posts

Direct messages: Never accessible via exports

Private account content: Only public information is exportable

Method 1: Official Instagram Data Download {#official-method}

The most compliant method is Instagram's official data download:

How it works

Instagram provides a data portability feature (required by GDPR) that lets you download all your account data, including follower lists.

Step-by-step process

Step 1: Request your data

Go to Instagram Settings > Security > Download Data
Enter your email address
Request JSON or HTML format
Click "Request Download"

Step 2: Wait for email Instagram typically sends the download link within 48 hours (sometimes up to 14 days for large accounts).

Step 3: Download and extract

Click the link in email
Log in to verify identity
Download the ZIP file
Extract to a folder on your computer

Step 4: Find follower data Open followers.json or followers_1.json file. It contains a list of usernames and timestamps.

Step 5: Convert JSON to Excel

The file is in JSON format, which Excel can't open directly. Use one of these approaches:

Option A: Use an online converter

Visit JSON-to-CSV converter (e.g., convertcsv.com/json-to-csv.htm)
Upload your followers.json file
Download the resulting CSV
Open in Excel

Option B: Use Excel Power Query (Windows Excel 2016+)

Open Excel > Data tab > Get Data > From File > From JSON
Select your followers.json file
Power Query loads the data
Click "Convert to Table" then "Close & Load"

Option C: Use Google Sheets

Open Google Sheets
File > Import > Upload > Select followers.json
Choose "Replace current sheet"
Data appears in columns

Advantages

100% compliant: Official Instagram feature, zero risk of TOS violation

Complete data: Includes all followers (no limits)

Free: No cost except your time

Includes timestamps: Shows when each person followed you

Disadvantages

Slow process: 48 hours to 2 weeks for large accounts

Limited fields: Only username and timestamp, no bio or follower counts

Manual conversion: Requires extra steps to get usable Excel format

No enrichment: You'd need to manually visit profiles to get additional data

Can't export others' followers: Only works for your own account

When to use this method

If you only need your own follower list, are willing to wait, and don't need detailed profile data beyond usernames, the official download is the safest choice.

For competitive analysis or enriched data (bio, follower counts, etc.), you'll need other methods.

Method 2: Browser-Based Export Tools {#browser-tools}

Browser extensions and web tools offer faster exports with more data fields:

How browser tools work

These tools install as Chrome, Firefox, or Edge extensions. When you visit Instagram, they add export buttons that:

Scroll through follower lists automatically
Extract visible profile data as they load
Compile everything into a CSV or Excel file
Download to your computer

Recommended approach: Instracker.io

The safest and most user-friendly option for Instagram follower exports:

Why it's better:

Works within your browser session (no credential sharing)
Respects Instagram rate limits (reduces block risk)
Exports to clean CSV/Excel format immediately
Includes enriched profile data (bio, counts, verification)
Pay-per-export pricing (no subscription commitment)

What you can export:

Instagram Follower Export — Your followers or any public account
Following Export — Accounts you or others follow
Comments Export — Engaged users on posts
Likes Export — Users who liked specific posts

Alternative browser extensions

If you prefer standalone extensions, look for:

Green flags (safety indicators):

✅ Works with your existing login (doesn't ask for password)
✅ Mentions rate limiting or delays
✅ Recent updates (within 6 months)
✅ Positive reviews specifically about safety
✅ Clear pricing model ($20-100/month suggests legitimate business)

Red flags (risk indicators):

❌ Requests Instagram credentials
❌ Promises "unlimited instant downloads"
❌ No mention of rate limits or safety
❌ Free with unclear monetization
❌ Reviews mentioning account blocks

Best practices

Test with small accounts first: Export an account with 500-1,000 followers before trying your 50K account.

Export during off-peak hours: Late night or early morning reduces detection risk.

Use conservative speed settings: If the tool offers speed options, choose "Slow" or "Safe."

Don't export back-to-back: Space out exports by 2-4 hours minimum.

Monitor for warnings: Stop immediately if you see "Action Blocked" messages.

Advantages

Fast: Export 10,000 followers in 10-20 minutes (vs. days for official method)

Rich data: Includes bio, follower counts, links, verification status

Easy to use: Click-button simplicity, no technical skills needed

Flexible: Can export your own followers or competitors' (public accounts)

Immediate CSV/Excel: No JSON conversion needed

Disadvantages

Moderate risk: Aggressive use can trigger action blocks

Incomplete for large accounts: Accounts with 500K+ followers may time out

Costs money: Quality tools charge $20-100/month or per-export fees

Requires browser: Must keep browser open during export

Method 3: Third-Party Apps and Services {#third-party}

API-based services and desktop apps offer additional options:

Third-party API services

Services like Apify, RapidAPI, and Bright Data provide Instagram scraping via API endpoints:

How it works:

Sign up and get API key
Send API request with target Instagram username
Receive JSON response with follower data
Convert JSON to Excel using tools or scripts

Costs: $50-500/month depending on volume

Best for: Developers, high-volume needs, ongoing automation

Trade-offs: More technical setup, but more reliable for large projects

Desktop applications

Standalone apps you install on Windows or Mac:

Examples: SocialBlade, NinjaGram (note: verify current safety/legitimacy before use)

How they work: Similar to browser extensions but run as separate applications

Advantages: Sometimes more stable, can run in background

Disadvantages: Higher risk (installing software from less-known developers), often more expensive

When third-party makes sense

Choose API services if:

You have technical skills (can work with APIs)
You need ongoing automated exports (weekly/monthly)
You're exporting from many accounts regularly
Budget allows ($100-500/month)

Choose desktop apps if:

Browser extensions aren't working for you
You prefer standalone software
You've thoroughly vetted the app's safety and reputation

For most users, browser-based tools like Instagram Follower Export offer the best balance of ease, safety, and functionality.

Step-by-Step Export Process {#step-by-step}

Detailed walkthrough using Instracker.io (similar process for other tools):

Phase 1: Preparation (5 minutes)

Step 1: Identify target accounts

Your own account (understand your audience)
Competitors (benchmark and find overlap)
Potential partners (assess audience fit)
Aspirational accounts (study their follower composition)

Step 2: Create tracking spreadsheet Set up a master Excel file with these sheets:

Raw Exports: Store original CSV files
Cleaned Data: After removing duplicates and bots
Analysis: Pivot tables and insights
Action Items: Specific accounts to engage or contact

Phase 2: Export execution (10-30 minutes per account)

Step 1: Access the export tool Visit Instagram Follower Export on Instracker.io

Step 2: Log in to Instagram Tool uses your existing browser session. Ensure you're logged into Instagram in the same browser.

Step 3: Enter target username Type the Instagram handle you want to export (e.g., "nike" or "your_account_name")

Step 4: Select export options

Full export or limited number of followers
Include/exclude profile pictures
Any available filters

Step 5: Start export Click "Export Followers" and let the tool work. For 10,000 followers, expect 10-20 minutes.

Step 6: Download CSV/Excel Once complete, download the file. It's typically named something like nike_followers_2025_11_08.csv

Phase 3: Import to Excel (5 minutes)

Step 1: Open Excel Launch Microsoft Excel (or Google Sheets as alternative)

Step 2: Import CSV

File > Open > Select your downloaded CSV
Or: Data > From Text/CSV > Select file
Excel asks about delimiters (choose "Comma")
Click "Finish" or "Load"

Step 3: Verify data loaded correctly Check:

All columns have headers (Username, Follower_Count, etc.)
Data appears in correct columns
No obvious errors or missing data
Row count matches expected follower count

Step 4: Save as Excel format

File > Save As
Choose "Excel Workbook (.xlsx)" format
Use descriptive filename: Nike_Followers_Nov_2025.xlsx

Phase 4: Basic organization (10 minutes)

Step 1: Freeze header row

Click on row 2 (first data row)
View > Freeze Panes > Freeze Top Row
Now you can scroll while keeping headers visible

Step 2: Apply filters

Select header row
Data > Filter
Dropdown arrows appear in each column header

Step 3: Format columns

Auto-fit column widths: Select all > Home > Format > AutoFit Column Width
Format numbers: Right-align Follower_Count, Following_Count, Post_Count columns
Wrap text for Bio column: Select column > Home > Wrap Text

Step 4: Add calculated columns Create these useful calculations:

Follower Ratio:

=B2/C2

(Assuming B=Follower_Count, C=Following_Count)

Influence Tier:

=IF(B2<1000,"Nano",IF(B2<10000,"Micro",IF(B2<100000,"Mid",IF(B2<1000000,"Macro","Mega"))))

Profile Completeness:

=IF(A2<>"",20,0)+IF(D2<>"",20,0)+IF(E2<>"",20,0)+IF(F2<>"",20,0)+IF(G2<>"",20,0)

(Check if Username, Name, Bio, Link, Profile_Pic are populated; max score 100)

Cleaning and Organizing Excel Data {#cleaning-data}

Raw exports always need cleaning before analysis:

Remove duplicates

Problem: Sometimes the same follower appears multiple times due to export glitches.

Solution:

Select all data (Ctrl+A)
Data > Remove Duplicates
Check "Username" column
Click OK
Excel shows how many duplicates were removed

Filter out bot accounts

Problem: Many follower lists include spam accounts and bots that skew your analysis.

Bot indicators:

Follower/Following ratio < 0.1 (following 10,000+, followers < 1,000)
Zero posts
No bio text
No profile picture
Username is random letters/numbers

Solution: Create bot flag column

Add column "Likely_Bot" with formula:

=IF(AND(B2<100, C2>2000, D2=0, E2=""), "YES", "NO")

Then filter to hide rows where Likely_Bot = "YES"

Alternatively, use multiple criteria with filters:

Click filter dropdown on Following_Count column
Number Filters > Less Than > 2000
Click filter on Post_Count
Number Filters > Greater Than > 0

Standardize text fields

Username formatting: Remove @ symbol if present, convert to lowercase:

=LOWER(SUBSTITUTE(A2,"@",""))

Clean bio text: Remove extra line breaks and spaces:

=TRIM(CLEAN(E2))

Handle missing data

Strategy 1: Flag incomplete profiles Create "Completeness_Score" column (as shown in Phase 4 above). Filter for score > 60 to focus on quality profiles.

Strategy 2: Fill blanks with "N/A"

Select column with blanks (e.g., External_Link)
Home > Find & Select > Go To Special > Blanks
Type "N/A" and press Ctrl+Enter
All blanks fill with "N/A"

Sort strategically

By follower count (descending):

Find influencers and high-value accounts at the top
Useful for partnership outreach

By follower ratio (descending):

Identify genuine influencers vs. follow-for-follow accounts
Ratio > 5 typically indicates real influence

By post count (ascending then descending):

Zero posts = likely bots (remove)
Very high posts (1000+) = very active accounts (high engagement potential)

Excel Analysis Techniques {#excel-analysis}

Turn your follower list into actionable insights:

Technique 1: Audience segmentation with pivot tables

Goal: Understand follower composition by influence tier

Steps:

Select all data (Ctrl+A)
Insert > PivotTable
Place in new worksheet
Drag "Influence_Tier" to Rows
Drag "Username" to Values (shows count)
Result: Table showing how many Nano, Micro, Mid, Macro, Mega followers you have

Insight example: If you have 8,000 total followers and 6,500 are Nano (<1K), your audience is mostly consumers. If 2,000 are Micro-Mid, you have partnership opportunities.

Technique 2: Bio keyword analysis

Goal: Discover common interests among your followers

Steps:

Copy all bio text into one cell or document
Use word frequency tool (online: wordcounter.net) or Excel formulas
Identify top 20 keywords

Manual approach in Excel:

Create list of potential keywords: "fitness," "entrepreneur," "mom," "vegan," etc.
Count occurrences:

=COUNTIF(E:E,"*fitness*")

Calculate percentage:

=COUNTIF(E:E,"*fitness*") / COUNTA(E:E)

Insight example: If 35% of followers mention "freelance" or "entrepreneur," create content for solopreneurs rather than corporate employees.

Technique 3: Engagement potential scoring

Goal: Rank followers by likelihood to engage with your content

Scoring model:

Follower count (20 points max):

=IF(B2<1000,20,IF(B2<10000,15,IF(B2<50000,10,5)))

(Smaller accounts more likely to engage)

Follower ratio (20 points max):

=IF(Follower_Ratio>2,20,IF(Follower_Ratio>0.5,10,5))

(Higher ratio = more selective, valuable follows)

Post activity (30 points max):

=IF(D2>100,30,IF(D2>20,20,IF(D2>5,10,0)))

(Active posters are active engagers)

Profile completeness (30 points max): Use completeness score from earlier

Total engagement score:

=SUM(Follower_Count_Score, Ratio_Score, Activity_Score, Completeness_Score)

Action: Sort by total score descending. Top 100 = priority accounts to engage with (comment, DM, collaborate).

Technique 4: Growth tracking (requires monthly exports)

Goal: Identify new followers, unfollowers, and growth patterns

Process:

Export followers on Nov 1 → Save as Followers_Nov.xlsx
Export followers on Dec 1 → Save as Followers_Dec.xlsx
Use VLOOKUP or MATCH to compare:

Find new followers (in Dec but not Nov):

=IF(ISNA(VLOOKUP(A2,Nov_Sheet!A:A,1,FALSE)),"NEW","")

Find unfollowers (in Nov but not Dec): In Nov sheet:

=IF(ISNA(VLOOKUP(A2,Dec_Sheet!A:A,1,FALSE)),"UNFOLLOWED","")

Calculate metrics:

New followers: Count "NEW" flags
Unfollowers: Count "UNFOLLOWED" flags
Net growth: New - Unfollowers
Growth rate: (Net Growth / Previous Total) × 100

Insight example: If you gained 500 new followers but lost 400, your net growth (100) masks high churn. Investigate why followers are leaving.

Technique 5: Competitor overlap analysis

Goal: See how much your audience overlaps with competitors

Steps:

Export your followers → Sheet1
Export Competitor A followers → Sheet2
Use MATCH formula to find overlaps:

In Sheet1 (your followers):

=IF(ISNUMBER(MATCH(A2,Sheet2!A:A,0)),"OVERLAP","UNIQUE")

Calculate:

Total overlapping followers: =COUNTIF(Sheet1!OverlapColumn,"OVERLAP")
Overlap percentage: =(Overlap Count / Your Total Followers) × 100

Interpretation:

<10% overlap: Minimal audience similarity, reaching different people
10-30% overlap: Some shared audience, good partnership potential
30-50% overlap: High similarity, strong competition or perfect collaboration
50% overlap: Very similar audiences, partnering may not expand reach

Common Use Cases {#use-cases}

How businesses actually use follower exports:

Use case 1: Influencer outreach

Scenario: You want to partner with 20 micro-influencers in your niche.

Process:

Export your own followers
Filter for Micro tier (1K-10K followers)
Filter for Follower_Ratio > 2 (genuine influence)
Sort by engagement potential score
Manually review top 50 profiles
Select 20 best fits

Outreach:

Follow them
Engage with 3-5 posts (meaningful comments)
Send personalized DM after 1 week
Offer collaboration (product seeding, affiliate, paid post)

Expected results: 30-40% response rate, 15-20% conversion to partnership.

Use case 2: Content strategy validation

Scenario: You're debating whether to focus on "beginner" vs. "advanced" content.

Process:

Export followers
Analyze bio keywords: Count "beginner," "newbie," "learning" vs. "advanced," "expert," "professional"
Calculate percentages

Decision:

If 70%+ mention beginner-related terms → Focus on beginner content
If 60%+ mention advanced terms → Create advanced content
If 50/50 split → Create two content tracks or focus on intermediate content

Use case 3: Email list building

Scenario: You want to launch an email newsletter and need leads.

Process:

Export followers
Filter for accounts with external links
Visit top 200 profiles manually
Check if Business accounts display email in Contact button
Check if websites have email capture forms or listed contact info
Compile email list in Excel

Outreach:

Send personalized email mentioning Instagram connection
Offer value (free resource, exclusive content)
Include newsletter signup CTA

Expected results: 20-30% have findable email addresses, 10-15% signup rate.

Use case 4: Customer research

Scenario: E-commerce brand wants to understand customer demographics.

Process:

Export followers
Cross-reference with customer database (by username if available)
Identify confirmed customers in follower list
Analyze their bio data: location keywords, interests, age indicators
Build customer persona based on data

Insights:

"60% of customers mention 'mom' or 'parent' in bio → Family-focused messaging"
"40% in California, 25% in Texas → Regional campaigns"
"Common interests: sustainability, minimalism, wellness → Content themes"

Use case 5: Follower quality audit

Scenario: Sudden follower spike—are they real or bots?

Process:

Export current followers
If possible, compare to export from 30 days ago
Identify new followers
Apply bot detection filters to new followers specifically
Calculate bot percentage in new vs. existing followers

Action if high bot percentage:

Review hashtag strategy (certain hashtags attract bots)
Check if you've been featured on bot-prone accounts
Consider removing bot followers (Settings > Privacy > Remove Followers)
Adjust content/hashtag mix to attract authentic users

Troubleshooting Export Issues {#troubleshooting}

Common problems and solutions:

Problem 1: Export stops halfway

Symptoms: Tool exports 5,000 of 10,000 followers, then stops or crashes.

Causes:

Rate limit hit
Network connection interrupted
Browser went to sleep
Target account follower count changed during export

Solutions:

Use tool's "Resume" feature if available
Try again during off-peak hours (2-6 AM)
Lower export speed settings
For very large accounts (100K+), export in segments if tool supports it

Problem 2: "Action Blocked" message appears

Symptoms: Instagram shows "Action Blocked" or "We restrict certain activity..." message during or after export.

Cause: Too many requests too quickly, flagged by Instagram's anti-bot systems.

Immediate action:

Stop all automation and scraping immediately
Don't attempt any more exports for 24-48 hours
Use Instagram normally on mobile app (browse, like, comment manually)

Long-term solution:

Use slower export settings
Export fewer accounts per day
Space exports by several hours
Consider using secondary account for research

Problem 3: CSV file won't open in Excel

Symptoms: Excel shows gibberish, wrong encoding, or columns don't separate properly.

Solutions:

Solution A: Import as Text/CSV properly

Excel > Data > From Text/CSV
Select CSV file
Choose "Delimited" and "Comma"
Set encoding to "UTF-8"
Click "Load"

Solution B: Use Google Sheets first

Upload CSV to Google Sheets (automatically handles encoding)
File > Download > Microsoft Excel (.xlsx)
Open downloaded file in Excel

Solution C: Fix encoding

Open CSV in Notepad (Windows) or TextEdit (Mac)
Save As > Encoding: UTF-8
Try opening in Excel again

Problem 4: Missing data in exported file

Symptoms: Some followers have blank fields for Bio, Follower_Count, or other columns.

Causes:

Profile changed during export
Private accounts in follower list (visible username only)
Network timeouts for specific profiles
Tool limitations

Solutions:

Re-export and compare files (missing data may populate second time)
Accept that some blanks are unavoidable (profile privacy settings)
For critical accounts, manually visit and record data
Use "Profile Completeness" filter to focus on complete records only

Problem 5: Export takes extremely long

Symptoms: Tool runs for 2+ hours on a 10,000-follower account (should take 15-30 minutes).

Causes:

Very slow internet connection
Tool using extremely conservative delays (for safety)
Browser/computer running many other programs
Instagram responding slowly

Solutions:

Close other browser tabs and programs
Check internet speed (speedtest.net)
Try during different time of day
If tool has speed settings, slightly increase (but monitor for blocks)
Consider switching tools if consistently slow

Privacy and Compliance {#privacy-compliance}

Exporting follower data involves personal information—handle responsibly:

What's legal and ethical

Generally acceptable:

Exporting your own follower list for business analysis
Exporting public account followers for competitive intelligence
Using data for internal strategy decisions
Anonymizing and aggregating data for research

Questionable or problematic:

Selling follower lists to third parties
Using scraped data for unsolicited marketing (spam)
Collecting private account information without consent
Sharing follower data publicly without anonymization

If your followers include EU residents:

Lawful basis: Legitimate interest for business analysis is often sufficient, but document your reasoning.

User rights: Be prepared to:

Provide data upon request (Data Subject Access Request)
Delete user data upon request (Right to Erasure)
Explain what data you collected and why (Transparency)

Best practices:

Only collect fields you actually need
Set retention policy (delete after 90 days)
Encrypt files and limit access
Don't combine with other datasets to create detailed profiles

CCPA compliance (California users)

Requirements:

Disclose data collection in privacy policy
Provide opt-out mechanism
Honor deletion requests within 45 days
Don't discriminate against users who exercise rights

Security best practices

File protection:

Password-protect Excel files: File > Info > Protect Workbook > Encrypt with Password
Store on encrypted drives
Use secure cloud storage (OneDrive, Google Drive with 2FA)
Don't email unencrypted follower lists

Access control:

Limit who in your organization can access data
Log who accesses files and when
Implement need-to-know basis
Delete files when project is complete

Data retention:

Keep exports only as long as needed (30-90 days typical)
Schedule regular cleanup
Document retention policy
Set calendar reminders to delete old files

Tools Comparison Matrix {#tools-comparison}

Choose the right export method for your needs:

Official Instagram Data Download

Best for: Your own account, maximum compliance

Pros:

100% compliant and risk-free
Complete follower list
Free
Includes follow timestamps

Cons:

48 hours to 2 weeks wait time
Limited data fields (username only)
Requires JSON-to-Excel conversion
Can't export competitors

Cost: Free

Difficulty: Easy (but time-consuming)

Instracker.io

Best for: Most users—balance of ease, safety, rich data

Pros:

Fast (10-20 minutes for 10K followers)
Rich data (bio, counts, verification, links)
Clean CSV/Excel output
Your account and competitors' public accounts
Pay-per-export (no subscription)
Rate-limited for safety

Cons:

Costs money ($varies by account size)
Moderate risk if overused
Requires browser session

Cost: Pay-per-export pricing

Difficulty: Very easy

Access: Instagram Follower Export

Browser Extensions (Generic)

Best for: Users comfortable vetting tools, want flexibility

Pros:

Fast exports
Often cheaper ($20-50/month)
Rich data fields
Flexible usage

Cons:

Higher risk (variable quality)
Requires careful tool selection
Some violate TOS aggressively
May break with Instagram UI changes

Cost: $20-100/month

Difficulty: Easy to moderate

API Services (Apify, RapidAPI)

Best for: Developers, high-volume, ongoing automation

Pros:

Reliable at scale
Automate with code
Structured JSON responses
Good for ongoing tracking

Cons:

Technical setup required
More expensive ($50-500/month)
Still subject to rate limits
Overkill for simple one-time exports

Cost: $50-500+/month

Difficulty: Hard (requires coding)

Recommendation by scenario

Small business owner (one-time audit): → Instracker.io Follower Export

Agency (monthly client reporting): → Instracker.io with Followers Tracker

Researcher (comparative study): → Official Instagram download (own account) + Instracker.io (competitors)

Developer (building product): → API service (Apify)

Budget-conscious (willing to wait): → Official Instagram download

Risk-averse (maximum compliance): → Official Instagram download only

FAQ: Exporting to Excel {#faq-export}

Q: Can I export followers from any Instagram account?

A: You can export followers from your own account and any public account. Private accounts require you to be an approved follower, and some tools may not work on private accounts even if you follow them.

Q: How often can I export without getting blocked?

A: Conservative guideline: Export 2-3 accounts per day with several hours between exports. Monthly exports of the same accounts are safer than daily. Use slower speed settings and off-peak hours to minimize risk.

Q: Will exporting followers notify them?

A: No. Exporting is a read-only action that doesn't trigger any notifications to users whose data is collected.

Q: Can I export followers from Instagram on my phone?

A: Most export tools require desktop browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Edge). The official Instagram Data Download works on mobile but still delivers via email link you'd open on desktop.

Q: What's the maximum number of followers I can export?

A: Official method: unlimited (your own account). Browser tools: typically handle up to 100K-200K followers reliably; larger accounts may time out or require multiple attempts. API services: generally no hard limits but costs increase with volume.

Q: How do I export followers AND following lists?

A: Use separate exports. Most tools have distinct options for "Followers" (people who follow the account) and "Following" (people the account follows). Try Following Export for the following list.

Q: Can I export email addresses of my followers?

A: Direct email export isn't available. You can export follower profiles, then manually check if Business accounts display email in their Contact button or bio. See Instagram Email Scraper Guide for detailed methods.

Q: Is exporting followers against Instagram's Terms of Service?

A: Instagram's TOS prohibits unauthorized automated data collection. The official Data Download feature is compliant. Third-party tools exist in a gray area—many people use them, but Instagram can technically restrict accounts. Use at your own risk, preferably with secondary accounts.

Next Steps {#next-steps}

Ready to export your Instagram followers to Excel? Follow this roadmap:

Week 1: Initial export and exploration

Day 1: Choose your method

Review comparison matrix above
Decide: Official download, browser tool, or API
For most users: Instagram Follower Export recommended

Day 2-3: Execute first export

Export your own follower list first (learn the process)
Import to Excel
Practice cleaning and organizing data

Day 4: Basic analysis

Calculate metrics (follower ratio, influence tier, completeness)
Create pivot table showing follower composition
Identify top 20 followers by engagement potential

Day 5-7: Expand exports

Export 2-3 competitor accounts
Compare overlap with your followers
Document insights and opportunities

Week 2: Deep analysis and action

Day 8-10: Segmentation

Divide followers into meaningful segments (by tier, keywords, engagement potential)
Create separate sheets or filtered views for each segment
Identify 50-100 priority accounts for engagement

Day 11-12: Strategic insights

Conduct bio keyword analysis (identify content themes)
Calculate competitive overlap (partnership opportunities)
Document content strategy adjustments based on data

Day 13-14: Campaign planning

Build influencer outreach list (if applicable)
Create engagement campaign schedule
Set up tracking spreadsheet for results

Ongoing: Monthly tracking

Every 30 days:

Re-export your follower list
Compare to previous month (new followers, unfollowers, growth rate)
Update segmentation as audience evolves
Refine strategies based on what's working

Use Instagram Followers Tracker to automate ongoing monitoring.

Essential resources

Export tools:

Instagram Follower Export — Your followers and competitors'
Following Export — Following lists
Comments Export — Engaged users on posts
Likes Export — Users who liked posts

Discovery:

Keyword Search — Find accounts by topic
Hashtag Research — Discover relevant hashtags

Tracking:

Instagram Followers Tracker — Monitor growth over time

Scrape Instagram Followers Guide — Advanced scraping techniques
Instagram Scraping Complete Guide — Broader data collection
Instagram Follower Export Comprehensive Guide — Detailed export strategies
Instagram Email Scraper Guide — Find contact information

Call to action

Start simple: Export your own Instagram follower list today using Instagram Follower Export. Spend 30 minutes in Excel identifying your top 20 most engaged followers, then reach out to them with authentic engagement. Small actions based on real data beat big plans based on assumptions.

Compliance reminder: Only export data from public accounts. Protect collected data with encryption and access controls. Implement retention policies and delete data after use. Honor any user requests for data deletion. Review Instagram's Terms of Service and privacy regulations (GDPR, CCPA) regularly.