Your Instagram handle is what people use to find you on the one billion-user platform.
So how to get an Instagram handle that is both effective and memorable? What happens if the username you are after is taken?
Find out below.
What’s an Instagram Handle?
An Instagram handle is the unique name you choose for your account. It appears at the top of your profile and in the URL for your profile page. Therefore, it is used by people to find you on the platform as well as tag you in photos, videos and stories.
An Instagram handle is not the same as your Instagram name—the handle is unique to your profile so once you claim it no one else can have the same username.
Your handle has to
- Be up to 30 characters long
- Contain letters, numbers and periods (i.e. there should be no symbols or other punctuation marks)
How Do I Find My Instagram Handle?
Finding your username on Instagram is very easy and can be done on your mobile or desktop.
On the Instagram mobile app
Tap on your profile picture in the bottom right corner
You can see your handle on the top of the profile
On desktop
Go to instagram.com & log into your account
Click on your profile picture
The handle will be displayed at the top of the page above your profile picture
How to Get an Instagram Handle?
Now that you know what an Instagram handle is, it’s time to create your own!
When you sign up for the platform for the first time, you will need to provide some personal information to complete your profile (email address, date of birth). You will also be asked to add a username, which is the part where you can really get creative.
Getting the right Instagram username is incredibly important if you want to build a presence on the app—your handle defines your brand and helps people understand what you’re all about right from the start.
What’s more, your Instagram handle creates a link to your profile, so if you make changes to the username you are also altering the URL that leads to your account. This means that anyone going to your profile through your old username (whether they bookmarked it, or click on it in a tagged post or comment) will be redirected to a page that no longer exists.
How Do You Come Up With an Instagram Handle?
There are a few things to consider when choosing your Instagram handle.
Your handle represents you
Since your handle is what people use to find you on the platform, it should represent you and your business. Therefore, the most effective (and simplest) way to create an Instagram handle is to use the name of your business or your own name, if you are establishing a personal brand.
It’s also a good idea to include something about your brand values and products/services so that people will get an idea of what you offer just by looking at your handle. It will also add some personality to your profile, like Australian cosmetics brand Go-To has done.
You could also include your location to get even more specific.
Note that adding your location can sometimes hold you back, especially if you are trying to expand on the global market.
Keep it short and sweet
A shorter handle is more memorable and easier to type out, which makes it easier for people to find you. Here are a few tips on how to make your username stand out, while still keeping it brief and simple:
Try abbreviating your name or using initials—this can be particularly useful if you are using a name that is hard to spell or remember.
Add something to connect it to your niche—for instance, graphic designer Jamielyn Kane mirrors the Photoshop file format with her Instagram handle.
Try a username generator
If you are drawing up a blank when it comes to username ideas, you can turn to one of the many online Instagram username generators for help. These work similarly to business name generators—you enter your name, brand or something about you and the tool generates a list of usernames. Then you simply need to check if that handle is available on the app.
How to Share Your Instagram Handle
The more exposure your Instagram username gets, the higher the chances of people checking out your content on the site. Here are a few ideas on how to get your Instagram handle out there.
- Include your Instagram handle in the header or footer of your website.
- Incorporate your Instagram handle in your email signature to promote your account to people you regularly communicate with via email.
- Make the most out of cross-promotion and share a link to your Instagram profile in the bio section of accounts you have on other popular social media sites.
- If you have physical marketing materials (e.g., business cards, flyers, brochures), include your Instagram username so that people can find you online.
What if Your Preferred Instagram Handle is Taken?
There are over one billion monthly active users on Instagram so there is a possibility that the username you crafted has already been claimed by someone else. Getting an already taken username on Instagram is not impossible, but it is tricky.
How to claim an Instagram handle that is taken
Contact the account holder
Try reaching out to the person who holds the account—you can DM or email them and ask them if they can hand over the username. You might even ask to buy it from them, although there are simpler and cheaper measures you can take. Plus, buying someone else’s username is in violation of Instagram’s terms and conditions.
Ask Instagram for help
You can request that Instagram gives you the use of the handle if the other account is inactive. The chances of getting it are slim, but you can still give it a try.
Prove that you’ve got a trademark on that specific username
You could register a trademark and then exercise your legal rights over the username. However, registering a trademark is a long and arduous process, plus it costs a lot of money and does not guarantee 100% success. In fact, according to Instagram, using another’s trademark in a way that is unrelated to the product or service for which the trademark is granted is not considered a violation of the company’s trademark policy.
Change the username
Sometimes the simplest solution can be the most effective. Even Instagram advises adding full stops or numbers to come up with a handle that is not used by someone else.
You could use some of the tips above to make your username more specific, such as adding a keyword related to your business, location or niche.
Additionally, you can:
Add ‘im’ or ‘the’ in the beginning
Use ‘original’ and ‘official’ at the end
Use phonetic spelling
Use underscores of punctuation marks
How to Change Instagram Handle
Changing your Instagram handle can be a huge hassle.
For one, it forms an essential part of your URL so changing it means that
- All the links to your Instagram profile will need to be updated
- Any tags or mentions of you with your old username will also have to be updated by the person who published them
- Any social media buttons on your email, website or other accounts will need to be changed so that the link leads to the right place.
If you’ve also added your handle to physical promotional material, you will need to change those too. And don’t forget to let your followers know about the change to avoid confusion.
Simply put, unless you are rebranding or have some serious issue with your current Instagram handle, it might be best to leave it as it is.
If you are set on changing it, this is what you need to do.
On your computer
Log into your account
Click on the Profile icon and click on Profile
(source: Android Authority)
Select Settings
Click on Edit Profile
Under Username, delete your current handle and enter a new one
Click on Submit.
On your phone
Open the app
Tap on the profile icon in the bottom corner
Tap Edit Profile
Delete the old username and enter the new one
Tap on the blue tick in the top right corner
Your profile will be updated with the new handle automatically.
Keep in mind that you have 14 days to go back to your old username once you’ve changed it.
1. How do I copy my Instagram link?
If you are using a computer, you need to:
Go to your profile by clicking on the profile pic in the top right corner
Copy the URL from the search bar
Paste it wherever you need to.
If you are on your phone:
Tap on your profile picture in the bottom of the screen
You will see your username on the top
Type that in the URL after instagram.com/
2. How to claim an inactive Instagram handle?
There are some things you can try, such as asking the account holder for the name, trying to buy it from them or even reaching out to Instagram for help. However, when it comes to how to get an Instagram handle that is already taken, there is no method that is 100% successful, so your best bet is to use different variations of the username you chose and pick the one you like the best.
