How to use the Handle Consistency Checker
- Type your handle and display name. Enter the handle with or without the @. Add your display name if you want the tool to check that name and handle point to each other.
- Read the format result on each network. Every network row says valid or not, names the exact rule that fails (length, character, or a separator at the start or end), and gives the nearest valid variant.
- Enter the handles you already own. If you already hold a different handle somewhere, type it in that row. The distance table then uses your real handles instead of the suggestions.
- Review look-alike risk and copy the block. Check the near copies list for names someone could register next to yours, then copy the My handles block into your link-in-bio page.
What the handle checker tests, and where its rules come from
What it checks
For each of seven networks the tool tests length, every character against the allowed set, and the first and last character against the separator rules. A failing row lists each broken rule separately, then builds the closest valid handle by swapping separators the network does not accept, removing characters it does not allow, trimming bad edges and cutting to the length limit. If too little is left, it says so rather than inventing letters.
It then measures edit distance between every pair of final handles, scans for look-alike characters in the handle and name, lists single-swap near copies, and compares your display name with the handle. The My handles block uses the final handles and the correct display form for each network.
Sources for the rules
YouTube: YouTube Help, handle naming guidelines (support.google.com/youtube/answer/11585688). Mastodon: app/models/account.rb in the Mastodon source code. Bluesky: the AT Protocol handle specification at atproto.com. X, Instagram, Threads and TikTok: widely documented figures that we could not confirm on the official pages, so each is labelled approximate. All checks were made in October 2026.
Limitations
Networks change handle rules, and some reserve words or block names for reasons this tool cannot see. A handle that passes here can still be refused. The look-alike list covers common single swaps, not every confusable character in Unicode. Mastodon addresses include a server name that this tool cannot know. Treat the result as a plan to take into each sign-up screen, not a guarantee.
Frequently asked questions
Does this tell me whether a handle is available?
No. It checks format only: length, allowed characters and where a separator may sit. None of these networks offers a public lookup that a web tool could call, so availability has to be checked in each app or on each profile page. The near copies list gives you names worth searching for by hand.
Which handle rules are verified and which are approximate?
YouTube's rule (3 to 30 characters, letters, numbers, underscores, hyphens and periods, never at the start or end) comes from YouTube Help. Mastodon's (30 characters, letters, digits and underscore) comes from its source code. The Bluesky label shape follows the AT Protocol handle specification. The X, Instagram, Threads and TikTok rules could not be fetched from their help pages in October 2026, so those rows say widely documented, approximate.
Why does Bluesky look different from the others?
A Bluesky handle is a domain name. On the free option it is your name plus .bsky.social, so the part you choose follows domain label rules: letters, digits and hyphens, no hyphen at either end, and no underscores or periods. Domain names ignore case, so the variant is lowercased. A custom domain you own can be a different handle entirely.
What does the distance table measure?
It uses Levenshtein distance, the number of single-character insertions, deletions or swaps needed to turn one handle into another. mel.owen and mel_owen are 1 apart. A visitor can usually link handles 1 or 2 apart. Beyond about 3 they start to look like different people.
What are look-alike characters and why do they matter?
Some characters are drawn almost the same: the digit 0 and the letter O, 1 and lowercase l, and the pair rn that reads as m. Cyrillic and Greek letters can be pixel-identical to Latin ones. Most networks restrict handles to plain ASCII, but display names are looser, so the tool also scans the name. Anyone copying your brand can use these to build a convincing fake.
Is my handle sent anywhere?
No. The checks run in your browser and nothing is stored or transmitted. Refreshing the page clears the fields.