Social Media Username Checker
This username checker tests one handle against the format rules of 9 platforms in your browser, tells you exactly what fails and why, and gives you a profile link for each platform so you can look for yourself. It doesn't query any platform, and below we explain why. It's one of our free social media tools.
Rules last checked October 2, 2026
Runs in your browser. Nothing you type is sent anywhere or stored, and this page never contacts Instagram, TikTok, X or any other platform.
A valid format does not mean the name is free. Only the platform can tell you, when you try to claim it.
When you open a profile link: a profile that loads means the name is taken. A “page isn’t available” message means it might be free, but names held by deactivated, suspended or banned accounts, or reserved by the platform, can still be refused.
Username rules on 9 platforms, side by side
Every platform sets its own length window and character set, and not all of them publish it. The table is built from the same rules the checker runs, each labelled with where it comes from.
| Platform | Length | Characters | Also checked | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Instagram username | Between 1 and 30 characters | Only letters (A–Z), numbers, periods (.) and underscores (_) |
| Widely reported; the platform does not publish it. Source |
| TikTok username | Between 2 and 24 characters | Only letters, numbers, underscores (_) and periods (.) |
| From the platform's own documentation. Source |
| X username | Between 4 and 15 characters | Only letters (A–Z), numbers (0–9) and underscores (_) |
| From the platform's own documentation (archived copy). Source |
| Facebook username | At least 5 characters | Only letters (A–Z), numbers (0–9) and periods (.) |
| From the platform's own documentation. Source |
| YouTube handle | 3–30 characters (Han/Hangul 1–10; Ethiopic/Hiragana/Katakana 2–20) | Letters or numbers from YouTube's supported languages, plus underscores (_), hyphens (-), periods (.) and Latin middle dots (·) |
| From the platform's own documentation. Source |
| LinkedIn custom public profile URL | Between 3 and 100 characters | Letters and numbers, plus hyphens (-); no spaces, symbols or special characters (widely reported, not published) |
| From the platform's own documentation. Source |
| Pinterest username | Between 3 and 30 characters | Letters, numbers and underscores (_) only — must include at least one letter |
| From the platform's own documentation. Source |
| Threads username | Between 1 and 30 characters | Only letters (A–Z), numbers, periods (.) and underscores (_) |
| Not verified — the platform does not publish it. Source |
| Bluesky handle | .bsky.social names: 3–18 characters | For .bsky.social: letters, numbers and hyphens (-) only — no underscores, spaces, periods or ! |
| From the platform's own documentation. Source |
Checked against each platform's help pages on October 2, 2026.
Five rules need care. Instagram publishes no length or period rule: usernames are widely reported to be capped at 30 characters, and its Help Center only says "You can add periods, numbers, underscores or abbreviations to help you come up with a username that's not already in use." TikTok's rule is about the end of a username, not the start: its help says "periods can't be added to the end of a username". On X, the help page is explicit: X says usernames containing the word Admin cannot be claimed. The word "twitter" gets a caution rather than a fail, because only the pre-rebrand help page said so. X also words its minimum two ways: one page says a username "must be more than 4 characters long", another implies 4 is the floor, so a 4-character handle passes here with a caution. Threads: by default your Threads username is your Instagram username (see how to use Threads), and Meta publishes no separate format, so Instagram's is applied. Bluesky allows 3–18 characters for the name before .bsky.social (see how Bluesky handles work). For what a handle is and how it differs from a display name, see what a social media handle is.
Why "valid" isn't "available"
A handle can pass every format rule and still be refused, because platforms hold names you can't see. X's help says suspended and deactivated usernames are not immediately available. TikTok's help says a username you give up can't be re-added "for a short period of time", and one held by a suspended or deactivated account may not be free right away. Bluesky's server code reserves about a thousand system names; the checker knows a sample of them. LinkedIn's help covers custom URLs: a previous URL stays linked to you for six months unless unlinked; an unlinked URL can be claimed by others after seven days; a closed account's URL frees up after 180 days. Facebook can remove a Page's username for inactivity.
None of these holds shows up in a format check, and most don't show up on a profile page either. So the checker never says "available". It says "valid format" and hands you the link.
Why this checker doesn't ping the platforms
Checking availability automatically means sending automated requests to every platform's profile pages, and the platforms' terms restrict exactly that. Instagram's Terms of Use rule out "accessing or collecting information in an automated way without our express permission". Facebook's terms say "You may not access or collect data from our Products using automated means (without our prior permission)". TikTok's US terms prohibit extracting data "using any automated system or software". (All read on October 2, 2026.)
Automated lookups are also unreliable: a "not found" response can't tell a free name from a reserved, suspended or deactivated one. Outfeed publishes through these platforms' official APIs and follows their rules, so this tool leaves the looking to you.
How to claim one handle everywhere
Pick a name made of letters and numbers only, 5–15 characters long: that's the window every platform here accepts, and the planner under the checker builds variants inside it.
- Claim the tightest platform first. X has the shortest maximum (15), so a name that fits there fits everywhere on length.
- Keep a fallback list. Copy two or three planner variants (a "hq" or "get" version) before you start, in case one platform refuses the first choice.
- Claim them in one sitting. The longer you wait between platforms, the more chances someone else takes the name.
- Mind Threads. It uses your Instagram username by default. To keep the same username on both, the accounts must be in the same Accounts Center.
Need a name first? The username generator and the Twitter (X) username generator suggest handles, and the TikTok username generator is tuned for TikTok. For a single platform there are also the Instagram handle checker and the TikTok username checker.
After the handle: post everywhere from one chat
Once your handles match, Outfeed AI lets you write a post once in a chat, preview it for each network and publish to Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, X, Facebook, Threads, YouTube, Pinterest and Bluesky. Facebook publishing is for Pages, posts to X are text only within a monthly X allowance per plan, and TikTok posts from Outfeed currently publish as private while TikTok reviews the app. Starter is $29/mo and includes a 3-day free trial with 100 AI credits; a card is required. Pro and Agency are billed from the first day.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I check if a username is available on every platform?
Check the format first, then look. Type the handle into the checker to see whether it fits each platform's rules, open each profile link to see whether an account already uses it, then try to claim it in the app or your account settings. That last step is the only real availability test, because only the platform knows which names it is holding back.
Why does a username look free but the platform says it's taken?
Platforms hold names you can't see. X's help says suspended and deactivated usernames are not immediately available. On TikTok, a name given up or held by a suspended or deactivated account may not be available right away. Bluesky reserves a list of system names, and LinkedIn keeps an old custom URL tied to its owner for a while before releasing it. A page that says it isn't available can hide any of these.
What are the username rules on each platform?
Instagram: 1–30 characters; only letters (A–Z), numbers, periods (.) and underscores (_) (widely reported, not published). TikTok: 2–24 characters; only letters, numbers, underscores (_) and periods (.). X: 4–15 characters (one X page says "more than 4", so 5 or more is safer); only letters (A–Z), numbers (0–9) and underscores (_). Facebook: at least 5 characters; only letters (A–Z), numbers (0–9) and periods (.). YouTube: 3–30 characters; letters or numbers from YouTube's supported languages, plus underscores (_), hyphens (-), periods (.) and Latin middle dots (·). LinkedIn: 3–100 characters; letters and numbers, plus hyphens (-); no spaces, symbols or special characters (widely reported, not published). Pinterest: 3–30 characters; letters, numbers and underscores (_) only — must include at least one letter. Threads: 1–30 characters; only letters (A–Z), numbers, periods (.) and underscores (_) (not published; Instagram's format applied). Bluesky: 3–18 characters before .bsky.social; letters, numbers and hyphens (-) only — no underscores, spaces, periods or !. Rules checked against each platform's help pages on October 2, 2026.
Does this username checker contact Instagram, TikTok or X?
No. It sends no request to any platform: no lookups, no image loads, no embedded pages. It only compares your handle with each platform's format rules, in your browser. The profile links are ordinary links you open yourself. Automated lookups would go against the platforms' terms, and they give false answers for reserved and suspended names anyway.
How do I keep the same handle on all social media?
Use letters and numbers only, and keep it between 5 and 15 characters. That is the window all 9 platforms accept: X caps handles at 15, Facebook needs at least 5, and periods, underscores and hyphens each fail on at least one platform. The planner under the checker builds variants and re-checks each one on all nine.
Is the username checker free and private?
Yes. It's free, needs no signup and no credit card, and runs entirely in your browser. Nothing you type is sent anywhere or stored.
Related free tools and guides
- Instagram Handle Checker — a format check for Instagram alone.
- TikTok Username Checker — the same idea, for TikTok handles.
- Username Generator — handle ideas when your first choice is gone.
- X (Twitter) Username Generator — names that fit X's shorter limit.
- Pinterest Font Generator — styled Unicode text for Pinterest, which usernames can't use.
- What is Outfeed AI? — how a chat-first AI handles posting to 9 platforms.
- Browse all free social media tools — generators, checkers, counters and templates.
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