Who Did They Just Follow on Instagram? How to Find Out in Seconds

You noticed something — a new name in their following count, a suspicious like, or just a gut feeling. Now you want to know: who did they just follow on Instagram? It's a simple question, but Instagram doesn't make it easy to answer. Here's exactly how to find out.

Why Instagram Makes This So Difficult

Instagram used to have a "Following" activity tab that showed you a live feed of what the people you follow were doing — who they followed, what they liked, and what they commented on. It was removed in October 2019 because Instagram said it felt too invasive.

Since then, the only way to see someone's following list is to visit their profile and tap "Following." But here's the problem: Instagram randomizes the order. There's no "recently followed" sort option. If someone follows 1,000 accounts, finding the newest one manually is like finding a needle in a haystack. We cover this in detail in our guide on how to see who someone followed on Instagram.

Step-by-Step: Find Out Who They Just Followed

Method 1: Use Lurk (Fastest — Under 30 Seconds)

This is the quickest way to see someone's recent follows.

Step 1: Open your browser and go to getlurk.app/username

Step 2: Type in the Instagram username you're curious about (for example: @therock)

Step 3: Hit enter and wait a few seconds

Step 4: Lurk displays their most recent follows — who they added, with profile pictures and usernames

That's it. No Instagram login needed, no app download required, and the person you're checking will never know. The entire process takes less than 30 seconds.

Method 2: Manual Comparison (Slow but Free)

If you prefer a no-tool approach, you can do this manually. Fair warning: it's tedious.

Step 1: Visit their Instagram profile and tap "Following"

Step 2: Screenshot their entire following list (you'll need to scroll and capture multiple screenshots)

Step 3: Wait a few days and repeat the process

Step 4: Compare the two sets of screenshots to find new additions

Step 5: Repeat whenever you want to check

This works in theory, but it's extremely impractical if they follow more than a few hundred accounts. It also can't catch quick follow-and-unfollows between your checks.

Method 3: Set Up Ongoing Monitoring

If this isn't a one-time curiosity and you want to know every time they follow someone new, you'll need ongoing monitoring.

Step 1: Download the Lurk app from the App Store or Google Play

Step 2: Enter the username you want to track

Step 3: Enable push notifications

Step 4: Lurk checks their following list every hour and sends you an alert the moment they follow someone new

You'll get a notification on your phone with the exact account they just followed, including the profile photo, username, and timestamp.

What Information Can You See?

When you check someone's recent follows through Lurk, you'll typically see:

• Username and display name of the newly followed account
• Profile picture so you can immediately see who it is
• When the follow was detected (timestamp)
• Account details like follower count and bio of the new follow
• Activity patterns over time if you track them ongoing

Common Scenarios and What to Do

"I just want a quick check right now"

Go to getlurk.app/username, type the username, and see results in seconds. No commitment needed.

"I want to be notified every time they follow someone"

Download the Lurk app and enable push notifications. You'll get real-time alerts.

"Their account is private"

Unfortunately, no external tool can see the following list of a private Instagram account. You'd need to be an approved follower to see that information.

"They followed and unfollowed someone quickly"

Lurk checks hourly, so most activity is captured. Very quick follow-unfollows within the same hour might be missed, but this is rare.

Is This Anonymous?

Yes, completely. Lurk never logs into any Instagram account. It doesn't interact with the target's profile in any way that they could detect. There are no likes, no views, no follows — nothing that leaves a trace. The person will never receive any notification about your activity.

Why Do People Want to Know This?

People search for this for all kinds of reasons:

• Relationships — Noticing new follows can reveal interests or connections
• Business intelligence — Tracking which brands a competitor is engaging with
• Influencer research — Understanding who's networking with whom in an industry
• Simple curiosity — Sometimes you just want to know

Whatever your reason, the information is publicly available on Instagram. Lurk just makes it accessible without the manual effort. You can also track when someone *unfollows* accounts — learn how with our Instagram unfollow tracker guide.

Get Your Answer Now

Stop scrolling through following lists manually. Check who they just followed — it takes 10 seconds and it's completely anonymous. Still have questions? Visit our FAQ page for answers to common questions about Instagram tracking.