Your handle is the username that appears in your profile URL and in @ mentions

Your social media handle is the unique name that identifies you on a platform — the part that comes after the @ symbol when someone tags you, and the part that appears in your profile web address. On Instagram, if your profile URL is instagram.com/sarah_martinez_88, your handle is @sarah_martinez_88. On X (formerly Twitter), if your profile is x.com/jrodriguez, your handle is @jrodriguez. The handle is different from your display name, which is the full name or nickname that appears above your posts. Your handle is permanent and unique to you on that platform.

Finding your handle takes less than a minute on any platform. The fastest way is to open the app or website, go to your profile, and look at the URL in your browser's address bar — your handle is the last part of that address. If you are on mobile and cannot see the URL easily, your profile settings will always show your handle clearly labeled.

Key Takeaways

  • Your handle is the username that appears after @ and in your profile URL, separate from your display name.
  • On most platforms, you can find your handle by opening your profile and checking the URL or looking in your account settings.
  • Instagram, TikTok, X, Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube each store your handle in slightly different places, but all are visible within seconds.
  • You can change your handle on most platforms, though some have restrictions on how often you can change it or whether the old handle becomes available again.

Finding your handle on Instagram

Open Instagram and tap your profile icon at the bottom right. At the top of your profile, you will see your display name in large text. Directly below it is your handle, starting with @. You can also see your handle in the URL: if you tap the three horizontal lines (menu) and go to Settings, then Account, the handle appears as your username. On a computer, visit instagram.com, click your profile picture in the top right, select "Profile," and your handle appears directly under your display name.

If you want to share your handle with someone, you can tap it to copy it to your clipboard. Instagram allows you to change your handle once every 14 days, though changing it does not affect your followers or posts — the old handle becomes available for someone else to claim after a short delay.

Finding your handle on TikTok

Tap the profile icon at the bottom right of the TikTok app. Your handle appears at the top of your profile page, starting with @. On a computer, go to tiktok.com, click your profile picture in the top right, and select "View profile" — your handle displays prominently at the top. You can also see it in the URL: if your profile URL is tiktok.com/@username, your handle is @username.

TikTok lets you change your handle once every 30 days. When you change it, your old handle becomes available for others to use, and any links to your old profile will not work — so if you have shared your handle elsewhere, update those links after changing it.

Finding your handle on X (formerly Twitter)

Open X and click your profile picture in the top left corner, then select "Profile." Your handle appears directly under your display name, starting with @. On a computer, you can also look at the URL: if your profile is x.com/jsmith, your handle is @jsmith. In your account settings (click More, then Settings and Privacy, then Account), your handle is listed as your username.

X allows you to change your handle as often as you want, with no waiting period. When you change it, your old handle becomes available for someone else when ready, so update any links or bios that mention your old handle if you want them to stay current.

Finding your handle on Facebook

Click your profile picture in the top right corner and select "View profile." Look at the URL in your browser's address bar — if it reads facebook.com/sarah.martinez.123, your handle is sarah.martinez.123. You can also find it by clicking the three horizontal lines (menu) at the bottom right, selecting Settings, then clicking Username. Facebook calls this your username, and it functions the same way as a handle on other platforms.

Not all Facebook accounts have a username — if you created your account before Facebook introduced usernames, you may only have a profile ID number. If you do not see a username in your settings, you can create one. Facebook allows you to change your username once every 60 days.

Finding your handle on LinkedIn

Click your profile picture in the top right and select "View profile." Look at the URL in your browser — if it reads linkedin.com/in/sarah-martinez, your handle is sarah-martinez. You can also click the pencil icon next to your profile photo, then click "Edit public profile URL" to see and edit your handle. LinkedIn calls this your public profile URL, and it is what appears when someone searches for you or you share your profile link.

LinkedIn lets you customize this URL to make it easier to remember and share. You can change it as often as you want, and old URLs will redirect to your current profile so existing links do not break.

Finding your handle on YouTube

Click your profile picture in the top right corner and select "Create a channel" or "View channel." Your handle appears at the top of your channel page, starting with @. On a computer, you can also see it in the URL: if your channel URL is youtube.com/@yourname, your handle is @yourname. Some older YouTube accounts use a custom URL instead — click About on your channel to see what format your channel uses.

YouTube allows you to change your handle once every 90 days. If you have a custom URL set up, changing your handle does not affect it — your custom URL remains the same and redirects to your channel.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is my handle the same as my display name?

No. Your display name is what appears above your posts and in your profile header — you can change it anytime and it can have spaces and special characters. Your handle is your unique username, usually without spaces, and it is what appears after @ and in your profile URL. You can have the same display name as thousands of other people, but your handle must be unique on that platform.

Can I change my handle to something someone else used before?

Usually yes, but it depends on the platform and timing. When someone changes their handle on Instagram or TikTok, their old handle becomes available after a delay. On X, old handles become available when ready. On Facebook and LinkedIn, you can reuse old handles. Check the platform's help center for the exact waiting period, as it varies.

What happens to my old posts and followers if I change my handle?

Your posts, followers, and likes stay with your account — changing your handle does not affect any of that. However, any links that included your old handle will no longer work on most platforms. If you have shared your handle in emails, bios, or other places, you may want to update those links after changing it.

Why does my profile URL not match my handle?

Some platforms use different formats for profile URLs. On LinkedIn, your URL might be linkedin.com/in/sarah-martinez even though your handle is sarah-martinez. On Facebook, your URL might use numbers or a different format than your username. Check your platform's settings to see what your actual handle is — the settings page is more reliable than the URL format.

Can I have a handle with spaces or special characters?

Most platforms do not allow spaces in handles, but they allow underscores, periods, or hyphens. Instagram and TikTok allow underscores and periods. X allows underscores. LinkedIn uses hyphens. Check your platform's username rules before trying to create or change a handle — the settings page will tell you what characters are allowed.