How to read Instagram messages from your JSON download
Instagram's download keeps your direct messages as message_1.json files, the same format as Facebook Messenger, with the same codes in place of emoji and accents. Here is where they are and how to read them.
Get the download
- In the Instagram app or on the web, open Accounts Center, then Your information and permissions, then Download your information.
- Create an export to your device and pick your Instagram profile.
- Choose Messages (or all information), All time and JSON as the format.
- When Instagram emails you, download every ZIP part it offers.
Where the messages are
| Folder | What it holds |
|---|---|
your_instagram_activity/messages/inbox/<name>_<number>/ | One folder per chat with message_1.json, and message_2.json and more for long chats, newest first |
.../message_requests/ | Requests you never accepted |
photos, videos, audio in a chat folder | Pictures, videos and voice messages sent in that chat |
Older downloads have messages/inbox at the top instead. Posts and reels people shared with you appear as links in the chat; the posts themselves are not in your download.
What happened to encrypted Instagram chats
Instagram ended end-to-end encrypted chats on May 8, 2026, and asked people to download those chats before then. If you saved them, open the files in Readback with the rest of your download.
Read them
Choose the Instagram ZIP parts, or the folder you unzipped, in Readback. Each chat appears in order with its photos, videos, voice messages and reactions, accents and emoji repaired. If you have a Facebook download too, choose both: chats from each are listed together and marked Messenger or Instagram.
Have an Instagram download in JSON? Open it here and read your DMs again. Nothing is uploaded.
Open your download in ReadbackReadback Pro, $8 paid once: every chat in one ZIP as pages that open offline with their photos, every message in one spreadsheet, and every chat as text. Get Pro on Gumroad or see what is free.
Questions
Why do some Instagram messages say "Liked a message" or "sent an attachment"?
The download writes some reactions and shares that have no text of their own as a line like that. Shared posts appear as links; the post itself stays on Instagram.
Can I see deleted Instagram messages in the download?
Usually not. Messages unsent or deleted before you made the download are generally left out; where a download keeps a marker, Readback shows it as Unsent message.
Does Readback need my Instagram password?
No. It never connects to Instagram. You download your data from Instagram yourself and choose the files here.
Sources
- Facebook Help Center: Download a copy of your information. Accounts Center steps, HTML or JSON, media quality and date range
- Instagram Help Center: end-to-end encrypted messages. Downloading encrypted chats
- CyberInsider: Instagram to retire end-to-end encrypted messaging on May 8, 2026
- Lauri-Nomme/fbarchive on GitHub. An open source importer that documents both file formats: message_N.json in the regular download, Name_N.json with a media folder in the encrypted one
Last checked: October 29, 2026.