How to See Who Someone Followed on Instagram (2026)

Quick Answer

You can see who someone recently followed on Instagram by using a follow tracking tool like Lurk, which monitors any public profile and shows new follows in real-time — completely anonymously, with no Instagram login required. Instagram removed its native Following activity tab in 2019, but third-party tools still make this possible.

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You can see who someone recently followed on Instagram by using a follow tracking tool like Lurk, which monitors public profiles and shows new follows in real-time. Instagram removed the "Following" activity tab back in 2019, making it impossible to see who someone recently followed through the app itself. But there's still a way to track this — and it's completely anonymous.

How to See Who Someone Recently Followed on Instagram

The easiest way to see who someone recently followed on Instagram is to enter their username at getlurk.app — you will see their recent follows instantly, with no login or app download required. Lurk takes regular snapshots of public following lists and detects any changes, giving you timestamped results in seconds.

Can You See Who Someone Followed on Instagram?

Yes, you can see who someone followed on Instagram by using a tracking tool that compares following-list snapshots over time. Instagram itself does not show this information chronologically, but tools like Lurk detect new follows and unfollows automatically.

Is There an App to See Who Someone Follows on Instagram?

Yes — Lurk is available on iOS, Android, and the web, and it lets you see who someone follows and recently followed on Instagram without logging into your own Instagram account. You can do a free instant check on the web or set up ongoing monitoring with push notifications through the mobile app.

Why Instagram Removed the Following Tab

Instagram's original "Following" tab showed a real-time feed of who your friends followed, what posts they liked, and what comments they left. Instagram removed it because users found it "creepy" and it was causing relationship drama.

But the data is still there. Instagram profiles are public by default, and the list of accounts someone follows is visible to anyone who visits their profile. The challenge is tracking *changes* — knowing when someone follows a new account. If you're wondering whether it's even possible, read our breakdown on whether you can see who someone followed on Instagram.

How Lurk Tracks Instagram Follows

Lurk works by monitoring public Instagram profiles at regular intervals. Here's what happens:

1. You enter a username — any public Instagram account
2. Lurk takes a snapshot of who they currently follow
3. Every hour, Lurk checks again and compares the lists
4. When someone new appears, you get an instant notification

It's the same information you'd see if you manually checked their profile every hour — Lurk just automates it.

Step-by-Step: Track Someone's Follows

On the Web

1. Go to getlurk.app/username
2. Enter any public Instagram username
3. See their recent follows instantly
4. Subscribe to get real-time alerts

On Mobile

1. Download Lurk from the App Store or Google Play
2. Enter the username you want to track
3. Enable push notifications
4. Get alerts the moment they follow someone new

Is It Really Anonymous?

Yes. Lurk never logs into your Instagram account. It never interacts with the tracked person's account. It simply reads publicly available data — the same data anyone can see by visiting their profile on instagram.com.

The person you're tracking will never receive any notification, see any viewer list, or have any way to know you're watching. You can even view their Stories anonymously through the same tool.

Does It Work on Private Accounts?

No. Lurk only works with public Instagram profiles. If someone has their account set to private, their following list is hidden from everyone except approved followers.

Start Tracking Now

Ready to see who someone just followed? Try Lurk for free — no Instagram login required, 100% anonymous. Looking for a free option? Check out our best free Instagram follower trackers roundup.