How to Take Over an Inactive Instagram Handle

Were you quick to join Instagram when it first came out? If so, you probably have a handle you’re happy with. Maybe your first and last name or witty wordplay that doesn’t have numbers and underscores in it.

Not everyone puts a lot of thought into their username, but if you’re particular about how you present yourself online, an Instagram handle is all part of it. And if you’re stuck with a name you don’t like, you might be wondering if there any inactive Instagram handles you can take.

Instagram Handles Supermarket

There’s no such thing! Unfortunately, you don’t get to shop around for an inactive handle. In fact, you don’t get to know which handles are inactive in the first place. The only thing you really know is that a certain Instagram handle is taken. Whether or not the account associated with the handle is inactive, is another matter altogether.

And what is an inactive Instagram account anyway? What are the relevant parameters? For example, if an account has seen zero activity since the moment of its creation, it’s considered inactive. Occasionally, Instagram does a purge of inactive handles and all those handles become available again. But things move super-fast on Instagram, and the chance you grabbing the handle you want is minuscule.

You Can Negotiate

But, you don’t know for sure which handle is 100% inactive. Maybe you see some limited activity on the account with the handle you want. This person might be posting or liking something once a year. It’s not unheard of. Therefore, you could reach out and offer to buy their Instagram handle. Or just take over the account. You never know what kind of answer you might get.

Then again, changing to their handle and taking over their account might not be the safest option. Consider all the bots and spam accounts out there. If the person you’re trying to negotiate with isn’t responding, you can always look for the handle on other social media platforms. Perhaps they’re more active on Twitter and that’s where you’ll be able to reach them.

Get Creative

Instagram is a place for creativity, after all. Well, for the most part, it is. You don’t have to go with an “all or nothing” approach when it comes to your Instagram handle. If you want to create a new Instagram account and the handle you’d like is taken, start brainstorming. Don’t rush into it.

On the other hand, even if you go with something you’re not too happy with, you can always change it later on. The issue is whether you want to go down that road. Changing your handle is a simple process, but you might hesitate to do that once you accumulate an Instagram following. All of which can be confusing.

And if the jolt of creativity never comes, and you’re not satisfied with any versions of the desired handle that features numbers and underscores, then you can try waiting. Wait for the Instagram account purge or for an answer from the owner of an inactive Instagram account. Or just wait for the creative juices to start flowing again.

Trademark Violation

If you own a business Instagram account, things are a little bit different. As a business, no matter how small or big, your name and logo and other trademark-protected materials are yours alone. Instagram recognizes that, and if you believe that another account is using your trademark, you can go directly to Instagram and fill out this form. This is a serious violation and brings legal consequences.

How Much Do You Care?

It’s hard to argue against the importance of Instagram handles. You can dismiss such concerns as trivial, but for a lot of people, it makes them easier to find online and directs more traffic to their accounts. And if you’re looking to build a business online or just have a well-known internet persona, having the handle you want is huge.

And even though you can’t actually buy a handle directly from Instagram, you might get lucky going down a different route. Also, you can probably come up with something new and catchy anyway. Ultimately, it’s the content that separates you from the rest.

Let us know what you think about taking over an inactive Instagram handle in the comments section below.