01
The short answer
If an Instagram export looks incomplete, the most common checks are whether Followers and Following were included, whether the export is from the correct profile, whether you requested JSON, whether the data was split across several files and whether the export is older than the account state you are comparing it with.
Social Janitor can only analyze the follower records contained in the Instagram export you select. If the export itself is incomplete, the resulting lists will also be incomplete.
02
Check what data you requested from Instagram
Instagram lets you choose which categories of account information are included in an export. If follower-related data was not selected, the archive may not contain the records you expect.
For follower analysis, make sure the export includes your Followers and Following information.
If you are not sure how to request the right data, follow how to download your Instagram followers and following list.
03
Confirm that the export belongs to the correct Instagram profile
If you manage more than one Instagram profile, it is easy to request or open an export from the wrong account.
Check which profile the archive belongs to before comparing totals or importing it into Social Janitor.
Do not combine follower files from different Instagram profiles in the same analysis. The relationship lists only make sense when the files belong to the same account.
04
Check the export format
Social Janitor is designed around the structured JSON version of the Instagram follower and following data.
If you requested another format, the expected JSON files may not be present. In that case, create a new export and choose JSON.
If you already have JSON files but they look difficult to interpret, see how to read an Instagram followers JSON file.
05
Look for multiple follower files
Larger exports can sometimes split one category across more than one file. If you only use the first part, the result may appear to be missing accounts.
If you import the original ZIP into Social Janitor, supported split follower parts inside that archive are discovered automatically. If you use the JSON-file fallback, make sure you select every relevant part from the same export and profile.
If you are unsure where the follower records are stored, see where to find Followers and Following in an Instagram data export.
06
Check how old the export is
An Instagram export is a snapshot, not a live view of your account. If your follower count changed after the export was created, the numbers in the archive can differ from what Instagram shows now.
That does not automatically mean the export is broken. It may simply represent an earlier point in time.
If you want to compare the export with your current account state, use a fresh export so the time gap is as small as practical.
07
Check the import in Social Janitor
Once you have confirmed the profile, data category and JSON format, select the original Instagram ZIP again and review the detected results. Social Janitor scans recognized follower parts inside the ZIP automatically.
Social Janitor separates the records into Mutual, Following only and Followers only lists based on what is present in the export.
If the totals still look unexpected, compare them with the raw files and remember that the export reflects its own snapshot date rather than a live Instagram feed.
Open the free preview and check whether your Instagram export is recognized before working through the full result.
For the next step, read how to compare Instagram Followers and Following or how to see who doesn’t follow you back.