Open the Instagram ZIP File on Your Phone

You don't need to open the Instagram ZIP on your phone: NomeSigueApp accepts the file exactly as Instagram delivers it and reads it in your own browser, without uploading it to any server. Just download it, open the tool in your phone's browser and pick that ZIP. If you still want to see what's inside, below is how to unzip it on iPhone and on Android.

The fast route: upload the ZIP without unzipping

This is the shortest path and the one least likely to go wrong, because you never handle intermediate files.

1. Download the ZIP when Instagram emails you that it is ready.
2. Open the tool in your phone's browser.
3. Tap the button to choose a file and select the Instagram ZIP.
4. Wait for the result: the tabs appear with their counts.

The file is processed on your device. It isn't sent anywhere, no password is asked for, and nothing needs to be installed. It works the same on phone and computer.

If you haven't requested the export yet, the step-by-step guide to downloading your data takes you through Accounts Center, and how long Instagram takes to send it explains the wait.

Where the downloaded file ends up

The exact name and location depend on your phone and your browser, so there is no single path that fits everyone. What is almost always true:

• The browser saves the ZIP to its downloads folder, and most browsers have a list of recent downloads you can open it from.
• On iPhone you can look for it with the Files app; on Android, with the file manager your phone includes (for example, Files by Google).
• If you can't find it, search that app for the word instagram or sort by date to see your latest downloads.

If the tool's file picker doesn't show the ZIP, open the downloads folder from the picker itself and look there.

Why it's best to leave it zipped

A ZIP is a single file that holds the whole export. If you upload it whole, the tool finds the folders and files it needs by itself, merges followers_1.json with any other followers_N.json if Instagram split them, and ignores the rest. If you unzip it on your phone, you end up handling folders and loose files on a small screen, and it's easier to pick the wrong one or leave one out, which would make the results incomplete.

If you want to open the ZIP by hand

Unzipping is only necessary if you want to look inside the files, for example to read a JSON manually. It isn't needed for the analysis.

On iPhone

According to Apple's support page, the process is simple:

1. Open the Files app and find the ZIP.
2. Tap the file. A folder containing its contents is created.
3. Open that folder to see the files. To rename it, touch and hold the folder and tap Rename.

Source: Create or open ZIP files on your iPhone, iPad, or Apple Vision Pro, Apple Support.

On Android

With Files by Google, according to its help center:

1. Open Files by Google and go to the folder where the ZIP is.
2. Select the .zip file. A window shows its contents.
3. Tap Extract.
4. Review the preview. If you want to delete the ZIP afterwards, tick the Delete ZIP file checkbox.
5. Tap Done.

The extracted files are saved in the same location as the original ZIP. Source: Unzip your files, Files by Google Help.

What you'll see inside

Once extracted, the path that matters is this:

connections/followers_and_following/
  followers_1.json
  following.json
  pending_follow_requests.json

followers_1.json holds the accounts that follow you (if there are many, Instagram splits them into followers_2.json, followers_3.json…), following.json the accounts you follow, and pending_follow_requests.json the follow requests you sent that haven't been accepted. The details are in what's inside the export ZIP.

Common problems

• The tool says the file isn't valid. Check that you requested the JSON format. The HTML export can't be analyzed.
• I can't find the ZIP. Go back to your browser's downloads list or search for instagram in the files app.
• The ZIP didn't download completely. Download it again on a good connection; a cut-off file can't be read.
• I don't see the connections folder after unzipping. You may have requested other information. Request it again ticking only Followers and following.

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to unzip the Instagram ZIP?

No. NomeSigueApp accepts it as is. Only unzip it if you want to inspect the files yourself.

Can I do everything from my phone?

Yes. You can request the export from the Instagram app, download the ZIP and upload it to the tool from your phone's browser, without going through a computer.

Is my file uploaded to a server?

No. The analysis happens in your browser. The file never leaves your device.

How do I open a loose JSON file on my phone afterwards?

A JSON is plain text and can be opened with a text viewer or the browser, although reading it by hand is awkward. See how to open an Instagram JSON file.

Try it now

Open NomeSigueApp on your phone, pick the ZIP exactly as you downloaded it and see who doesn't follow you back.