How to Snap Up that Twitter Username You’ve Always Wanted
Written on 8th January 2009
142 COMMENTS 
Zee, Editor in Chief at The Next Web, Principal at WeDoCreative.
I’m going to do something here which I tend to not normally do and use myself as an example.
(by the way, if you really don’t want to read the story behind this post then just skip to the “I followed this process” section below)
I signed up to twitter almost two years ago now but that still wasn’t early enough to get my hands on my usual username of choice @zee. This then lead to me using a number of different but highly unsatisfactory alternatives. After checking back relatively frequently, I noticed a name had actually been typed into the twitter.com/zee account page in the ‘name’ field – although the last actual update on the account was months ago. After about 3/4 attempts contacting the account owner via searches on linkedin and facebook, I thought i’d contact Twitter support with the request – unfortunately, no response.
Yesterday, however, a breakthrough. Rochelle on Friendfeed directed me to a Get Satisfaction discussion highlighting exactly how to acquire twitter usernames which had already been snapped up but lay unused.
I followed this process:
- Emailed username@twitter.com with the following information:
• The username you want
• Your existing username, if you have one
• Whether you want to change your username, or start a new account with the username you’re requesting - I received confirmation the email had been received a few minutes later, then another email asking me to reply with the above information (if I hadn’t already provided it).
- Literally, an hour later, I had my account switched from @zeedotme to @zee.
Criteria for Reclaiming a Username on Twitter
While the process appears to have been improved, the same criteria allowing someone to gain access to a name seems to remain.
We generally have a 9 month rule; if a profile has been inactive for more than 9 months, we release the user name. In cases where the account has never been updated, Twitter can write the owner of the username about releasing it, but results vary.
Best of luck!
The Next Web Blog is closely associated with The Next Web Conference which is held annually in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. At this event speakers from all over the world come together to talk about, and show off, the future of the Web. (More info 
how to snap up that Twitter username you’ve always wanted http://is.gd/eQMO
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RT @Zee: how to snap up that Twitter username you’ve always wanted http://is.gd/eQMO
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RT: RT @Zee: how to snap up that Twitter username you’ve always wanted http://is.gd/eQMO http://tinyurl.com/6v4l3f
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How to Snap Up that Twitter Username You’ve Always Wanted http://tinyurl.com/8vhtwr [via Zee on FF) — Wondering whether to change mine.
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@jimwolffman @JulieGibbons meant to send this on earlier for usernames You might get the ones you want. http://tinyurl.com/8vhtwr
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is there a twitter name you want but it’s already registered and inactive? There is a way to get it http://is.gd/eQMO
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@chud__ RT @tombeardshaw is there a twitter name you want but it’s already registered & inactive? There is a way to get it http://is.gd/eQMO
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is there a twitter name you want but it’s already registered and inactive? There is a way to get it http://is.gd/eQMO (via @tombeardshaw)
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How to Snap Up that Twitter Username You’ve Always Wanted: http://is.gd/eQMO
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How to Snap Up that Twitter Username You’ve Always Wanted: http://tinyurl.com/8vhtwr
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RT @jordisoler: How to Snap Up that Twitter Username You’ve Always Wanted: http://tinyurl.com/8vhtwr
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@l4zyn3rd thought this might interest you: http://tinyurl.com/8vhtwr
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Via @yoha_ahoy: Get the Twitter username you always wanted: http://tinyurl.com/8vhtwr
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del.icio.us: How to Snap Up that Twitter Username You’ve Always Wanted « TheNextWeb.com http://tinyurl.com/8vhtwr
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[...] Claim the usename you always wanted. Got this tip from @roshnimo on twitter. Few simple steps. Email username@twitter.com with your desired username and twitter will review if the requested name can be released and allocated to you. Only catch is that the username you are trying to claim should be inactive for more than 9 months. I submitted my request to get @saurabh. More details here. [...]
@tipjoy http://tinyurl.com/8vhtwr
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[...] How to Snap Up that Twitter Username You’ve Always Wanted [...]
changed my twitter id to @jake (check out http://is.gd/eQMO by @zee to find out how I did it)
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@styletime if you want to get your @Roger username check this out :) http://bit.ly/Rcin
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@__abi_ go request @abi account : http://tinyurl.com/8vhtwr
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@_abi_ go request @abi account : http://tinyurl.com/8vhtwr
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This is an interesting article on how you can get the Twitter name you always wanted. http://tinyurl.com/8vhtwr
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RT @ctrflowers: This is an interesting article on how you can get the Twitter name you always wanted. http://tinyurl.com/8vhtwr
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Get Twitter Name You Always Wanted http://bit.ly/Rcin http://TweetMania.com
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@jdbradford check out http://bit.ly/Rcin had been trying via website support for ages with no luck. Then followed that, 36hr later a new ID.
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How to Snap Up that Twitter Username You’ve Always Wanted: http://tinyurl.com/8vhtwr
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Could be helpful: How to Snap Up that Twitter Username You’ve Always Wanted! via @steverubel http://tinyurl.com/8vhtwr
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If your username is taken on Twitter here’s how to get it back: http://bit.ly/Rcin
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SO EASY! THX! RT: @Bookgal If your username is taken on Twitter here’s how to get it back: http://bit.ly/Rcin
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How to acquire twitter usernames which had already been snapped up but lay unused: http://is.gd/eQMO
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[...] last week I came across this blog post that actually explains you how to get the Twitter username you’ve always wanted. Here is what [...]
i got my twitter username switched to “CeeBee” — twitter folks came thru with the hookup. thanks to zee on friendfeed: http://bit.ly/Rcin
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Reading: “How to Snap Up that Twitter Username You’ve Always Wanted « TheNextWeb.com” ( http://tinyurl.com/8vhtwr )
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How to get the Twitter-username you always wanted. Great post: http://tinyurl.com/8vhtwr
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Reading: “How to Snap Up that Twitter Username You’ve Always Wanted « TheNextWeb.com” ( http://tinyurl.com/8vhtwr )
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@zee Just read your post about getting a taken but unused twitter username (thanks , @klauseck ). Great advice! http://bit.ly/Rcin
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How to Snap Up that Twitter Username You’ve Always Wanted – http://tinyurl.com/8vhtwr
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[...] How to Snap Up that Twitter Username You’ve Always Wanted « TheNextWeb.com (tags: marketing twitter howto username) [...]
@pascalvanhecke Your desired Twitter name has been account-squatted? Reclaim it if it’s been inactive for 9 months http://tinyurl.com/8vhtwr
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@sketchy1210 hello, I got mine assigned at the weekend, I followed the instructions at http://bit.ly/Rcin and they changed it in 36 hours
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Twitter username being squatted? Try this: http://tinyurl.com/8vhtwr
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So you want a new Twitter name? check this out: http://is.gd/eQMO
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debating whether i should request ‘morgan’ as my twitter name instead of ‘morganb’ – idk. is it worth it? http://bit.ly/Rcin
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@clairewatson. This seems made for you… http://tinyurl.com/8vhtwr
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RT @clairewatson @Neilmajor How to Snap Up that Twitter Username You’ve Always Wanted! http://tinyurl.com/8vhtwr Awesome!
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@uanspike there is a way to claim @queenstown because it’s inactive for more than 9 months: http://bit.ly/Rcin
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Para aqueles que gostariam de outro login do Twitter (foi assim que consegui @bruno): http://tinyurl.com/8vhtwr
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How to Snap Up that Twitter Username You’ve Always Wanted http://is.gd/eQMO (via @dine)
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@bany talvez te interesse – um amigo meu conseguiu o @bruno por conta disso: http://tinyurl.com/8vhtwr
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Tentando “pegar” o arroba lucas no twitter pra mim, graças a esse link (via @chesterbr): http://tinyurl.com/8vhtwr
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@admore – HUGE thank you! Thanks to you, I got @shama from a dead account. = )http://bit.ly/Rcin
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[...] How to Snap Up that Twitter Username You’ve Always Wanted – From TheNextWeb.com. I’ve been trying to contact the owner of @northernlight with no success for months. The owner is protected and has only 3 updates. Hope it works! [...]
[...] It wasn’t. But, it hadn’t been used for over a year. I remember Biz Stone (co founder of Twitter) saying that if an account hadn’t been used for 9 months, I could email Twitter support and ask them to make the switch. This was last October. I submitted ticket after support ticket to Twitter support-but to no avail. Then, finally, @admore on Twitter pointed me to this great article on how to snap up a twitter name. [...]
Para aqueles que gostariam de outro login do Twitter (é assim que espero conseguir @cassiano): http://tinyurl.com/8vhtwr
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@nvh Easy: http://is.gd/eQMO
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@spetzekille Mit ein wenig Googlen ist eigentlich ganz einfach: http://tinyurl.com/8vhtwr
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@spetzekille Mit ein wenig Googlen ist es eigentlich ganz einfach: http://tinyurl.com/8vhtwr
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@sascomeditor scratch that last URL – it’s this one: http://bit.ly/Rcin
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@richtelford haha np mate, how did it go? bored shitless here. have you seen this? [ http://is.gd/eQMO ] I’ve applied for @id
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Succesfully acquired inactive username @TweetaBook!!! Instructions, read this: http://tinyurl.com/8vhtwr
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@1TimRoberts @MikeHartman1 How to get the twitter username you want http://is.gd/eQMO
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Let’s try this again. RT @Twitter_Tips: TAKE AN EXISTING NAME http://tinyurl.com/8vhtwr
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Want a twitter username but its already taken? Go http://tinyurl.com/8vhtwr
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@nikkelindqvist guide here http://tinyurl.com/8vhtwr
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Retweeting @bruno: Para aqueles que gostariam de outro login do Twitter (foi assim que consegui @nitz): http://tinyurl.com/8vhtwr
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@neoskyzo http://tinyurl.com/8vhtwr
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[...] 10. How to snap up that Twitter username you’ve always wanted. [...]
Good stuff if you want a certain name RT @WHYRESCUE Let’s try this again. RT @Twitter_Tips: TAKE AN EXISTING NAME http://tinyurl.com/8vhtwr
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RT(?) How to snap that Twitter username you’ve always wanted http://is.gd/eQMO
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@jamesstevenson Try this link: http://tinyurl.com/8vhtwr
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[...] ich nicht wusste: Twitter schaltet inaktive Accounts nach einiger Zeit ab. In How to Snap Up that Twitter Username You’ve Always Wanted beschreibt Zee, wann wie und warum. Merken Sie sich diesen Artikel in einem Social Bookmarking [...]
@techfluffTV check out http://bit.ly/Rcin written by @zee
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@1TimRoberts How to get the twitter username you want http://is.gd/eQMO Tim this worked for me, it took about 4 days, but got MikeHartman.
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don’t forget: I’ve changed to @jake (I’m no longer @jstride)- check out http://bit.ly/Rcin by @zee as lots of people have asked how I did it
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@wrighty I’m sure it was our combined devilish good looks & a winning smile that sealed the deal. And some tips from @zee http://bit.ly/Rcin
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RT@MikeHartman How to get the twitter username you want http://is.gd/eQMO Tim this worked for me, it took about 4 days, but got MikeHartman.
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@jonscott2008 It’s apparently possible to change your username without affecting your followers/friends, source: http://is.gd/eQMO
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Is your Twitter name taken? No worries. http://bit.ly/Rcin
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@t_scape http://bit.ly/Rcin
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@ertje20 http://bit.ly/Rcin In deze post staat het uit gelegd
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If your username is taken on Twitter here’s how to get it back: http://bit.ly/Rcin
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RT @Bookgal: If your username is taken on Twitter here’s how to get it back: http://bit.ly/Rcin
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RT @BookMarketer: RT @Bookgal: If your username is taken on Twitter here’s how to get it back: http://bit.ly/Rcin – nice article @zee
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RT @Bookgal If your username is taken on Twitter here’s how to get it back: http://bit.ly/Rcin
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@iPhil http://tinyurl.com/8vhtwr Google isn’t your friend?
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@aroxo yes & no. I was jstride and tried via Twitter support to change for a while. Then read http://bit.ly/Rcin by @zee and got it in 36hrs
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@SimonTalBal Que tu crois, malheureux!La bataille des noms n’est pas figée sur twitter: http://tinyurl.com/8vhtwr
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@sammathews tried for ages via normal support, then followed @zee instructions at http://bit.ly/Rcin
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Alas, there isn’t really a way to get an already taken but not active twitter account. http://tinyurl.com/8vhtwr
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[...] this month Zee explained “How to Snap Up that Twitter Username You’ve Always Wanted“. We were stuck with [...]
reclaim your OWN twitter name or ANY name you want! http://bit.ly/Rcin
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@lizzharmon some suggested reading – - http://tinyurl.com/8vhtwr
http://tinyurl.com/45svut
http://tinyurl.com/acmkln
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[...] I was pretty excited to read that you could change your name on Twitter when there are inactive accounts that use your preferred name (I found out from an old friend of mine that actually did it, when she sent me this article). [...]
If your username is taken on Twitter here’s how to get it back: http://bit.ly/Rcin
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RT @Bookgal If your username is taken on Twitter here’s how to get it back: http://bit.ly/Rcin
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@lindackcrook this may help with reclaiming the other username: http://is.gd/eQMO
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@MrSocial you can send request to twitter to get that handle freed. Check http://is.gd/eQMO
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@yiannopoulos How to Snap Up that Twitter Username You’ve Always Wanted! http://tinyurl.com/8vhtwr take around 2 weeks to process!
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How to Snap Up that Twitter Username You’ve Always Wanted! http://tinyurl.com/8vhtwr take around 2 weeks to process! (via @chloe)
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[...] every situation. What if your first and last name are too long? Or what if someone else has already taken your exact match Twitter [...]
If your username is taken on Twitter here’s how to get it back: http://bit.ly/Rcin
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@grumpling You can claim an old unloved handle: http://tinyurl.com/8vhtwr
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[...] writing this post, I came across an article from The Next Web, which is a brief how-to for recovering the twitter username you wanted. But the question is when your Agency CEO/CTO or Marketing/Communications Manager comes to you [...]
@RealAudreyKitch http://tinyurl.com/8vhtwr The link will tell you how to get a better twitter username.
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@Dave_Gorman Quick & easy way to change username: http://tinyurl.com/8vhtwr
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If your username is taken on Twitter here’s how to get it back: http://bit.ly/Rcin
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RT @Bookgal If your username is taken on Twitter here’s how to get it back: http://bit.ly/Rcin
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Snap Up that Twitter Username You’ve Wanted: http://thenextweb.com/2009/01/.....ys-wanted/
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[...] For brands who find themselves in a situation where they want to evict Twitter squatters there does appear to be a simple process of contacting Twitter who will try to reclaim your username unders certain conditions. This process is clearly explained in a useful post by TheNextWeb. [...]
[...] How to Snap Up that Twitter Username You’ve Always Wanted – The Next Web (tags: twitter username howto) [...]