Where to find your Meta username

Your Meta username is the handle that appears in your profile URL and lets other people tag you or search for you across Facebook, Instagram, and Threads. It is different from your display name — the name you show friends — and it cannot contain spaces. You can find it by going to your profile, opening settings, and looking in the account section where it displays as a single word or hyphenated phrase.

The exact location depends on which Meta app you are using, but the process takes less than a minute on any of them. If you have never set a username, Meta may have assigned you a default one based on your name and a string of numbers.

Key Takeaways

  • Your Meta username appears in your profile URL and is the handle people use to find or tag you, separate from your display name.
  • On Facebook, go to your profile, click the three dots, select Settings and Privacy, then Settings, then find it under Username in the left menu.
  • On Instagram, tap your profile icon, go to Settings and Privacy, then Account, and scroll to Username.
  • On Threads, tap your profile icon, tap the menu icon, go to Settings, then Account, and look for Username.
  • If you see a string of numbers instead of a word, Meta assigned you a default username and you can change it once every 14 days.

Finding your username on Facebook

Open Facebook and go to your profile by clicking your profile picture in the top right corner. Once you are on your profile page, click the three horizontal dots (the menu icon) near the top of your cover photo. Select Settings and Privacy, then click Settings.

In the left menu, scroll down until you see Username. Click it, and your username will display in the field. This is the handle that appears when someone visits your profile URL — for example, facebook.com/yourname or facebook.com/your.name. If you want to change it, you can do so from this same screen, but Meta limits changes to once every 14 days.

Finding your username on Instagram

Tap your profile icon at the bottom right of the Instagram app. At the top of your profile, tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines). Scroll down and tap Settings and Privacy.

Tap Account, then scroll down to find Username. Your current username will appear in that field. This is the handle that shows in your Instagram profile URL and the name people search for when they want to find you. Like Facebook, Instagram allows you to change your username once every 14 days.

Finding your username on Threads

Open Threads and tap your profile icon at the bottom of the screen. Tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines) in the top right corner of your profile. Tap Settings.

Tap Account and scroll down to Username. Your username will display there. On Threads, your username is linked to your Instagram account, so changing it on Threads may affect how you appear on Instagram as well, depending on your account settings.

What to do if you see numbers instead of a name

If your username is a long string of numbers (like 123456789), Meta assigned you a default username when you created your account. This happens when you did not set a custom username during signup. You can change this to something more memorable whenever you want.

Go to the Username section in Settings on whichever app you are using, click or tap Edit or Change, and enter a new username. The username must be between 5 and 50 characters, can include letters, numbers, periods, and hyphens, but cannot contain spaces. Once you change it, you will not be able to change it again for 14 days.

Username vs. display name: what is the difference

Your display name is what your friends see at the top of your profile and next to your posts — it can be anything, include spaces, and change as often as you want. Your username is a permanent-ish handle that forms part of your profile URL and is what people type to search for you or tag you in comments.

For example, your display name might be "Sarah Johnson" but your username might be "sarah.johnson" or "sarahjohnson22". When someone wants to tag you in a comment, they type @ followed by your username, not your display name. This is why usernames cannot have spaces — they need to work in URLs and search fields.

Changing your username if you want something different

If you want to change your username, go to the Username section in Settings on any Meta app, click or tap the edit button, and type your new username. Meta will tell you when ready if the username is already taken or if it breaks the rules (spaces, special characters other than periods and hyphens, or fewer than 5 characters).

Once you confirm the change, it takes effect right away across all Meta apps where you have an account. You cannot change it again for 14 days, so choose carefully. If you change your mind within a few minutes, you may be able to change it back before the 14-day timer starts, but this depends on Meta's current system rules.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I have different usernames on Facebook, Instagram, and Threads?

No. Your Meta username is the same across all three apps because they are all owned by Meta and linked to the same account. If you change your username on one app, it changes on all of them.

What if my username is already taken?

Try a variation — add a number, a period, or a hyphen. For example, if "sarah.johnson" is taken, try "sarah.johnson22" or "sarah-johnson". Meta will show you whether each option is available as you type.

Can I go back to my old username after I change it?

Not when ready. You have to wait 14 days before you can change your username again. If your old username has not been claimed by someone else in that time, you can reclaim it after the waiting period ends.

Is my username the same as my profile URL?

On Facebook and Instagram, your username forms part of your profile URL. For example, if your username is "sarah.johnson", your Facebook URL is facebook.com/sarah.johnson. On Threads, the URL structure is slightly different but your username still identifies your account.

What if I forgot my username and cannot find it in Settings?

Check your profile URL by visiting your profile and looking at the web address in your browser. The part after the domain name is your username. If you are on mobile and cannot see the URL, try opening your profile in a web browser instead of the app.