Imagine stumbling upon a profile that perfectly aligns with your interests, and you excitedly hit the “Follow” button, hoping to connect.
Thing is, you didn’t realize it at first, but after a while, it dawned on you that the person you’ve requested to follow is someone with whom you’ve already burned bridges. Awkward, right?
You may think the solution is simple since all you need to do is cancel the request. Well, it’s not that easy, as this incident happened to one of my friends some time ago—but then he forgot the IG handle of the person he requested to follow.
Now, maybe you can finally understand the panic caused by the situation. Don’t worry, though, as we were able to solve this social media puzzle in the nick of time! Read on to find out what we did to see his Instagram Follow Request list!
How to See Your Pending Instagram Follow Requests
Before, it was easy to see your sent follow requests on Instagram since there was a dedicated menu listing this information. It was accessible by navigating your app’s Settings > Security > Access Data before the newer updates.
Now, your only option is to submit a request to view your Instagram account information. Submitting this request lets Meta know what type of information you want to see so they can send it to you via a direct download button.
However, it’s important to note that they may need some time to fulfill your request, especially if you ask for a complete copy. You can make this process faster by requesting only the specific information you need, like your “follow requests.”
Since they send your account information as a zip file, this action will also reduce its size. Thus, downloading it to your device is faster, and navigating its content will be a breeze since you don’t have as much information to look for.
Below are the instructions for checking your pending Instagram follow requests. Don’t worry about the device you use to sign into your account because we have steps for the mobile and web versions.
Via Mobile
| Difficulty | Moderate ●●●○○ |
| Number of Steps | 15 |
| Time to Perform Fix | 10 to 30 minutes |
| Things Needed | A PC or smartphone A working internet connection |
As mentioned, you have to submit a request to download your account information since the Instagram app no longer has the Account Data menu. Fortunately, submitting the request is easy if you know what you’re doing.
It’s only confusing since there are many steps to follow, but it shouldn’t be an issue since we made it simple for you in this guide. More importantly, the option to submit this information request is available on the app, so no external factors are necessary.
However, you must know your Instagram account’s password to complete this information request. Otherwise, you can’t download your requested file even when Meta successfully fulfills your request.
It’s a common issue with Instagram users who use their Facebook accounts to sign into the platform. Therefore, we recommend creating a separate Instagram account password before you start with the instructions below.
| Step 1: Open your Instagram app and sign into your account.  |
| Step 2: Click your account’s profile icon in the bottom-right corner.  |
| Step 3: Open your profile page’s hamburger menu in the upper-right corner for more options.  |
Step 4: Go to Your Activity. |
| Step 5: Scroll down and click the option to Download Your Information.  |
Step 6: Click the Request a Download button. |
| Step 7: Select your Instagram account and click Next to continue.  |
| Step 8: Click the option to Select Types of Information.  Note: You can request a complete copy of your Instagram account’s information, but it may take Meta longer to fulfill this. The account information’s file size they send you will also depend on how many details you requested. |
| Step 9: Select Followers and Following and click Next to continue.  |
Step 10: Click Date Range to set a time frame. |
Step 11: Select a date range and click Save to apply it. Note: Selecting a shorter time frame will reduce your account information’s file size. |
Step 12: Click Submit Request. |
| Step 13: Wait while Meta compiles your account information for download.  |
| Step 14: Click Download once your account information is available.  |
| Step 15: Enter your Instagram account’s password to authorize the download and click Continue.  |
| Step 16: Extract the downloaded zip file and locate the Followers and Following folder.  |
| Step 17: Open the “pending_follow_requests” HTML file to view the list of your account’s “follow requests.”  Note: If this HTML file isn’t inside the extracted zip file, you don’t have pending follow requests on Instagram. Once an account removes or rejects your request, it won’t appear on the HTML file’s list. |
| Step 18: Remember the username/s listed inside the HTML file so you can search for them on the Instagram app and cancel your request later.  |
If you have trouble accessing the HTML file’s content on your phone, you can transfer it to a PC for easier viewing. It also makes canceling the requests easier since you can view the list on a PC while you search for the target accounts on your phone.
This way, you don’t have to waste more time going back and forth between the Instagram app and the HTML file. Otherwise, printing or writing down its content should work just fine.
Via the Web
| Difficulty | Moderate ●●●○○ |
| Number of Steps | 15 |
| Time to Perform Fix | 10 to 30 minutes |
| Things Needed | A PC or smartphone A working internet connection |
Fortunately, the steps for submitting an information request on the web version of Instagram are just as easy. The only difference is the location of some menu options since this version has a different user interface and layout than the mobile app.
Both versions share the same menu options, although you find them in varying locations. However, it’s also essential to remember your Instagram account’s password since you need it to authorize the information download request.
Otherwise, you can’t see your sent follow requests on Instagram unless you remember it or create a new one. The same applies if you created your account using Facebook as your sign-in option.
After all, Instagram accounts with Facebook sign-in don’t have a password, preventing you from authorizing the information download request. Therefore, you must meet this requirement before proceeding below.
Step 1: Open any web browser and visit Instagram’s official website. |
Step 2: Click More on the menu panel to the left to view more options. |
Step 3: Go to Your Activity. |
Step 4: Go to the Download Your Information section and click Continue. Note: This action will redirect you to the Accounts Center page’s Your Information and Permissions section on a new tab. |
Step 5: Click Request a Download. |
Step 6: Select your Instagram account and click Next to proceed. |
Step 7: Click the Select Types of Information option for your request. |
Step 8: Select Follower and Following and click Next to proceed. |
Step 9: Click Date Range to select the time frame. |
Step 10: Select a date range and click Save to apply your choice. Note: You can also set a custom date range if none of the options meet your preference. |
Step 11: Click Submit Request. |
Step 12: Wait for Meta to fulfill the pending download. Note: You will receive a notification on your email address once they fulfill your request. |
Step 13: Click Download to get your account information’s zip file. |
| Step 14: Enter your account’s password to authorize the download and click Continue.  |
| Step 15: Follow the previous instructions to locate the “pending_follow_requests” HTML file and view the list of your account’s “follow requests.” |
Alternative Ways to See Your Pending Instagram Follow Requests
If you have trouble requesting your account information or it’s taking too long, you can use the alternative methods below. They’re not as effective, but you can rely on them if you don’t have other options.
We also recommend these methods if you can’t remember or set up a new password for your account. Again, these steps should work on Instagram’s mobile and web versions.
1. Check your Instagram search history
| Difficulty | Very Easy ●○○○○ |
| Number of Steps | 4 |
| Time to Perform Fix | 20 seconds |
| Things Needed | A PC or smartphone A working internet connection |
The first alternative method to see your sent follow requests on Instagram is to check your search history. If you sent someone a request, you likely found them through the search bar.
Thus, retracing them from your Instagram search history should help you access their account profile. You can cancel your pending request by clicking the “Requested” button next to the target’s username.
| Step 1: Open Instagram on a web browser or via the app and sign into your account.  |
Step 2: Click Instagram’s lens icon to view your recent searches. |
Step 3: Select a profile from your recent searches. |
Step 4: Check if it says “Requested” next to the selected profile’s name. Note: If it says Follow, the person either rejected your request or you’re yet to send one. |
2. Browse through your likes and comments
| Difficulty | Very Easy ●○○○○ |
| Number of Steps | 8 |
| Time to Perform Fix | 3 to 5 minutes |
| Things Needed | A PC or smartphone A working internet connection |
It may come as a surprise, but you can actually deduce who you requested to follow on Instagram through your likes and comments history. After all, you’re likely to send someone a request after commenting or liking one of their interesting posts.
Thus, retracing your steps by accessing your account’s interaction history can give you an insight into the persons you sent a “follow request” to. Unfortunately, this method is time-consuming since you have a lot of area to cover.
| Step 1: Open Instagram on a web browser or via the app and sign into your account. |
Step 2: Click Instagram’s hamburger menu for more options. Note: You must go to your profile page first if you’re using the Instagram app. The hamburger menu is in the upper-right corner. |
Step 3: Go to Your Activity. |
Step 4: Go to the Interactions section. |
Step 5: Go to the LIKES tab to view your liked posts. |
| Step 6: View your liked posts and check their respective posters’ profiles to confirm whether they have pending requests from you. |
Step 7: Go to the COMMENTS tab to view your Instagram comment history. |
| Step 8: View the posts you commented on and check their respective posters’ profiles to confirm whether they have pending requests from you. |
3. Browse through other people’s accounts
| Difficulty | Very Easy ●○○○○ |
| Number of Steps | 8 |
| Time to Perform Fix | 3 to 5 minutes |
| Things Needed | A PC or smartphone A working internet connection |
Finally, checking other people’s accounts is the last alternative method to check your follow requests on Instagram. However, you must note that this is even more time-consuming than the previous method.
After all, you might need to check the “Followers” and “Following” lists of the people on your account’s similar list. Ultimately, the success of this method will depend on your perseverance to browse through these lists.
| Step 1: Open Instagram on a web browser or via the app and sign into your account. |
Step 2: Go to your Instagram account profile. |
| Step 3: Click Followers or Following to view the accounts that follow you or you follow.  |
Step 4: Select an Instagram profile from the list. |
Step 5: Check the selected profile’s Followers and Following list. |
Step 6: Select an Instagram profile from their Followers or Following list. |
Step 7: Check if the selected Instagram profile has your pending request. |
| Step 8: Keep checking the profiles on the Followers and Following list for accounts you suspect to have pending requests from you. Note: This method can be time-consuming, so only check the profiles likely to receive a “follow request” from you. |
How to Cancel the Follow Requests You Sent on Instagram
| Difficulty | Very Easy ●○○○○ |
| Number of Steps | 5 |
| Time to Perform Fix | 30 seconds |
| Things Needed | A PC or smartphone A working internet connection Account information file |
| Step 1: Open Instagram on a web browser or via the app and sign into your account. |
| Step 2: Click Instagram’s lens icon to view your recent searches. |
| Step 3: Enter an account name with your pending request and select it from the search suggestions below.  Note: It should be an account listed on the “pending_follow_requests” HTML file you got from the previous instructions. |
Step 4: Click the Requested button next to the account’s name. |
| Step 5: Click Unfollow on the small pop-up window that appears to cancel your pending request.  Note: Repeat these steps for all your pending requests on Instagram. |
Can you cancel all your sent follow requests on Instagram?
It’s possible to cancel all the “follow requests” you send on Instagram, but you can’t do it simultaneously. Unfortunately, the current iteration of Instagram doesn’t provide a quick-access list for all your pending requests or a button to cancel them altogether.
As such, you must manually cancel each pending request by locating the accounts you sent them to until you’ve gone through them all. Completing this task can be a tall order, though, especially if you have multiple pending requests on Instagram.
Worse, you can’t do it unless you have a copy of your account information since the Instagram app no longer has the Account Data menu from its previous version. Therefore, the only option today is to request a copy of your account information.
This account information will come from Meta, which lists your “follow requests” on Instagram. You must refer to this list to find the accounts with your pending requests and cancel them from the receiver’s profile pages.
How to see deleted follow requests on Instagram
Instagram doesn’t let you see deleted sent follow requests on your account. Unfortunately, this makes it tricky when you accidentally reject a pending request to follow your account.
The same applies when you initially deny a pending request but change your mind immediately. Believe it or not, it often happens to people who receive follow requests from friends with unique usernames, making them think it’s someone they don’t know.
Since your Instagram account doesn’t save rejected “follow requests,” your best option is to remember them if you change your mind later. After all, this information is lost when you deny the request to follow your account.
For now, your best option is to go to the requestee’s Instagram account profile so you can follow them instead. This way, you can flip the situation and wait for them to accept your request to follow their account.
However, it’s important to note that you can only do this if you remember the rejected account. Otherwise, your last recourse is to wait for them to send another request, hoping they’re persistent enough.
Alternatively, you can check your message requests on your Instagram account’s inbox. Some people may send a message to improve the likelihood that you accept their pending request.
Subsequently, you can view their account profile by clicking their username on your direct messages inbox. However, you must note that this won’t work if your Instagram account is private.
Currently, there’s no news about Meta adding this feature to the Instagram app. Fortunately, you can keep visiting their newsroom to be among the first people to know once they announce this.
When you send an Instagram follow request, why does it become “Requested” and then turn into “Follow?”
The requested button appears next to an Instagram profile when you send a “follow request.” This button will persist until the recipient responds to your pending request by accepting or rejecting it.
This button will only turn back into “Follow” if the recipient refuses to accept your request to follow their account. Otherwise, it will become “Following” to indicate the approval of your “follow request.”
