Instagram Export JSON vs HTML: Which Format to Choose and How to Fix It

When you request your Instagram data download, the instagram export json vs html choice decides whether a tool can read your followers at all. Meta's export screen starts with the format set to HTML and the date range set to "Last year". HTML is built for reading in a browser, and a one-year range can leave older followers out. For follower analysis you want JSON and "All time".

This guide shows how to tell which format you have, why the defaults cause problems, and how to request an export that works the first time. SafeUnfollow is a privacy-first analyzer: no login, no OAuth, no Instagram API, and the file is read in your browser.

Why the format matters

The two formats hold the same information in different shapes.

• HTML turns your data into web pages. It is easy to open and scroll, but the followers list is mixed into page markup, and the structure can change without notice.
• JSON stores the same lists as structured data. Each follower and each account you follow is one clean record, which is what an analyzer needs to compare the two lists.

SafeUnfollow reads the JSON followers and following files only. If you upload an HTML export, it tells you the file is in HTML and asks for a new export in JSON.

How to tell which format you have

Open the ZIP on a computer, or look at the file names inside it.

| What you see | Format | |---|---| | followers_1.json and following.json | JSON, ready to analyze | | followers_1.html and following.html | HTML, needs a new export | | No followers or following files at all | The "Followers and following" category was not selected |

You cannot convert an HTML export into JSON by renaming files. The only fix is a new export.

The two default settings to change

Meta's "Confirm your export" screen shows four settings. Two of them start with values that cause trouble for follower analysis.

1. Format starts as HTML. Change it to JSON.
2. Date range starts as "Last year". Change it to All time, so followers you gained more than a year ago are included.

The other two settings matter less. "Customize information" decides which categories are included, and media quality only affects photos and videos.

How to request a JSON export that works

1. In the Instagram app, go to your profile → Menu (☰) → Accounts Center → Your information and permissions → Export your information.
2. Tap Create export, choose your Instagram profile, then Export to device.
3. Under Customize information, tap Clear all in each section, then select only Followers and following. A smaller export is ready sooner.
4. Set Date range to All time and Format to JSON.
5. Tap Start export. Meta notifies you when the file is ready, and the download link expires after about four days.
6. Download the ZIP and upload it as it is. You do not need to unzip it or rename anything.

The step-by-step guide shows the same settings with each screen in order.

What to do if your upload still fails

• "This export is in HTML format": request a new export and set Format to JSON.
• "The followers and following lists were not found": the export was made without "Followers and following". Request a new one with that category selected.
• "Only one of the two lists was found": upload the full ZIP, or select followers_1.json and following.json together. Large accounts can have several followers files, so include all of them.

Once the file loads, SafeUnfollow shows mutuals, accounts that don't follow you back, and accounts you don't follow back. To see changes over time, compare two exports, as explained in how to track follower changes.

FAQ

Is HTML or JSON better for an Instagram export?

For reading your data yourself, HTML is fine. For any tool that analyzes followers, JSON is the right choice because it keeps each list as structured records.

Can I convert my HTML export to JSON?

No. Renaming the files does not change their contents. Request a new export with Format set to JSON.

Why are some of my followers missing?

The date range was probably left at "Last year". Followers you gained before that window can be left out. Request a new export with "All time".

Do I need to give SafeUnfollow my Instagram password?

No. There is no login, OAuth, or Instagram API. You upload the ZIP you downloaded from Instagram, and it is analyzed in your browser.

Does this work for Threads and TikTok exports?

Yes, with different steps. Threads has no "Followers and following" option, so you select the whole "Threads" category. TikTok uses its own "Download your data" file.

Start with the Instagram Unfollow complete guide for the full topic overview.

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