What Is an Instagram User ID and How Do You Find It?

An Instagram user ID is the number that identifies an account, separate from the @username people see. Developer tools, ad platforms and integrations work with IDs because usernames can be changed at any time. To find the ID of a public account, enter its username in an ID lookup such as our Instagram user ID finder. If you connect your own professional account to an app through Meta’s official API, the app receives the account’s ID directly.

Key points

• A username (like @metricsaurus) is a changeable label. The user ID is a number used by systems to refer to the account.
• Meta’s Instagram API looks up accounts by ID: requests use the form GET /<IG_USER_ID>.
• The ID an app receives through the API can be app-scoped, so different apps may see different IDs for the same account.
• Instagram doesn’t show the user ID anywhere in the app’s profile screen.
• An ID isn’t sensitive the way a password is, but it is no reason to share login details with an “ID tool”.

What is the difference between an Instagram username and user ID?

The username is what people type to find you. It can be changed in Edit profile. The user ID is a long number that systems use to keep track of the account, whatever its username is at the time.

Why would I need an Instagram user ID?

Mostly for technical work:

• Developer integrations. Meta’s Instagram Graph API reads account fields (username, bio, follower count, media count and so on) by user ID.
• Dashboards and social tools. Analytics or scheduling tools may ask for the ID so they keep tracking the right account after a username change.
• Support and debugging. An ID clears up confusion when two accounts have similar names, or when a name has changed.

Most people never need it. If you just want to follow, mention or link to someone, the username is enough.

How do I find an Instagram user ID?

For any public account (desktop or mobile)

1. Copy the account’s username, without the @.
2. Open our Instagram user ID finder in any browser.
3. Paste the username and run the lookup.
4. Copy the numeric ID shown.

Lookups depend on Instagram responding to public requests, and Instagram sometimes rate-limits them. If a lookup fails, wait a few minutes and try again.

For your own professional account (developers)

1. Connect your Instagram professional account to your app with an official Meta login (Instagram Login or Facebook Login for Business).
2. Call the Graph API endpoint for the connected user with the id and username fields.
3. Store the returned ID in your app and use it in later requests.

Meta’s documentation describes the id field as an app-scoped user ID, and lists a separate legacy ID field for older Marketing API endpoints. Don’t assume an ID from one tool will work in another app’s API calls.

Does an Instagram user ID ever change?

Changing your username doesn’t give you a new account, and tools rely on the ID precisely because the handle can change. For API work, though, remember that Meta describes the API’s ID as app-scoped. The value is consistent within your app, but it isn’t a universal public identifier.

Is it safe to share my Instagram user ID?

An ID on its own doesn’t give anyone access to your account. It is broadly equivalent to telling someone your username. The real risk is tools that ask for your password “to find your ID” or “to see who viewed your profile”. No ID lookup needs your password. If a site asks for it, close it. Our article on whether you can see who views your Instagram profile explains why those viewer apps don’t work.

Need the name side instead? See how to change your Instagram username. To check public counts for an account, use the Instagram follower count tool.

If you’re setting up tools to grow an account, our Instagram followers packages are the direct route.

Sources

• Meta for Developers: IG User reference
• Instagram Help: Change your username