You’ve found a TikTok handle that you like but it’s already been owned by someone else and it’s not being used. Being unable to acquire the handle that best represents you can be frustrating because your username plays a crucial role in your TikTok presence. Furthermore, you want your Instagram and Facebook profiles to be consistent, therefore you’re looking to claim an inactive username on TikTok.
However, there are a few techniques that could help you still get that inactive username, so all is not lost. Let’s try some of your options.
The importance of A Username On Social Media
Your usernames can be used to build your whole profile. On a social network as popular as TikTok, having a username that is concise while still being memorable is one of the best ways to stand out from the throng.
However, given that there are one billion people that are active each month, it is highly possible that the username you choose is already in use. Follow the steps outlined above to obtain a username to use if the account that is currently being used appears to be inactive. In the event that none of the other options work, your best bet is to come up with a nearly identical handle variation.
Other side, this information can then be utilized for a variety of objectives, ranging from relatively benign ones, such as marketing efforts, to others that are outright evil, such as identity theft. In addition, fraudsters can use the same behavioural targeting and monitoring tools used by marketers to monitor the websites you visit and the products you purchase.
Now, you might have a clear concept about the importance of a good username and how it may impact on your overall social media profile. Let’s coming to the point, how to claim an inactive username on TikTok
Contacting The Owner Of Desired TikTok Username
If a user has been inactive for a while, it’s usually a good indication that they aren’t interested in TikTok anymore. While this may be bad news for the site, it’s good news for you: it might be your chance to grab their username.
One of the easiest ways to take over an inactive username is by contacting the user directly and asking them whether they are willing to give it up. You would be surprised how often users agree to this trade. There’s no reason why they wouldn’t comply if they are inactive anyway.
If the username is so crucial to you, you might even propose to buy it from them. A non-TikTok user will be more than happy to sell you their username for a reasonable price.
But now for the tricky part: if they are inactive, will they even see your message? It varies. Your message will appear if they still have TikTok installed on their phone, but if they’ve already deleted it, you might not have a chance.
If they don’t respond to you on TikTok, try contacting them through other avenues. Check their bio to see if they have any contact information listed, such as a Facebook or Twitter page. Using these links, locate their social media profiles and message them there with your offer. Even if the user’s contact information is private, you can still try finding them using search; however, this will only work if they have a distinctive username.
Keep Patience And Wait For Response
The next thing you can try if you can’t get in touch with the concerned user is to just wait it out. Users whose accounts have not been active for more than 180 days may have their usernames changed to a string of numbers, per TikTok’s policy. When that occurs, you will have no trouble claiming their previous username.
How can you tell if a user hasn’t logged in for a while? Not you. There won’t be any indications of their most recent activity other than the time they last posted. This approach is somewhat speculative and is only practical if you have no other options.
File a Claim
In desperate times, do desperate things. You can take more drastic measures than just waiting if you’re trying to protect your brand or business name.
The username will be yours for sure if you trademark your brand. If you hold the rights to the name in question, anyone else who uses that specific phrase may be violating your copyright, and you may take legal action.
This may be your most trustworthy option for getting the username you want because TikTok takes complaints of copyright infringement seriously. However, keep in mind that you’ll need to present evidence of your trademark ownership. TikTok won’t do anything unless your request is legitimate.
If you think your request is legitimate, you can file a report of trademark infringement on TikTok.
Tips For Good TikTok Usernames
- Do not include your entire name, address, or phone number.
- Do not use your email address as your username
- Avoid using the same login and password, particularly for financial accounts.
- Choose a unique username and avoid reusing it; otherwise, you’ll be easy to monitor.
- Do not select a username that reveals your password, such as a string of digits or letters or the first part of a two-part phrase, such as knock-knock or starlight.
- Choose a username that corresponds to the type of account, such as business, social, or personal.
- Before you go around dispersing traces of your personal information, take the time to select a suitable username for new accounts and consider logging into old accounts to change their usernames, as well.
Additional FAQs
How do I know if a TikTok user is inactive?
Sadly, TikTok doesn’t make this information available to the public. Based on their posts, an account’s activity can be inferred. The account may have been abandoned if it hasn’t posted in a while, has no followers, or doesn’t follow many other accounts. You can’t be certain of it, though, as they might just be lurking on the website without making a post.
Why can’t I change my TikTok username?
Therefore, you either waited 180 days to obtain an inactive user name or succeeded in persuading the username’s owner to give it to you. However, even after accessing your profile settings, you are unable to claim it. You may have recently changed your username, which would explain this. Only once every 30 days are you allowed to change your TikTok username. You won’t be able to claim the new handle until this time period is over.
By adjusting the time and date settings on your phone, you can attempt to get around the 30-day lock. It’s worth a shot even though this won’t work on every phone. Don’t forget to stop allowing TikTok to track your whereabouts before manually setting the date.
Conclusion
On a social media platform like TikTok, which is so crowded with content, standing out is easy with a brief but memorable username. The username of your choice, however, is very likely to already be taken because there are a billion active users each month. Use the steps listed above to reclaim the username if the account that is currently using it appears to be inactive. The next best option, if all else fails, is to design a handle variation that is nearly identical.