Can you remove my username from search results?
We do not permanently store, host, or copy username search results. When a username is searched, we generate links using that searched username, such as instagram.com/{username}, and check whether the profile appears to exist on the relevant platform.
The underlying username data comes from the platforms themselves. If a username appears as taken, it usually means that username is registered or visible on that platform. We do not control those accounts or the platform-level profile pages.
In other words, we only surface what is already publicly visible on those platforms. Searching a username simply checks the same public profile pages anyone could open directly, so nothing hidden is being exposed here that is not already out in the open.
Because nothing is permanently stored, there is no saved personal data for us to remove from our systems. We may use temporary cache entries for performance, but those expire automatically.
To reduce public visibility, make the profile private, change the username, or remove the account on the original platform. Since we only check or generate links from a searched username, changes on the original platform are the most effective way to control what can be found publicly.
Can you block my username from future searches?
Blocking a specific username would require us to store it, which would itself mean processing personal data. We prefer not to collect or store personal data unless it is strictly necessary, so we generally do not maintain username blocklists.
It also would not actually hide anything. The information is public on the platforms regardless of us: anyone can open each site and check a username directly, or use any of the many other services that do the same lookup. Removing a result here would not change what is visible on those platforms.
If your goal is privacy, the most effective step is in how you choose your usernames: use a different one on each social platform where you have an account, or pick a less predictable handle instead of an obvious pattern like your first and last name, which is easy to guess and find across many sites at once.
How often do username results refresh?
Username availability results can be temporarily cached for up to 8 hours. This cache helps the site stay fast and avoids repeatedly requesting the same public profile pages.
If you just created or renamed an account, the site may still show the previous state until the temporary cache expires or a fresh check is made. For example, a username created two hours ago can still appear available if an earlier available result is still cached.
Results marked available, taken, or invalid are meaningful results and may be cached. Unknown results are not cached as final availability results because they usually mean the platform could not be checked reliably at that moment.
What do username search results mean?
Available means the platform did not appear to have a public profile for that username at the time we checked. Taken means the username appeared to be registered, reserved, or otherwise visible on the platform.
Unknown means we could not confidently determine whether the username is available or taken. This can happen when a platform changes its response, blocks automated checks, returns an unclear page, rate limits requests, or has a temporary outage. Unknown is not a final availability result, so it is best to retry later or confirm directly on the platform.
Error means the check failed before we could produce a normal result, often because of a network problem, timeout, rate limit, or unexpected platform response.
Invalid means the username does not match the rules for that specific platform.
For example, Instagram usernames must be 3 to 30 characters, use letters, numbers, periods, or underscores, cannot be only numbers, and cannot start with a period, end with a period, or contain two periods in a row.
X, formerly Twitter, usernames must be 1 to 15 characters and use only letters, numbers, or underscores. GitHub usernames can be up to 39 characters, must start with a letter or number, and can use hyphens only when followed by another letter or number.
Platform rules can change, and some platforms also reserve names or block names for policy reasons. In those cases, a username may look valid by format, appear available in a basic check, and still be unavailable on the platform itself.
Why can a result be different from what I see on the platform?
A result can differ when the platform recently changed, blocked automated checks, returned an unclear response, or had a temporary outage. Privacy settings, deleted accounts, renamed accounts, and reserved usernames can also affect what is visible.
If the result matters for an account you plan to claim, always confirm directly on the platform before making final decisions.
Do you own or manage usernames on social platforms?
No. InstantUsername.com is an independent username availability checker. We do not own, sell, reserve, release, or transfer usernames on Instagram, TikTok, X, GitHub, Reddit, or any other third-party platform.
If you want to change, delete, privatize, or recover a username, you need to do that through the platform where the account exists.
Do you offer API access?
We do not offer retail or self-serve API access at this time, and we only consider serious inquiries with a clear use case and expected volume.
If that describes your project, reach out through the contact page and tell us what you are building so we can evaluate whether we can help.
Do you store my searches?
We do not permanently store username search results. We may use temporary cache entries for performance, and those entries expire automatically.
If you contact us through the contact page, the information you send in that message is handled separately from username search checks so we can respond to your request.
I like the site. How can I support or share it?
Thank you, that means a lot. The most helpful thing you can do is tell someone who needs it. If a friend is choosing a new handle, setting up profiles for a project, or trying to keep the same name across platforms, sharing the link helps more people find a tool that is free to use.
Feedback helps just as much. If a result looks wrong, or a platform you care about is missing, let us know through the contact page. Reports like that are how the checks stay accurate as platforms keep changing.
We do not have a mobile app to rate, and we do not take donations, so the site simply stays free. Attention and honest feedback are the most useful support we can get.
