8 Simple Steps To Find Out When You Followed Someone On Instagram

Considering Instagram’s vast and ever-growing user base, it’s not uncommon to lose track of the accounts you follow. While there isn’t a straightforward way to check the exact date you followed someone, there are a few methods you can employ to get a good estimate. Whether you’re curious about when you first stumbled upon a particular profile or want to verify the timeline of your interactions, these techniques will shed light on your Instagram following history.

The most straightforward approach is to scroll through your following list and pay attention to the order in which the accounts appear. Instagram generally arranges the accounts in chronological order, with the most recently followed accounts at the top. However, this method may not be entirely accurate, especially if you’ve unfollowed and re-followed accounts over time. Additionally, if you follow a large number of accounts, scrolling through the entire list can be a tedious task.

For a more precise estimate, consider checking the post history of the account you’re interested in. If you’ve liked or commented on any of their posts, the timestamp of your interaction will provide a good indication of when you followed them. Alternatively, if you have a mutual friend who follows both of you, you can ask them to check their following list for the approximate date they followed the account in question. By combining these methods, you can triangulate a relatively accurate estimate of when you followed someone on Instagram.

Using the Activity Log to Track Past Follows

The Activity Log on Instagram provides a comprehensive record of your past actions, including when you followed other accounts. To access the Activity Log:

1. Open the Instagram App

Launch the Instagram app on your mobile device.

2. Tap Your Profile Picture

Click on your profile picture at the bottom right corner of the screen.

3. Select “Settings”

Tap on the three lines in the top right corner and select “Settings”.

4. Go to “Activity Log”

Scroll down and tap on “Activity Log”.

5. Filter for “Follows”

In the “Filter” tab, select “Follows”. This will display a list of all the accounts you have followed, sorted by date.

6. View Follow Dates

To see the exact date and time when you followed an account, tap on the “followed” notification. This will open a pop-up window with the following information:

Field	Description
Followed On	Date and time of following
Account Name	Name of the account followed
Username	Username of the account followed

Utilizing the Search Bar for Historical Data

Instagram’s search bar not only allows you to locate specific posts and users, but it also provides a method for accessing historical data related to your past interactions on the platform. Here’s a step-by-step guide to using the search bar to view your following history:

1. Access the Search Bar

Open the Instagram app and navigate to the search tab, represented by a magnifying glass icon. Tap on the search bar at the top of the screen.

2. Enter “Following”

In the search bar, type in “Following” without any quotes. This will bring up a list of users you are currently following.

3. Filter Results

By default, Instagram will show you a chronological list of your followed accounts. To further refine the results, you can use the sorting options at the top of the screen:

Top: Displays accounts with the most recent activity in your feed.
Recent: Shows accounts you have recently followed.
Least Recently Contacted: Lists accounts you have not interacted with in a while.

4. Check Following Date

For each account in the search results, Instagram displays a small icon indicating the date you followed them. This icon can be in the following formats:

Icon	Meaning
	Followed within the last week
	Followed within the last month
	Followed over a month ago

By carefully examining these icons, you can determine the approximate date on which you followed a particular account.

Utilizing the Instagram API for Comprehensive Data

Authentication via Access Token

To access the Instagram API, you’ll need an access token that provides authorization. You can generate an access token by creating an Instagram developer account and registering your project. Once you have your access token, you can include it in your API requests to authenticate your requests and access user data.

Comprehensive Data Retrieval

The Instagram API allows you to retrieve a wide range of data, including information about users, posts, comments, and more. You can use the API to retrieve data about specific users, such as their profile information, posts, and followers. You can also retrieve data about specific posts, such as the number of likes and comments they have received.

Specific User Data Extraction

To extract data about a specific user, you can use the /users endpoint. This endpoint requires an access token and the user’s ID, username, or Facebook ID. You can use this endpoint to retrieve information about the user’s profile, posts, followers, and following.

User’s Post History Retrieval

To retrieve a user’s post history, you can use the /users/{user-id}/media/recent endpoint. This endpoint requires an access token and the user’s ID. You can use this endpoint to retrieve a list of the user’s most recent posts, along with information about each post, such as its caption, number of likes, and number of comments.

Specific Post Data Extraction

To extract data about a specific post, you can use the /media/{media-id} endpoint. This endpoint requires an access token and the post’s ID. You can use this endpoint to retrieve information about the post, such as its caption, number of likes, number of comments, and location.

Comments and Likes Data Retrieval

You can also use the Instagram API to retrieve comments and likes for a given post. The /media/{media-id}/comments endpoint retrieves comments on a post, while the /media/{media-id}/likes endpoint retrieves the likes on a post.

Pagination and Rate Limiting Considerations

When using the Instagram API, it’s important to be aware of pagination and rate limiting. The Instagram API paginates results to limit the amount of data returned in a single request. You can use the next_page and previous_page parameters to navigate through the paginated results. The Instagram API also has rate limits in place to prevent excessive API usage. You can check the API documentation for more information about pagination and rate limits.

Use Case: Monitoring User Activity for Content Analysis

One of the use cases for using the Instagram API is to monitor user activity for content analysis. By collecting data about a user’s posts, comments, and likes, you can gain insights into their interests, behaviors, and preferences. This data can be used for a variety of purposes, such as targeted marketing, product development, and customer relationship management.

Example: Analyze User Profiles Based on Location

User ID	Username	Location
12345	username1	New York City
67890	username2	London
98765	username3	Tokyo

How to See When You Followed Someone on Instagram

Instagram does not provide a direct way to view the exact date and time when you followed someone. However, there are a few indirect methods you can use to estimate when you followed them.

1. Check the “Following” Tab:

Go to your profile and tap the “Following” tab. Scroll through the list of people you follow and note the order in which they appear. The accounts at the top of the list are generally those you followed most recently, while those at the bottom are those you followed earlier.

2. Check Shared Posts:

If you and the person you’re interested in share any posts, you can check the timestamps of those posts. The post with the most recent timestamp is likely to be the one you were following at the time.

3. Check Your Activity Log:

Instagram keeps a record of your activity, including when you follow or unfollow someone. To view your activity log, go to your profile, tap the three horizontal lines in the top-right corner, and select “Settings.” Then, scroll down and tap “Account” and then “Activity Log.”