01
The short answer
Mutual means the account appears in both your Followers data and your Following data for the same imported snapshot.
It describes the relationship recorded in the imported export at that point in time.
02
How is Mutual calculated?
Social Janitor compares the account records in your Followers and Following files.
If the same account appears in both sets, it is placed in Mutual.
- Mutual: the account appears in both Followers and Following.
- Following only: the account appears in Following but not Followers.
- Followers only: the account appears in Followers but not Following.
For the broader relationship model, read Instagram Followers vs Following.
03
Why is Mutual based on a snapshot?
Social Janitor reads the relationship state contained in the Instagram export you selected. It does not monitor your Instagram account in real time.
If the export is older, the Mutual list reflects that older snapshot rather than the exact relationship state on Instagram right now.
If your current follower count or relationships look different today, read why your Instagram follower count can differ from your export.
04
What happens if a mutual relationship changes later?
A later export may place the same account in a different group if the relationship changes.
For example, an account that was Mutual in an older snapshot may later appear in Following only if it is no longer present in Followers but you still follow it.
To identify how a relationship changed over time, compare an older export with a newer one from the same Instagram profile.
For the full process, read how to track Instagram follower changes over time.
05
How should you use the Mutual list?
Mutual gives you the accounts where the follow relationship goes both ways in the imported snapshot.
This list can be useful as a reference while reviewing one-way relationships in Following only or Followers only.
Social Janitor does not change the relationship for you. It only shows what the imported data supports.
06
What if the Mutual list looks wrong?
Check that the Followers and Following files belong to the same Instagram profile and the same export set.
Also make sure all relevant follower-related file parts were included and that you are not comparing an old export with today's live account state.
If the export seems incomplete, read Instagram data export not showing all followers?.
07
What should you do next?
Use Mutual as your two-way relationship list, then review Following only and Followers only for one-way relationships.
Open the free preview and import your Followers and Following JSON files.
You can also read what mutual followers mean on Instagram for the broader definition.