Instagram does not offer a dedicated page listing all subscription requests sent since the creation of an account. The platform distinguishes between pending requests, which can be viewed under certain conditions in the app, and the complete history, accessible only via data export. Understanding this distinction helps avoid confusing an ignored request with a withdrawn or declined request.
Pending, Withdrawn, or Declined Requests on Instagram: Three Distinct Statuses
When you send a subscription request to a private account on Instagram, that request can take three different paths. Each produces a visible (or invisible) result that can be confusing if you don’t know where to look.
| Request Status | Visible in the App | Visible in Data Export | Button Displayed on Profile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pending | Yes (depending on the version) | Yes, file pending_follow_requests | “Requested” |
| Withdrawn by You | No | May appear in recent_follow_requests | “Follow” (as if nothing happened) |
| Declined by the User | No | No | “Follow” |
| Accepted | No (the person joins your subscriptions) | No (it appears in the following list) | “Subscribed” |
The main trap: a withdrawn request and a declined request produce exactly the same display. In both cases, the button returns to “Follow” and no notification is sent to you. Only the data export sometimes allows you to differentiate, as the file recent_follow_requests keeps a record of recently sent requests, including those you have canceled.
To see the subscription requests sent on Instagram that are still active, you need to go through the app settings or download your data.
Check Subscription Requests Sent in Instagram Settings
On recent versions of the app, the path goes through the Meta Account Center. Go to your profile, tap the menu icon, then go to Settings and Privacy.
Path via the Account Center
From Settings, select Account Center, then Your Information and Permissions. The option to Download or Export Your Information appears in this section. Before launching a full export, check if a section “Your Activity” or “Connections” directly displays pending requests.
Depending on the version of Instagram installed, this list integrated into the app may have been moved or removed. If you can’t find it, the export remains the reliable method.
Cancel a Pending Request from the Profile
If you find a private profile to which you have sent a request, the button displays “Requested.” By tapping it, Instagram offers to cancel the request. This cancellation is silent: the other user receives no notification.
On the other hand, if the button displays “Follow” while you thought you had an active request, there are two possible explanations: either you withdrew the request yourself, or the user declined it. No indicator in the app distinguishes these two cases.
Instagram Data Export: Retrieve the Complete History of Requests
The data export is the only method to obtain a detailed history. The process takes a few minutes to initiate, but the file may take several hours to be generated by Instagram.
- Open Settings and Privacy, then Account Center, Your Information and Permissions, and finally Download or Export Your Information
- Select the relevant account, then choose the category Followers and Following
- For the period, select All Time to avoid limiting the export to recent changes
- Choose the HTML format for easy reading in a browser, or the JSON format if you want to process the data with a tool
Once the file is downloaded and unzipped, navigate to the folder connections/followers_and_following. Two files deserve your attention.
File pending_follow_requests
This file lists the requests still open at the time of the archive generation. Each entry contains the username and the date the request was sent. If a profile appears in this list, your request has neither been accepted, nor declined, nor withdrawn.
File recent_follow_requests
This file groups recently sent requests, including those you have withdrawn yourself. This is where you can check if a request was simply canceled on your side. If a username appears in recent_follow_requests but not in pending_follow_requests, and you are not subscribed to that account, two scenarios arise: either you withdrew the request, or it was declined.
HTML or JSON Format for Instagram Export: Which to Choose
The choice of format depends on what you plan to do with the data.
| Criterion | HTML Format | JSON Format |
|---|---|---|
| Manual Reading | Simple, opens in any browser | Less readable without a tool |
| Searching for a Specific Name | Ctrl+F in the browser is sufficient | Ctrl+F works too |
| Automated Processing | Poorly suited | Compatible with Python, Excel, scripts |
| Comparison Between Two Exports | Tedious | Easy with a diff tool |
For the majority of users who simply want to check a few names, the HTML format remains the most practical choice. The file displays like a standard web page, with clickable usernames.
The JSON format becomes relevant if you manage an account with a large number of sent requests and want to cross-reference the data with your list of current subscriptions. Some open-source tools on GitHub allow you to automate this comparison.
Instagram never notifies a user when their request is declined. The only usable trace remains the data export, provided you generate it over the entire period and compare the pending and recent files. For regular tracking, generating an export every few months allows you to maintain a clear view of the actual status of your subscription requests.
