5 easy ways to find your Facebook username and user ID

Facebook is the number one platform for businesses to attract leads and build a strong social media presence. When doing Facebook marketing, you might have come across words like username, URLs, or user ID.

While these terms may seem similar, each holds a unique meaning and relevance on Facebook.

In this updated guide for 2023, we’ve explained:

• What a Facebook username is
• How usernames and user IDs are used on Facebook profiles
• How to find them on all devices
• How to change your username
• Differences between Facebook usernames and Facebook URLs

Looking for a quick answer to what is a Facebook username? 

A Facebook username is a personalized name a user creates that forms part of the URL for a specific Facebook profile or page. 

To find your username, login to Facebook and click your photo at the top-right corner. Then, click your name to open your profile. 

Your Facebook username appears in your web browser's address bar right after https://facebook.com 

It should read like: "facebook.com/your-username"

Want to know about this in-depth? Read this blog or jump to the desired section from the table of contents: 

What is a Facebook username?

A Facebook username is a user-defined, customized name of an individual’s Facebook profile or page. 

It is used to create a user-friendly and memorable URL. The username typically follows “facebook.com/” in the URL. 

How to find your Facebook username on the desktop? 

If you’ve searched for ‘How to find my username on Facebook,’ you must have noticed that the steps guiding you to do it differ from what you can see. 

This is because Facebook has updated its interface. As of October 2023, here are the updated steps to find your Facebook username on the desktop:

Step 1. Sign in to your Facebook account.

Step 2. Click on the small down arrow (∨) of your profile picture.

It is in the upper-right corner of the Facebook homepage to the notification bar. 

Step 3. Click the menu and select the ‘Settings’ icon. 

Select ‘Settings’ from ‘Settings and privacy.’

A new page will open.

Step 4. Click ‘See more in Account Center.’

You’ll see this section at the top-left corner of the page.

Step 5. Click the Facebook account you want to find the username of. 

Note: You’ll see multiple accounts here if you have multiple Facebook accounts (or you’re also on Instagram). 

Step 6. Click ‘Username.’ You will see your username here.

If you want to change or customize your username, click the ‘Edit’ option. Once the username is available, click ‘Save changes.’

Here’s a GIF clip showing how to find your Facebook username on the desktop:

If you don’t see your username using the above steps, do this: 

1. Click your profile photo at the top-right corner of Facebook

1. Click your name to open your profile. 

Your Facebook username now appears in your web browser’s address bar right after “https://facebook.com/“

If you didn’t select a custom username, it may be a long string of numbers. 

Something like this: 

How to find my Facebook username on the mobile app? 

Here are the updated steps as of October 2023 to find your unique Facebook username on the mobile app: 

Step 1. Launch the Facebook app.

Step 2. Tap on the menu and select the ‘Settings’ icon 

It is below ‘Settings & privacy.’ 

Step 3. Tap on ‘See more in Account Center.’ 

From there, navigate to the profile section and select the profile you want to find the Facebook username of. 

Note: If you have multiple Facebook accounts (or you’re also on Instagram), you’ll see multiple accounts here. 

Step 4. Tap on your Facebook profile name.

Step 5. Tap ‘Username.’ 

Your Facebook username appears here.

Check this GIF clip showing how to find my Facebook username on the mobile app:

Differences between Facebook username and Facebook URL 

People often wonder, “Are Facebook usernames and Facebook URLs the same?” The answer is no. 

A Facebook URL is the web address that leads to a specific Facebook profile, page, group, or content. 

It is a direct link to a specific location on Facebook and typically appears in the format “facebook.com/your-username” or “facebook.com/your-page-name.”

Recommended read: 7 ways to find your Facebook URL in 2023

A Facebook username is a customized name you can set for your profile or page, which is used to create a user-friendly and memorable URL. 

It’s part of the Facebook URL, usually following ‘facebook.com/’. 

The username and URL can be distinct if a custom username is not set.

The username is part of the URL on that platform but is not the same as the URL itself.

Here are five key differences between a Facebook URL and a Facebook username: 

How to find your Facebook Business page username?

If you’re looking at how to find your Facebook Business username, here are 2 ways to find it from your desktop: 

Way #1 to find your Facebook Business page username:

Step 1. Log into Facebook.

Then, click your profile photo in the top right.

Step 2. Click ‘See all Profiles.’

A drop-down menu will pop up. Select the page you want to switch to.

Step 3. Click your page’s profile picture in the top right.

Step 4. Click ‘Settings & privacy,’ then click ‘Settings.’

In the left menu, click your Page’s name.

Step 5. Below the ‘General Page settings,’ you’ll see the username.

Here’s a GIF showing how to find your Facebook Business page username.

Way #2 to find your Facebook Business page username: 

Step 1: Search the page you want to know the Facebook username of. 

Step 2. Click the name that appears from the list of searches. 

The page’s Facebook username now appears in your web browser’s address bar right after https://facebook.com/. 

It should look something like this: 

How to create a new or change username for your Facebook Business page?

If you’ve already created a username before but want to change it, here’s how to create a username for your Facebook Business Page as per the 2023 interface:

Step 1. Log into Facebook, then click your profile photo in the top right.

Step 2. Click ‘See all Profiles.’

Select the Page you want to switch to.

Step 3. Click your Page’s profile picture in the top right.

Step 4. Click ‘Settings & privacy,’ then click ‘Settings.’

In the left menu, click your Page’s name.

Step 5. Below ‘General Page settings,’ click ‘Edit’ next to Username.

Step 6. Enter a username.

If the username is available, click ‘Save’.

Here’s a GIF clip showing how to create a new or change username for your Facebook Business page.

Recommended read: How to add an admin to a Facebook page – Complete guide 

Guidelines for custom usernames

Facebook has a few guidelines to adhere to when changing/updating/creating a username. Here are those: 

1. You’re allowed to have only one username for your Page or profile, which must be unique. 

2. Usernames can consist only of alphanumeric characters (A-Z, 0-9) and periods (“.”) but should not include generic terms or extensions like “.com” or “.net.”

3. Your username must be at least five characters in length.

4. Differentiating usernames using periods (“.”) or capitalization (uppercase/lowercase) is not permitted. For instance, “kennyroy09,” “Kenny.Roy09,” and “kenny.roy09” will all be considered the same username.

5. Your username should not impersonate or mimic someone else’s identity.

6. Your chosen username must adhere to the Facebook Terms. 

Recommended read: Decoding Facebook Messenger icons and symbols

What is a Facebook user ID?

A Facebook user ID is a unique numerical identifier assigned to each user when they sign up. 

It helps the platform keep track of user-specific data and activities. 

User IDs are used in the background to manage various aspects of the Facebook user experience, such as friend requests, messaging, and account security.

What makes Facebook user IDs different? 

Here are a few things you should know about Facebook user IDs: 

• Uniqueness: This ID is not visible to other users and is primarily used for internal purposes by Facebook to manage user accounts and interactions. 

• Background use: It differs from a username or profile URL, as a series of numbers associated with your account. 

• Differ from URLs: User IDs are distinct from profile URLs, which can include customized usernames the user chooses.

• Security: Facebook user IDs play a crucial role in the platform’s privacy and security measures. ensuring smooth user interactions and enhanced control.

Why is Facebook user ID important?

The Facebook user ID holds significant value for the internal team. It contributes to seamless functioning, which is a fundamental yet often overlooked aspect of the Facebook experience. Here are a few important operations it handles: 

• Account management to identify and manage user accounts.

• Data organization to structure user data, activities, and interactions.

• Security to allow control and prevent unauthorized access or impersonation.

• User interactions to facilitate friend requests, messaging, and tagging in posts and photos.

• Data analysis to track user behavior, preferences, and engagement for data analysis and advertising.

• Internal operations to ensure efficiency and data organization.

How to find a Facebook user ID?

Unlike usernames, URLs, or profile names, user IDs are not designed to be user-friendly and are typically not visible to other users. But there is still a way to find your Facebook user ID. 

Here’s how: 

Step 1. Sign in to your Facebook account. 

Step 2. Right-click and select ‘View the source code’ 

If you’re on macOS: 

• Press the CMD+OPTION+U 

If you’re on Windows: 

• CTRL+U 

The source code of the profile page will show up.

Step 3. Type “ACCOUNT_ID” or “User_ID.”

If you’re on macOS: 

• Press the CMD+F  

If you’re on Windows: 

• CTRL+F

There you have it: You can see your Facebook account ID or user ID next to the text “ACCOUNT_ID” or “User_ID.”

Here’s a screenshot of how it’ll look: 

FAQ on Facebook username

Discover your Facebook username and enhance your online reputation with Birdeye Social

Finding your Facebook username becomes simple when you know how to do it. The steps described above will help you do it quickly. 

Once your username is sorted, you can streamline and manage your social media marketing across all the platforms with Birdeye Social. 

Birdeye Social’s AI-powered capabilities empower multi-location businesses like yours to be active, engage with your audience more closely, and grow your reputation online. 

It takes all the stress and confusion out of your social media manager’s hands as it: 

• Automates content creation 
• Drafts holiday posts with ease 
• Fixes grammar and spelling errors 
• Suggests relevant and popular hashtags 
• Recommends apt images based on prompts
• Customize posts to make them shorter or longer
• Turns your best reviews into social posts in a few clicks
• Schedules multiple posts across all social media profiles 
• Measures top-performing content, social reach, engagement, and audience growth

That’s not all. Birdeye Social comes with many more benefits! 

Make local social media management stress-free with everything done on a platform. Click on the banner to learn more about it. 

Originally published Oct 30, 2023