Have you ever wondered if someone you know is maintaining a secret Instagram account? Maybe you’ve caught them switching profiles or mentioning posts you can’t find. You’re not alone in your curiosity.

According to the stats, Instagram’s 2.4 billion-strong user base isn’t solely about single accounts. Many users juggle multiple profiles for various reasons: separating their work and personal lives, exploring niche interests, and a handful keeping their online interactions private (not exclusive to, but often seen in relationships).

If you’re curious whether someone has more than one Instagram account, you’ve come to the right place. I’m about to share the methods and tools I’ve personally tried and found effective. Read on…

1. Make good use of Instagram’s built-in features

Instagram offers a slew of features you can use to discover potential connected accounts. Here’s how to make the best of them:

• Bio check: Look for direct mentions of other accounts, links, or subtle hints about separate profiles.
• Search bar: Try searching for variations of the person’s name or username, known catchphrases they use, or even combinations like “[Name] + photographer” if you suspect they have a separate account for their hobbies.
  
  In the meanwhile, remember that people often reuse usernames across platforms, so check handles they use on other social media (like Discord, Snapchat, or Reddit) and search for those on Instagram. If you have their email address, you could even search for the part before the @ symbol, there is chance it could yield results.
• Following/followers lists: Connected accounts often follow each other. Keep an eye out for similar usernames, matching profile pictures, or accounts with suspiciously similar content. Also, if you and the person have mutual friends on Instagram, don’t forget to check their Following and Followers lists too (as people often share secrets with their inner circles)
• Mutual connections: If you have a strong relationship with a mutual friend and believe they might have valuable insights about the person’s hidden account, consider reaching out to them for more information.
• Sync contacts: In your profile page, tap the hamburger icon > Account Center > Your information and permissions > Upload contacts. Then make sure the button for Connect contacts is toggled on (For a clearer view of the step-by-step process, right-click the screenshot below and select ‘Open image in new tab’).
  
  
  
  After syncing contacts, tap See all to view suggested accounts, and check if there are any accounts that look like a secondary profile of the person you’re investigating.
  
  
  
  

2. Use an Instagram finder

While Instagram’s built-in features are helpful, sometimes you will need to look beyond the app to uncover hidden accounts. That’s where a social media finder comes in handy. True to their name, a social media finder typically digs through various sources – from social networks to commercial databases to proprietary databases – to give you a detailed snapshot of someone’s online presence.

In my quest to find the most effective tool for uncovering Instagram accounts, I tested numerous social media finders. Among them, TruthFinder emerged as my top pick, distinguishing itself with higher success rate in uncovering IG profiles.

Here’s how to use TruthFinder to check if someone has a second or third Instagram account:

Head over to TruthFinder’s official website, then enter the name of the person you’re investigating.

The engine will start checking the name against the millions of data sources. When it finds a match, it will gather the associated records into a personal background report. This report may include valuable information: personal details, phone numbers, email addresses, social media profiles (Instagram included), and other potentially relevant data. You can check the SOCIAL section to see the social media accounts that person owns.

TruthFinder integrates a username search function inside the report. This will scan over 200 websites and platforms for profiles associated with the username. If you know any common usernames the person uses, try searching for these directly.

Take any new information you’ve found (emails, phone numbers, usernames) and cross-reference it on Instagram (as covered in Method 1).

3. Google

Google can be another useful tool to help you track down someone’s additional Instagram accounts. With a few clever search techniques, you might uncover accounts you hadn’t found through other methods.

For example, you can use the site operator site:instagram.com and put the name/username in quotes to refine the search results(e.g. site:instagram.com “john smith”).

What if you only have a partial name or username?

• Search for known fragments: If their main account is “@john_smith_95”, try Googling variations like “john_smith Instagram” or “johnsmith95 Instagram”.
• Use wildcards: Try “john* smith* Instagram” to catch variations you might not have thought of.
  

And if you’re dealing with a common name:

• Add context: Search “[Name] [City] Instagram” or “[Name] [Workplace] Instagram”.
  
• Include hobbies: Try “[Name] photography Instagram” or “[Name] fitness Instagram” if you think hobbies or interests may be related to a secondary account.
  

Pro tips:

• Don’t forget to check Google Images – profile pictures often lead to alternate accounts.
• Try searching for known usernames on related sites like Twitter, TikTok, or LinkedIn, then use any new information you find to circle back to Instagram.

4. Reverse Image Search

As we all know, Instagram is all about photos and videos. People often use the same profile picture or favorite shots on different accounts. So, running a reverse image search can help you find other Instagram accounts they might have.

Google Reverse Image Search: The most widely used and accessible option. Simply go to images.google.com, click on the camera icon, and upload a photo or paste an image URL. Google will then show you visually similar images and the websites where they appear.

Social Catfish (paid service): Social Catfish is an online investigation platform designed specifically to find and verify identities. It’s particularly useful for searching across multiple social media platforms, including Instagram. By uploading a photo, you can potentially uncover accounts that use the same or similar images.

FaceCheck.ID (paid service): As the name suggests, FaceCheck.ID specializes in facial recognition. It can be especially helpful if you’re working with profile pictures or other face-forward images.

Pro Tip: When using reverse image search, try searching with different pictures of the person, such as their profile picture, tagged photos, or images they’ve shared on other social media platforms. The more images you search with, the higher the chances of uncovering their hidden Instagram account.

The information available on these people search websites may not be 100% accurate, complete, or up to date, so do not use it as a substitute for your own due diligence, especially if you have concerns about a person’s criminal history. The services we mention do not make any representation or warranty about the accuracy of the information available through their services or about the character or integrity of the person about whom you inquire. For more information, please review each service’s Terms of Use.

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1. “According to Instagram’s Help Center, users can opt out of ‘Similar Account Suggestions’ ” (Instagram Help Center).↩