How to Find Someone on Instagram Without Their Username: Expert Tips

Cindy Ellis - November 7, 2023

Finding someone on Instagram without their username may seem like finding a needle in a haystack at first. Instagram search isn’t very advanced since the only input you can enter is a username. This makes it almost seem impossible to find a profile without it.

It’s undoubtedly challenging to find an Instagram profile if you don’t have a username to start in the first place, but there are ways around it. Our article will explain how to find someone on Instagram without their username.

6 Ways to Find Someone’s Instagram Without Their Username

Below, you’ll find six ways to find someone on Instagram without the need to have their username.

People Search

The easiest (and the fastest) way to find someone on Instagram if you don’t have their username is by doing a people search. Simply enter the person’s name on Information.com’s people search, and you will locate their Instagram profile. You can also simply enter their email address to find their connected social media accounts.

It isn’t only Instagram profiles that this brings up. You’ll be able to see much more information about the person, including other social media profiles. This can help you reconnect with the person you’re looking for if they aren’t active on Instagram anymore.

Furthermore, this search will bring up other contact information, such as phone number and address. Although this is a powerful tool that can help you find more than someone’s Instagram profile, the use of it must be within certain guidelines.

Make sure to read through the end to know the do’s and don’ts of reverse search to avoid violating federal law and Information.com’s policies.

Use Other Information of the Person

Sometimes, a username (or even the full name) isn’t even necessary. You can use other information about the person to find their Instagram profile.

If you know their address, do a reverse address lookup. This also works with past addresses. So, the person doesn’t have to be currently living there for this search to find their Instagram profile and other social media accounts.

If you have their phone number instead, run a phone number search. Again, it doesn’t have to be the phone number they’re currently using. You can enter their old phone number.

Quick Tip: Check your iCloud Contacts or Google Contacts if you lost the person’s phone number. Apple and Android devices store phone numbers for syncing purposes. A long-forgotten phone number might be stored there if you had the person’s phone number at some point.

Mutual Friends and Suggested for You

Instagram allows users to see what other people are following and their followers. If you and the person you’re trying to find has mutual friends, checking the Following and Followers tab of friends’ profiles is a good start.

Another method is using the Suggested for You feature that lists people you might know. Although the chance of finding the person you’re looking for is virtually zero if you don’t have any mutual friends, you can give this feature a quick look to see if it suggests their profile.

Use Their Name on Instagram Search

Most people use their full name as their Instagram username. A quick way to find people on Instagram is by entering this on the search bar.

If the person you’re looking for has a common name and last name, you can also incorporate common username endings to narrow the search results. You can enter their birth year or the year they might have created their Instagram account.

Also, try area codes if they’re involved in their community or a favorite number, such as their uniform number in the sports they’ve participated in.

Trying a combination of these will lead to a higher chance of finding their Instagram profile. For example, if the person is born in “1996”, try “96” at the beginning or end of their name. The same goes for any other number you can think of that will help you find the person’s Instagram.

Find Their Facebook

Instagram and Facebook are owned by the same company, Meta. They likely linked their accounts if the person is on both social media platforms. Finding their Facebook account can help you find their Instagram.

Instagram search isn’t very advanced, but Facebook search is. You can filter the profiles you’re searching for in various ways, including city, education, workplace, and whether they are on friends’ friends list.

This can help you narrow down the results significantly and help you find their Instagram profile. Even if the person hasn’t linked their Facebook and Instagram accounts, you’ll have their Facebook account at least – just as ideal if all you want is to reach out to them.

Use Google Search

Google search often brings up more information than you want if you only enter the full name of the person whose Instagram you’re trying to find. Instead of doing a simple search, use Google’s built-in search features to narrow the results.

Use the person’s full name in quotes and only search for results on Instagram. A typical Google search for this should look like this:

[site:instagram.com “person’s name”]

While this may seem not so different from doing an Instagram search, it will bring up more profiles with the person’s name. When you do a search on Instagram, it only looks for usernames. This type of Google search will list the profiles that use the person’s name, even if their Instagram profile has a totally different username.

For example, if the person uses a favorite cartoon character as their Instagram username but has their name on their profile, this will help you find their Instagram profile.

Another way to use Google to find an Instagram profile without a username is to do a reverse image search. You can use an image of the person and upload it to Google Images to find URLs that include it, which an Instagram profile is a high probability.

Bonus: Additional Ways to Find Someone on Instagram Without a Username

• Phone Number: If you have the phone number of the person you’re looking for, you can use it to find their Instagram. This works only if the account is connected with the number.
• Search Places: Search the places the person might visit regularly on Instagram to find posts with that location.
• Hashtags: If the person you’re looking for has a specific hobby and likes posting about it, try relevant hashtags to find a post they might’ve shared.
• Other Social Media Accounts: Besides Facebook, try finding other social media accounts of the person. Even if their Instagram isn’t linked there, you can try the same username on Instagram to locate their profile.

Since Instagram is such a big site with lots of content, you may need to try more than one of these methods to get the results you’re looking for. 

Do’s and Don’ts of Reverse Search

A reverse search, whether you use a name, address, or phone number, is a powerful tool that will bring up potentially sensitive information. The Fair Credit Reporting Act controls the information available on Information.com, and using what’s provided maliciously is a violation of federal law.

When you do a reverse search, you must adhere to these guidelines to avoid violating federal law and ensure you’re using Information.com within our policies.

Here are a few examples of ways you can use Information.com:

• Find old family and friends
• Research a new lover or friend
• Find information about yourself
• Learn more about neighbors

Don’ts of reverse search examples include:

• Reviewing tenants
• Stealing identities
• Checking financial qualifications
• Stalking

When using Information.com for any reason, including to find an Instagram profile, make sure to keep it within the guidelines. For more information, check our Do’s and Don’ts page.

What to Do if None of These Work?

If you’ve tried all of the above and still can’t find the person you’re looking for on Instagram, they’re likely using a different name on social media. This is a growing practice among internet users that grants them anonymity and privacy.

In these cases, your best option is to reach out to friends and family members who know the person and are following them on Instagram. Also, keep in mind that the person you’re looking for might not be on Instagram at all.

Finding People on Instagram Without a Username

Trying to find someone on Instagram without their username is a difficult task that can take hours. We’ve covered various ways to accomplish this. Even if you have a little information to begin your search, finding an Instagram profile without a username is more than possible.

While there are methods, some are quicker than others. Doing a people search or using the person’s address or phone number to do a reverse search is often the fastest way. It can save hours without the need for scrolling through countless Instagram profiles.