How handle.tools checks availability

Every search is checked live, at the moment you run it. We don't answer from an old database of names, so the result reflects what the platform or registry says right now. Results are kept for a few minutes at most, so repeat searches are fast without going stale.

The username checker looks up one name on 22 platforms and 15 popular domain extensions at once. The domain availability checker covers 100+ extensions, and the bulk username checker compares several names side by side.

• Available: the platform or registry confirmed nobody has the name right now.
• Taken: an account, page or registered domain with that name exists.
• Could not verify: we couldn't get a reliable answer this time. We would rather tell you that than guess, and every row links to the profile so you can check it yourself.
• Coming soon: X, Twitch and Reddit are listed but not checked yet, because we can't check them reliably today.

Each platform is checked directly, using that platform's own rules for what a valid name is (length, allowed characters, and so on). A name that breaks a platform's rules is flagged before any check runs. Every platform has its own page explaining its rules, for example the Instagram username checker, TikTok username checker and YouTube handle checker.

Each domain extension is run by a registry. We ask the official registry for each extension (using RDAP, the registries' own lookup service), then confirm the answer with a DNS lookup. A domain that is registered and in use is never shown as available.

"Available" means it can be registered today. Some available names are premium-priced or reserved by the registry, which you'll see when you click through to register. Some extensions also block trademarked names even though nobody has registered them.

No checker is perfect. These are the cases where you should double-check before you rely on a result:

• Instagram limits automated lookups, so Instagram results sometimes show "Could not verify".
• TikTok can hide real accounts from automated checks, so a very famous name can occasionally look free. Open the profile link to be sure.
• Reserved names: some platforms (such as PayPal.Me and Telegram) hold back names that look free from the outside.
• Recently changed names: after a rename, some platforms (such as Minecraft) hold the old name for a while before anyone else can take it.
• Deleted and banned accounts: platforms often keep these names locked, even when the profile is gone.

The sign-up page of the platform or registrar always has the final say. That's why every result links straight to it.

Only the name you're checking is sent to a platform or registry, never your email, IP address or other details. We don't sell search data or build profiles from it, and our analytics never record the names you type. The privacy policy has the full details.

If a result looks wrong, tell us the name and platform at [email protected]. Reports like these are how the checks keep improving.