What is an Instagram handle? Meaning, examples, changing it

You will hear “what is your handle?” all the time on Instagram, and the answer is simple. This guide explains what a handle is, how it differs from your name, where to find yours, how to change it and how to choose one that works.

The short answer

An Instagram handle is your username: the unique name after the @ sign that people use to find, tag and message you. Instagram’s own help pages call it a “username”, and “handle” means the same thing.

For example, our handle is @getlinkerzz. Someone who types that name finds our profile, and anyone who tags us in a post uses the same name.

Handle, username and name: what is the difference?

	What it is	Unique?
Handle or username	The @name people use to find, tag and message you	Yes, no two accounts share one
Name	The display name shown on your profile	No, anyone can use the same name

Your handle is how Instagram knows who you are. Your name is how you present yourself, and it can be your brand, your full name or something that reads well at a glance.

How to find your Instagram handle

Open your profile. Your username is at the top of the page, and when someone tags you in a post or a comment, it appears as @ followed by that name. If you need to give it to someone, say it exactly as written, because a missing period or underscore leads to a different account.

How to change your Instagram handle

Instagram’s Help Center describes this under editing your profile:

1. Open your profile and tap Edit profile.
2. Change your username.
3. Save your change.

If your screen looks different, Instagram may have updated its layout. Look for Edit profile on your profile page.

Two details from Instagram’s help pages are worth knowing. In most cases you can change back to a username you used before. And a verified account generally cannot change its username, so choose carefully if you expect to be verified.

Change it with care. Anyone who has your old handle saved, printed or linked will no longer find you with it, so update your link in bio, your business cards and your website when you do.

What if the handle you want is taken?

Instagram’s Help Center suggests adding periods, numbers, underscores or an abbreviation to find a name that is free. Some choices work better than others:

• Add what you do. @jane.photography instead of @jane.
• Add your city. @janebakes.leeds.
• Add a short word that fits your brand, such as studio, co or hq.
• Avoid long strings of numbers. They are hard to remember and look like spam.

If the name seems to belong to an inactive account, Instagram has a help page that covers what you can do.

How to choose a good handle

• Keep it short. A short handle is easier to type, say aloud and remember.
• Make it easy to spell. If you have to spell it out every time, people will get it wrong.
• Match your business name so that people who know you elsewhere find you.
• Use the same name everywhere you can. One name on Instagram, TikTok and your link in bio page makes you easy to find.
• Skip the clutter. Too many periods, underscores and numbers make a handle look untidy.

Handle ideas by type of account

Tap a line to copy it, then swap in your own name.

You can generate more with our free Instagram username generator, which suggests handles from your name and what you do.

How to check if a handle is free

The only certain test is to try it. Open Edit profile and enter the username you want. If it is taken, Instagram will not let you use it. You can also search for the name on Instagram first. We cannot check availability for you, because that needs Instagram’s own data.

One name for everything

Your handle works best when it matches the address of your link in bio page. If your handle is @janebakes, a page at linkerzz.com/janebakes is easy for customers to remember. You can check whether the name is free on Linkerzz before you decide. For help with the rest of your profile, read How to write a bio for Instagram and How to edit or change your bio.