How to Use the Instagram Auto Follow

Before you start

• If you want to follow the followers of a specific Instagram profile at scale, use the Instagram Followers Auto Follow Phantom. This Phantom is better for working with a small, custom list of profiles you already have.

Step 1: Connect your Instagram account

To let the Phantom act on your behalf:

1. Install the PhantomBuster browser extension and connect your Instagram session in one click.
2. If you’re not using Chrome or Firefox, you can retrieve your session cookie manually (see our cookie guide).

Step 2: Provide the Instagram profiles

Tell the Phantom which profile(s) to act on in one of the following ways:

1. Paste a single Instagram profile URL.
2. Provide a Google Sheet with Instagram profile URLs (make sure it’s shared with “Anyone with the link”).
3. Upload a CSV file with Instagram profile URLs (make sure it’s publicly accessible, and note that CSV upload is only available on paid plans).

→ If you’re using a spreadsheet, the Phantom defaults to the first column (A). To use a different column, enter the column’s header name in the field “Name of column containing profile URLs.”

Step 3: Choose the action and configure processing

1. Choose the action:

   • Select the action you want the Phantom to perform:
     • Follow
     • Unfollow
     • Unfollow only if they don’t follow you back
     • Block
     • Unblock

   If you want to both follow and later unfollow the same list of profiles, duplicate the Phantom. Use one for following, then another for unfollowing, with the same input list.

2. Delay between loading each profile (in seconds):
   • Default = 2 seconds.
   • Enter a higher delay if you want slower, safer runs.
3. Number of profiles to process per launch (optional):
   • Default = 1.
   • Maximum = 5 profiles per launch.
   • Instagram is strict on automation:
     • We recommend processing no more than 1 profile per hour for safety.
     • Do not exceed a total of 200 follow actions per day across all your launches, regardless of how many profiles you process per launch.
4. Exclude private profiles (optional):
   • Enable to skip private accounts that require manual approval to follow.

Result file settings (dropdown in setup)

1. Name your results file (optional)

   • You can customize the file name.

     If you rename the file between launches, the Phantom will create a new results file and start processing inputs from scratch.

2. Fields to keep (optional)
   • Export only the fields you care about by listing them (comma-separated).
     Example: profileName, followersCount, status.
   • This generates a second CSV file with just those fields.
   • Learn more in our guide: Customize how your Phantom results files are saved.

Step 4: Select launch frequency

Choose how often the Phantom should run:

1. Launch manually: Start the Phantom yourself whenever you need.
2. Launch once at a specific time: schedule a one-time run at a set date and time.
3. Launch repeatedly: schedule regular runs (e.g. once per day, several times during working hours).
4. Launch after another Phantom: chain automations together so this Phantom starts right after another finishes.
5. Advanced scheduling: customize the exact minutes, hours, days, or months when the Phantom should run.

→ For a complete walkthrough of scheduling options, see our guide to scheduling Phantoms automatically.

Step 5 (Optional): Advanced settings

Advanced settings are available if you want to fine-tune how your Phantom runs, but by default they’re already optimized for most use cases.

We recommend leaving them as they are unless a guide specifically instructs you to change something.

→ For a detailed overview of all advanced options (like execution limits, retries, email notifications, proxies, webhooks, and file management), see our Advanced settings guide.

Launch and results

When you’re ready:

1. Click Launch to start your Phantom.
2. Once it finishes, open the Results tab in the Phantom console to see the data collected.
3. Download your results as a CSV or JSON file.

→ To learn how to export your data to Google Sheets, integrate with other tools, or reuse it in more automations, check our Access and Export your Phantom Results guide.

Export and input limits on the Free plan
If you’re on the Free plan or Free trial, some features are limited:
- CSV exports include only the first 10 rows of results.
- CSV download links (for dynamic viewing in Google Sheets or integrations) are not available.
- JSON exports are not available.
- CSV upload as an input method is not supported.
To unlock all features, you’ll need to upgrade to a paid plan.

What you give (Input) and What you get (Output)

This section gives you a detailed breakdown of everything you need to provide to run this Phantom, and everything you’ll receive once it completes.

What you give (Input)

What you get (Output)

Tips and troubleshooting

Common pitfalls

• Using a private spreadsheet (make sure it’s set to “Anyone with the link”).
• This Phantom is low-volume by design → max 5 profiles per launch and don't exceed 200 follow actions per day across all launches.
• For higher-volume following (followers of another profile), use the Instagram Followers Auto Follow Phantom.

If you run into errors or account issues

• Check how to troubleshoot your phantom using Logs.
• Browse the Fix Issues & Troubleshoot Errors section for solutions to common problems.
• Review our Automation Rate Limits by Platform guide.
• Check our Best Practices for Social Media Automation guide.

Suggested automations

• Instagram Follower Collector → Build a list of followers from your own or competitors’ profiles, then feed those profiles into the Auto Follow Phantom.
• Instagram Profile Scraper → Enrich the accounts you follow with additional details such as bios, websites, and follower counts before deciding whether to keep engaging.
• Instagram Auto Liker → Warm up new connections by automatically liking a few of their recent posts, making your follow feel less “cold.”
• Instagram Auto Commenter → Take engagement further by commenting on selected posts of the profiles you’ve just followed, creating visibility and interaction.