Instagram allows a return to a previous name in most situations
The help page on previous usernames says you can usually change back if the name is still free of a new holder.
Two things stop it
- A new person now holds the handle.
- The handle was recently removed from an active account you do not own.
Try it yourself first
Open Edit profile or Accounts Center and enter the old handle. If it works, no claim is needed.
If someone else holds it, you need a route
The swap route is not one. Impersonation or a registered mark may fit. See the checklist.
Keep a record of your old handles
A note of past usernames helps if you need to show that the name was yours.
Official sources
Platforms change their help pages and forms often. Follow the wording on your own screen and the current Help Center. Ogclaim is an independent service and is not affiliated with Meta or any platform named on this site.