How to find someone on Instagram without their username?
TL'DR & Summary
Instagram has over 1 billion users. If you have to find someone on Instagram with or without knowing their username, you can do that. You can search for specific users by various means.
If you're looking specifically for an Instagram account, you may need to put in some effort to find one. We have compiled several ways to help you find any Instagram profile that you might be looking for.
Here are those methods for your quick reference:
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Find mutual followers
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Search by Username
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Search by First name & Last name
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Search by places
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Hashtags
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Following
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Phone number
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Reverse Photo Search
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Facebook friends
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Search systems
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Other social networks
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Instagram Discover
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Search bar
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Google search
Note: Use these methods in good faith. We are not responsible for any damage that you might have if you abuse the system.
Table of Contents
How to find someone on Instagram?
#1 Find mutual followers/followers
Instagram offers a way to see mutual followers under their profiles. You may want to search for people who you know on Instagram. You can find someone on Instagram from the list of mutual followers/following.
If you have any other mutual friends, go to the suggested users. Instagram might show the right account that you're looking for.
Either your friend follows the Instagram profile you're looking for, or the person you're looking for follows your friend. Your friend's profile is the mutual connection in both scenarios.
If the Instagram account you're looking for follows your friend:
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Go to your friend's profile on the Instagram app
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Tap on followers count & in the search bar, type the name of the person you're looking for.
If your friend follows the someone you're looking for:
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Go to your friend's profile
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Tap on the following count on their profile. On the next screen, you will see a search bar. Enter the name of the person you're looking for. Browse through the search results to find that person.
#2 Search by Username
If you're aware of their username, simply type it in the search bar of the discover section. Open Instagram and tap magnifying glass icon to open discover. Tap on the search bar to find the profile
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Tap on the accounts tab to find the Instagram profiles of the person you're looking for
#3 Search by First name & Last name
Just like a username, if you know the first & last names of the person, search by that in the search bar. Switch to the "Accounts" tab to filter only the profiles.
#4 Search by places
If you don't know the name or username of the person you're searching for, but know the places they visit often or live, you can search by places. This will take a very long time to find them and is based on an assumption that they post actively on Instagram.
Enter the place in the search bar & explore the posts in the search results. Try to be as specific as possible. This will narrow down the options & help you find the profile you're looking for fast.
#5 Hashtags
Just like places, try to look for the hashtags that you think they might be following or interested in. If you're lucky, you can find their profile from the engagement (likes & comments). Instagram as a search engine is very poor & isn't reliable for accurate search results.
#6 Following
If you're aware of the person's close friends, you can look for their profile & check their following. Find them by name of the person you're looking for. If you look through all the profiles, you may never find the Instagram profile you're looking for.
#7 Phone number
The next method is to find someone using their mobile number. You need to connect the contact list with Instagram to find someone's Instagram profile using their phone numbers. The only prerequisite is that you need to have their number saved before trying to find them.
Certain Instagram profiles won't show in the contact list as they might have denied letting someone find them using their phone number.
#8 Reverse Photo Search
If you have their photo but don't have their name, you can try to reverse search using their images. If you have an Android device, open Google Lens (tap the camera icon in the Google search bar)
On the desktop, go to Google images & click on the camera icon as shown below
Upload the image or paste the link you have to start searching.
#9 Facebook friends
If you think the person you're looking for is active on Facebook or has any mutual Facebook friends, try searching for them on Facebook.
Go through their contact list(friends) on Facebook to find that person's account. You can even look for the person's account if you have their name.
#10 Connect contacts to Instagram
If you have the phone number saved, you can connect contacts to Instagram. This way you can find an exact match based on the person's phone number.
Here's how to find someone on Instagram with their phone numbers:
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Open Instagram & go to your profile
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Tap the burger menu icon in the top right corner
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Tap Discover people. For the first time, if you connect contacts, you will be asked to allow access to your contact list
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Once connected, the Instagram suggestions will be based on your contact list. This way, you can look for the person on Instagram without knowing their username
#11 Other social network
If you want to find someone, irrespective of the social platform, you can do that as well. You can try to find them on other social networks such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Snapchat, and more.
Try to find them by their first & last names, since usernames wouldn't be consistent across social platforms. Unless the person you're trying to find is a business owner & they tend to have the same usernames across all social platforms.
#12 Instagram Discover
If you're looking to connect with random people, then the discover section on Instagram will come in handy. You can find many users in the discover section. You can visit the website version of Instagram to discover people.
#14 Google search
The last method is to discover people on Google if you find them by their name. If you're lucky & the person you're searching for is famous, you'd find their profile in the first shot.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you find people on Instagram without a username?
In case you don't know the username, & if you have any common friends, try to find them in their followers or following.
If you have their number, let Instagram access your contact list & which helps you discover people based on numbers.
How do I find someone on Instagram by username?
Find the person you're looking for with their username. Simply type it in the search tab and switch to the "Accounts" tab to find them.
How do you find out someone's Instagram username?
If you're looking for someone's username, you should either have their real name or their number. With their name, try to find their profile on Google. If you have their number, connect your contact list to Instagram & find them in the Instagram suggestions.
Can I find the Instagram account by name?
You can find them on Instagram using their name. You can either find them on Google, or on Instagram itself.
If you have their phone number, it will be much easier for you to find them. Connect your contact list to the platform & it will list all the profiles that are in your contacts.
How can I find someone without knowing their name?
There are 4 variables that you can search with, Name, username, phone number & photo. In this case, you wouldn't have the name, phone number & username. So reverse image search for their profile using a photo.
How do I find someone on Instagram with just a picture?
Google's reverse search allows users for a profile search based on pictures and location. Use their photo & search with photo on Google.
Can you find someone's Instagram with their phone number?
Connect your contacts to Instagram & let it suggest people on the platform based on their phone numbers. You won't find them if they've chosen to not allow anyone to find them using their phone number.
How do I find a stranger's Instagram?
You can discover people randomly on Instagram. Go to the discover/explore section & go through the posts that show up. Connect with people who post interesting stuff. You can try using stalker apps.
In case you find private accounts, you won't be able to directly follow those Instagram profiles since they might have set limits on their profiles.
Either your friend follows the Instagram profile you're looking for, or the person you're looking for follows your friend. Your friend's profile is the mutual connection in both scenarios.
If the Instagram account you're looking for follows your friend:
-
Go to your friend's profile on the Instagram app
-
Tap on followers count & in the search bar, type the name of the person you're looking for.
If your friend follows the someone you're looking for:
-
Go to your friend's profile
-
Tap on the following count on their profile. On the next screen, you will see a search bar. Enter the name of the person you're looking for. Browse through the search results to find that person.
#2 Search by Username
If you're aware of their username, simply type it in the search bar of the discover section. Open Instagram and tap magnifying glass icon to open discover. Tap on the search bar to find the profile
-
Tap on the accounts tab to find the Instagram profiles of the person you're looking for
#3 Search by First name & Last name
Just like a username, if you know the first & last names of the person, search by that in the search bar. Switch to the "Accounts" tab to filter only the profiles.
#4 Search by places
If you don't know the name or username of the person you're searching for, but know the places they visit often or live, you can search by places. This will take a very long time to find them and is based on an assumption that they post actively on Instagram.
Enter the place in the search bar & explore the posts in the search results. Try to be as specific as possible. This will narrow down the options & help you find the profile you're looking for fast.
#5 Hashtags
Just like places, try to look for the hashtags that you think they might be following or interested in. If you're lucky, you can find their profile from the engagement (likes & comments). Instagram as a search engine is very poor & isn't reliable for accurate search results.
#6 Following
If you're aware of the person's close friends, you can look for their profile & check their following. Find them by name of the person you're looking for. If you look through all the profiles, you may never find the Instagram profile you're looking for.
#7 Phone number
The next method is to find someone using their mobile number. You need to connect the contact list with Instagram to find someone's Instagram profile using their phone numbers. The only prerequisite is that you need to have their number saved before trying to find them.
Certain Instagram profiles won't show in the contact list as they might have denied letting someone find them using their phone number.
#8 Reverse Photo Search
If you have their photo but don't have their name, you can try to reverse search using their images. If you have an Android device, open Google Lens (tap the camera icon in the Google search bar)
On the desktop, go to Google images & click on the camera icon as shown below
Upload the image or paste the link you have to start searching.
#9 Facebook friends
If you think the person you're looking for is active on Facebook or has any mutual Facebook friends, try searching for them on Facebook.
Go through their contact list(friends) on Facebook to find that person's account. You can even look for the person's account if you have their name.
#10 Connect contacts to Instagram
If you have the phone number saved, you can connect contacts to Instagram. This way you can find an exact match based on the person's phone number.
Here's how to find someone on Instagram with their phone numbers:
-
Open Instagram & go to your profile
-
Tap the burger menu icon in the top right corner
-
Tap Discover people. For the first time, if you connect contacts, you will be asked to allow access to your contact list
-
Once connected, the Instagram suggestions will be based on your contact list. This way, you can look for the person on Instagram without knowing their username
#11 Other social network
If you want to find someone, irrespective of the social platform, you can do that as well. You can try to find them on other social networks such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Snapchat, and more.
Try to find them by their first & last names, since usernames wouldn't be consistent across social platforms. Unless the person you're trying to find is a business owner & they tend to have the same usernames across all social platforms.
#12 Instagram Discover
If you're looking to connect with random people, then the discover section on Instagram will come in handy. You can find many users in the discover section. You can visit the website version of Instagram to discover people.
#14 Google search
The last method is to discover people on Google if you find them by their name. If you're lucky & the person you're searching for is famous, you'd find their profile in the first shot.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you find people on Instagram without a username?
In case you don't know the username, & if you have any common friends, try to find them in their followers or following.
If you have their number, let Instagram access your contact list & which helps you discover people based on numbers.
How do I find someone on Instagram by username?
Find the person you're looking for with their username. Simply type it in the search tab and switch to the "Accounts" tab to find them.
How do you find out someone's Instagram username?
If you're looking for someone's username, you should either have their real name or their number. With their name, try to find their profile on Google. If you have their number, connect your contact list to Instagram & find them in the Instagram suggestions.
Can I find the Instagram account by name?
You can find them on Instagram using their name. You can either find them on Google, or on Instagram itself.
If you have their phone number, it will be much easier for you to find them. Connect your contact list to the platform & it will list all the profiles that are in your contacts.
How can I find someone without knowing their name?
There are 4 variables that you can search with, Name, username, phone number & photo. In this case, you wouldn't have the name, phone number & username. So reverse image search for their profile using a photo.
How do I find someone on Instagram with just a picture?
Google's reverse search allows users for a profile search based on pictures and location. Use their photo & search with photo on Google.
Can you find someone's Instagram with their phone number?
Connect your contacts to Instagram & let it suggest people on the platform based on their phone numbers. You won't find them if they've chosen to not allow anyone to find them using their phone number.
How do I find a stranger's Instagram?
You can discover people randomly on Instagram. Go to the discover/explore section & go through the posts that show up. Connect with people who post interesting stuff. You can try using stalker apps.
In case you find private accounts, you won't be able to directly follow those Instagram profiles since they might have set limits on their profiles.