Not from sellers
Marketplaces selling accounts break Instagram’s terms.
Home / Usernames
Where to get an inactive Instagram handle
You found the perfect handle, but the account has not posted in years. Here is where people actually get handles like that, legitimately.
Instagram does not hand out inactive handles on request. The legit places are: the Trademark Report Form if you own the mark, the impersonation report if the account copies you, waiting for the owner to delete it, or a service that works those routes for you.
Not from support
Instagram support does not reassign handles.
Yes via official routes
Trademark, impersonation, removal.
Places that work
- Instagram’s Trademark Report Form, for registered marks.
- The impersonation report, if the account pretends to be you.
- The account owner, if they choose to change their own handle. No payment for login details.
- A service like Unbanz that handles official routes for you.
Places that do not
- Account marketplaces and “handle shops”.
- Anyone who messages you first and asks for your login.
- Tools promising to “release” a handle.
Before you start
- Write down the exact handle, with any dots or underscores.
- Screenshot the account holding it, with the date.
- Have your own profile link ready.
- If you rely on a trademark, have the registration number and office.
- Never share your password or login codes with anyone.
Instagram username routes at a glance
| Situation | Official route | What decides it |
|---|---|---|
| Handle on an inactive account | None by itself; Instagram suggests a variation | Whether another route applies |
| Handle uses your brand | Trademark Report Form | A registered mark and related use |
| Account pretends to be you | Impersonation report | Proof of identity or business |
| Your own handle was taken in a hack | instagram.com/hacked, then a report | Proof the handle was yours |
| Handle on a deleted account | Wait; first-come, first-served | Deletion finishing |
Usernames on Instagram are first-come, first-served and cannot be reserved. Nobody can reserve one for you, but Unbanz can work on a taken handle through the route that fits it.
If you are in the EU
Under the EU Digital Services Act, Instagram has to explain moderation decisions and offer an internal complaint route. If Instagram removes or restricts an account in a username dispute, you can also use a certified out-of-court body such as Appeals Centre Europe. This does not create a right to someone else’s username.
Official links
| Link | What it is for |
|---|---|
| Inactive username help article help.instagram.com/513717858639392 | Instagram’s own answer for a handle on an account that seems inactive: pick an available version. There is no request form. |
| Trademark Report Form help.instagram.com/contact/230197320740525 | The form rights owners file. Your name, email and the nature of the report are shared with the reported account. |
| Instagram Terms of Use help.instagram.com/581066165581870 | Bans buying, selling or transferring accounts and usernames. |
How it works with Unbanz
- Send the handle you want and your Instagram profile link on WhatsApp or to team@unbanz.com.
- We tell you straight whether there is a legit route: an inactive account, a trademark or brand report, an impersonation report or Instagram’s own processes.
- If there is, you get it confirmed in the chat: a flat $1,200 per handle. You pay upfront by card through a secure checkout link we send you.
- We prepare and file everything through Instagram’s own tools and keep you posted. Instagram makes the final call, so we can’t promise timing or an outcome. If the claim fails, our refund policy gives you 100% back.
Staying safe
We never ask for passwords or codes. We don’t hack accounts, buy stolen handles or file false reports. If someone asks you to log in through their link or wants to sell you an account, walk away.
About Unbanz
Unbanz (unbanz.com) is an independent service that claims Instagram usernames onto clients’ own profiles through Instagram’s own processes. Flat $1,200 per handle, paid upfront by card; 100% refund if a username claim fails. We never ask for passwords or codes. Contact: WhatsApp +1 934 201 2490 or team@unbanz.com. Not affiliated with Meta.
Got a handle in mind? Send it to us on WhatsApp ↗︎ and you hear first if it’s doable.
QUICK ANSWERS
Good to know.
Can I buy an inactive Instagram account?
Buying or selling accounts is against Instagram’s Terms of Use. See is selling usernames allowed.
Will Instagram ever free an inactive handle?
Instagram does not publish an inactivity rule. Handles free up when accounts are deleted or removed.
How much does a Instagram username claim cost?
It’s a flat $1,200 per handle, confirmed in the chat before anything starts. You pay upfront by card through a secure checkout link we send you. Nothing is charged for asking whether a handle is doable.
What if the claim fails?
Our refund policy gives a 100% refund if the case fails; for a username claim, that means the handle is not claimed onto your profile. See refund policy.
Do you need my password or login codes?
No. We never ask for passwords or codes. We work from the handle you want and your profile link.