Instagram Handle Checker
Check whether an Instagram username is taken: type the one you want, open its profile, and see whether someone got there first. If they did, pick from up to six alternatives.
Quick facts
- Length
- up to 30 characters, with a running count as you type
- Characters kept
- letters, numbers, periods and underscores; the @, spaces and anything else drop out as you type
- What it opens
- that handle's Instagram profile, in a new tab
- Alternatives
- up to 6; tap one to load it into the checker
- Asks Instagram?
- never, so there is nothing on our side to count or limit
- Cost
- free, with nothing to sign up for
How it works
- Step 1
Type the handle
Up to 30 characters of letters, numbers, periods and underscores. Type the @ or skip it: anything outside that set, spaces included, is dropped as you type.
- Step 2
Open its profile
Press Check username, then Open the profile on Instagram. That handle's page opens in a new tab, and this page stays where it is.
- Step 3
Read what loads
A profile means the handle is taken. Instagram's “Sorry, this page isn't available” screen means it's probably free, though deactivated and banned accounts get that screen too.
Tips for picking a handle
- Short beats clever: a handle people remember after one look is worth more than a pun they can't spell.
- Use digits and underscores only when you have to. Nobody remembers where the underscore went.
- Your own name, or your brand's, is the one people will search for, so start there.
- Make sure it isn't someone else's trademark before you print it on anything.
- A word from your niche (bakes, lifts, codes) tells people what they're following before they tap.
- Say it out loud. If it sounds like a different word, people will hear the different word.
- Type it on your phone. If your thumbs trip over it, so will everyone else's.
- Try the same name on TikTok and your other networks, so people find you under one name everywhere.
- Watch for lookalikes: a lowercase l next to a 1, or an O next to a 0, turns a handle into a guessing game.
- Pick one you'd be happy to see on a business card, a shop window or a pitch deck.
FAQ
What does the handle checker actually do?
It builds the link; you do the looking. Enter a handle and press Check username, and the tool tidies it to letters, numbers, periods and underscores, then gives you Open the profile on Instagram, a link that opens it in a new tab. A profile there means the name is taken. Instagram's “Sorry, this page isn't available” means it's probably free. The tool itself never asks Instagram anything.
Is it free, and do I need an account?
It's free, and there's nothing to sign up for. There's no cap on checks either: the tool runs in your browser and never looks a name up on our servers, so there's nothing for us to meter. We do keep a copy of the name you checked, so we can see what people use it for.
How reliable is the result?
Good, not perfect. A profile means the handle is taken. “Sorry, this page isn't available” usually means it's free, but Instagram shows the same page for deactivated and banned accounts, and those names can still be held. The only sure test is trying to set it as your username in Instagram, which will either take it or refuse it.
How long can an Instagram handle be?
The field takes up to 30 characters, the figure usually given as Instagram's limit, and a counter beside the label shows how many you've used. The @, spaces and anything else that isn't a letter, number, period or underscore are dropped as you type.
The handle I want is taken. What now?
Look at the alternatives panel: up to six variations built from your handle, such as yourname.co, itsyourname, yournamehq and the_yourname. Tap one and it loads into the checker, ready to open. Variations that would run past 30 characters are left out, so a handle of 27 characters or more gets fewer, and one of 29 or 30 gets none.
Can I check several handles in a row?
Yes. Each profile opens in its own tab while this page stays put, so check one, come back, and type the next. Suggestions work the same way: tap one and it takes the place of the handle you just checked.
What makes a handle worth having?
One people can say, spell and remember without help, that sounds like you or your business. Keep it short and go easy on digits and underscores. If you'll want the same name on TikTok, try it in our TikTok username checker as well.
Is it any different for business or creator accounts?
No, the check is the same. Personal, creator and business profiles all sit at instagram.com/ followed by the handle, so a name held by one kind of account is off the table for the others.
What if Instagram won't load?
Then you don't have an answer yet. The result is whatever Instagram's own page shows, so an error, a blank screen or a login prompt tells you nothing either way. Give it a minute and reload the tab.
Can I hold a handle for later?
Not here, and we don't know of any way to reserve one on Instagram. A handle belongs to whichever account sets it first, so if you find a free one you like, claim it now: sign up with it, or rename an account you already have. Then give it something to post; our guide shows how to schedule Instagram posts and Reels.
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