FAQ
Why Are Some Data Fields Missing from My Instagram Export?
Blank or missing fields in your Instagram follower export are normal and expected. Instagram Followers Exporter Pro can only capture data that Instagram itself makes available in the follower list view — it cannot retrieve information that Instagram does not display or expose. The availability of specific data fields depends on whether an account is public or private, whether it is a personal or business account, and what information each user has chosen to add to their profile.
Last updated: March 5, 2026
Fields That Are Always Present
Some data fields are reliably populated for every follower account regardless of account type or privacy settings. These are the minimum fields you can count on in every export row.
- Username — Always present. Every Instagram account has a unique @handle.
- Display name — Always present, though it may be identical to the username if the user has not set a separate display name.
- Profile URL — Always present. Constructed from the username.
- Follower count — Always present, even for private accounts.
- Following count — Always present.
- Post count — Always present, including when it is 0.
- Is private — Always present (boolean true/false).
- Profile picture URL — Always present. Instagram shows profile images even for private accounts.
Fields That Depend on What the User Has Set
Many fields are blank simply because the account owner has not filled them in. Instagram does not require users to complete every profile field, so it is very common for these to be empty — especially for personal or casual accounts.
- Bio — Blank if the user has not written a biography. This is common for newer or less-active accounts.
- External website — Blank if the user has not linked a website to their profile. Most personal accounts do not include a website link.
- Business category — Only present for accounts registered as business or creator accounts. This field is always blank for personal accounts, which represent the majority of Instagram users.
- Verified status — Shown as false for the vast majority of accounts. Instagram verification is rare and reserved for notable public figures and brands.
Fields Affected by Private Account Settings
If you are exporting the followers of a private account that you follow, most fields are still available because bios and counts are visible in the follower list even for private accounts. However, if a follower in that list is themselves a private account you do not follow, some enrichment data may be reduced.
- Bio — Visible for both public and private accounts, as Instagram displays bios even on private profiles
- External website — Visible for both public and private accounts when a link has been set
- Full post details — Post count is visible; individual post content is not accessible for private accounts you do not follow
- Story and reel metrics — Not available through the follower list view for any account type
Fields Instagram Does Not Expose Through the Follower List
Some data points that users often expect to see in an export are simply not available through Instagram's follower list interface — not because of a limitation in the extension, but because Instagram itself does not display this data in the modal. No browser-based tool can retrieve data that Instagram does not show.
- Email addresses — Instagram never displays user emails publicly. See our email export FAQ for more detail.
- Phone numbers — Not publicly visible on Instagram profiles
- Location / city — Instagram removed the location field from standard profiles. Business accounts may show a city, but this is not consistently available in the follower list view.
- Engagement rates — The follower list does not include post-level engagement data. Only counts (followers, following, posts) are available.
- Date followed — Instagram does not expose the date when a follower started following an account
- Story views or reach metrics — Only available to account owners through Instagram Insights, not through public profile data
What to Do If Expected Fields Are Missing
If a field you expected to see is blank across many rows, use this checklist to understand why before assuming something is wrong with the export.
- Check the profile type — Business category is only available for business/creator accounts. If most of your followers are personal accounts, this column will be nearly empty.
- Check for bots or ghost accounts — Accounts with blank bios, 0 posts, and no website are often low-quality or inactive accounts. Their blank fields are accurate, not missing.
- Verify the account is not private — If exporting from a private account, ensure you are approved as a follower before running the scan.
- Check Instagram's current interface — Instagram occasionally updates which data is shown in the follower modal. If a previously available field has disappeared, Instagram may have changed its display format. The extension is updated regularly to adapt to interface changes.
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