Instagram shows the follow requests you've sent to private accounts in one place: your own Follow Requests screen, under the "Sent" tab. It only lists requests that are still pending, not ones that were declined or accepted, and it won't tell you why a request is still sitting unanswered. If you're trying to find out whether someone followed somebody new after accepting your request, that's a different question, and apps like SnoopInsta, available as an iOS app, can watch for that going forward, not look backward.
How do I see the follow requests I've sent on Instagram?
Open your profile, tap the three-line menu in the top right, then tap "Follow Requests." That screen shows requests other people sent you by default. Switch to the "Sent" tab to see the private accounts you've requested to follow that haven't accepted yet. Once someone accepts, their name drops off this list because it's no longer pending.
- Tap your profile icon, then the menu (≡) in the corner
- Select "Follow Requests"
- Switch to the "Sent" tab to see your outgoing requests
- Tap "Requested" on an entry if you want to cancel it
Instagram occasionally shifts where this menu item lives during app updates, so if you don't see "Follow Requests" immediately, check under Settings → Account as well.
What does the sent requests list not tell you?
It doesn't tell you if a request was declined versus simply ignored. Both outcomes look the same: the request quietly disappears from your "Sent" list with no notification either way. It also doesn't show a history of past requests you cancelled or that expired, and it doesn't show when the request was sent.
This is separate from Instagram's old "Following" activity tab, which showed likes and comments from accounts you followed and was removed in 2019 (TechCrunch). That tab never covered follow requests either way, but it's the feature people usually mean when they ask if Instagram used to show more. It's gone, and there's no equivalent today.
Instagram's own account privacy settings explain how follow requests work for private accounts, including how approval and decline work on their side (Instagram Help Center).
Where does SnoopInsta fit into this?
SnoopInsta doesn't see pending requests, sent or received. It only tracks confirmed follows that happen after you start watching a username. So if your request gets accepted and you now follow that account (or it's public), and you want to know who they follow going forward, you can add their username to SnoopInsta instead.
- Add the username to your SnoopInsta watch list
- The app starts watching from that day forward, not before
- You get an email when a later check finds a new follow
The account you're watching is not notified that you added them. SnoopInsta works on public accounts and on private accounts you already follow; it does not unlock access to a private account's own follower or following list, and a website purchase does not unlock the iOS app separately.
For a related but different question, see how to see when someone followed someone on Instagram or how to see who someone followed on Instagram (history).
Frequently asked questions
Can I see if someone declined my follow request?
No. Declined and ignored requests look identical: the entry just disappears from your "Sent" tab. Instagram does not send a notification or label either way.
How long does a pending follow request last?
There's no set expiration. A request stays pending until the recipient accepts or declines it, or until you cancel it yourself from the "Sent" tab.
Can I cancel a follow request I already sent?
Yes. Go to their profile and tap the "Requested" button, or find them in your Sent list and remove the request there. Canceling doesn't notify them.
Does checking my sent requests notify anyone?
No. Viewing your own Follow Requests screen is private. It's also unrelated to who followed who first; for that, see how to see who followed who first on Instagram.