Username Is Not Available. Try Again or Choose Below.
Okay, so you're trying to register an Instagram username, but information technology says it's unavailable.
I know how frustrated y'all are because I was in the same boat. Merely, I knew the username was, in fact, available...
So what gives?
Jump to:
- My story
- On Hold
- Deleted Username
- Banned Username
- Information technology'southward In Use
- Your Stories
- Check Out My Instagram Tutorials
- đź’¬ Comments
My story
I had two Instagram usernames registered (@bykelseysmith and @modernmartha). I wanted to swap the two usernames.
I changed @bykelseysmith to something different to free information technology up. I planned to quickly alter @modernmartha to @bykelseysmith, but Instagram said the username was unavailable.
Skip ahead to detect out why...
The long version
My blog name inverse from Mod Martha to Kelsey Smith this summer. I knew for more a year that I wanted to make this transition, and then I reserved my new username on Instagram (@bykelseysmith) in advance with a dummy account.
I've done this previously in my professional career, so I knew this was possible.
I planned to change the username on the dummy account right before the swap so @bykelseysmith would become bachelor, and so quickly change my main profile.
Unfortunately, it told me the Instagram username was not available, fifty-fifty though it clearly was.
I panicked. Did a bot still my username? The reply it seemed was no.
When I searched @bykelseysmith, no one had the username.
So what gives?
Here are a few possible reasons you can't annals a username that appears available:
On Hold
When you change your username, Instagram reserves your old username for 14 days. This is just in case you lot determine to switch it dorsum.
When y'all go to "Edit Contour" and tap into the username field, a message reads, "In most cases, yous'll be able to alter your username back to (blank) for another xiv days."
I previously reserved usernames in the same method I mentioned higher up and didn't have whatever issues, merely Instagram implemented this fourteen mean solar day concord early on-to-mid 2019.
A commenter suggested that bots tin quickly register usernames later they're abased. This is actually why Instagram implemented the 14-solar day concur dominion.
According to WeRSM, there was indeed an upshot with bots registering usernames immediately after they become available. This xiv-twenty-four hours hold feature, though annoying to username swappers, gives users more security with their usernames.
That means though, if you're reserving a username like I did, you lot'll have to wait fourteen days to make your terminal switch.
Improve set up a agenda warning.
Recently, I received a comment that said they received the bulletin I shared above, but it said 12 days, not 14. So, which is it?
This commodity was originally written in October 2019, just as of June 2020, the bulletin on my app still reads 14 days.
The truth is, Instagram changes its app constantly, and they often coil out updates to select groups of users equally a exam. If you receive a message that says 12 days, trust the app.
Then, what happened to me, yous inquire?
Subsequently 14 days, I was able to annals my old username on my main business relationship.
Victory!
I prepare a calendar alert to remind myself considering I didn't want a bot coming in and stealing my thunder. I was incredibly relieved when information technology worked.
One time my one-time username (@modernmartha) was freed up, I had to expect some other fourteen days to register it on my dummy account.
Why did I reserve my old username, you lot ask?
On my dummy business relationship, at present outfitted with my erstwhile username, I added a "moved" notice to the profile. This saves you lot for two reasons:
one: There may all the same exist links floating around the cyberspace to your sometime username. Since I'm a blogger and a YouTuber, I link my Instagram in every unmarried video I upload.
2: Someone may manually look upwardly your onetime username, so information technology'southward all-time to accept a "redirect" of sorts in place.
I searched to see if Instagram has an anti-squatting policy that makes this against the rules, but I couldn't find whatever prove that it is.
Deleted Username
Deleting an account removes the username from the pool of available usernames. If someone had that username registered at some signal in time but deleted the account, it'south possible that username has been taken off the market for good.
This is from Instagram's assist website:
If your account was deleted by you or someone with your countersign, at that place'south no way to restore it. You lot tin can create a new account with the aforementioned email accost you used before, just yous may non exist able to become the same username.
via Instagram Assistance Center
Banned Username
Though unlikely, information technology'due south possible the username you are trying to use has been banned. I haven't read confirmation from Instagram, but this is the word on the street.
If a user is banned for bad activity, their username does non go back into the pool of available names.
I've read that deleted account usernames may also fall into this saucepan. Or usernames containing blocked or inappropriate words.
This scenario actually stinks because there's no way to ostend if the desired username is banned.
There does not seem to exist a resolution if this is the example other than selecting a slightly different username. Try adding periods, numbers, underscores, or abbreviations.
It's In Apply
Perchance triple check that username one more time to exist certain information technology's not connected to an active account...
Your Stories
Share your success (or failure) story in the comments, and experience free to leave your Instagram link or username. I'g going to list annihilation that I call back would be helpful to a wider audience below.
- @anestidest said he had an old account and a new account. He inverse the username on the old account and so deleted the old account. After 14 days he was able to register the former username on the new account.
Check Out My Instagram Tutorials
Bank check out my Instagram tutorials, including how to use questions on Instagram Stories.
Reader Interactions
Source: https://bykelseysmith.com/why-an-instagram-username-says-its-not-available-when-it-really-is/
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