This Tool Finds Matching Usernames Across 400 Social Networks.
Want to check if a particular internet address you came across online (or created yourself) is used on any other social networks or websites? Sherlock is a free command line application that scans around 400 social networks and finds accounts that match any username you enter.
Using this service couldn’t be simpler: just open it and type in “sherlock” followed by the username you want to search for. The program will check every site it can access and tell you where accounts matching your username exist, along with a link to the corresponding profile page. This is useful in two ways: finding people on multiple websites and checking to see if the username you’re about to use is taken on other sites.
Find a specific username wherever it is registered.
Of course, the first of these use cases is not foolproof. First, some people use different handles on different sites. On the other hand, accounts with the same name on different websites will not necessarily belong to the same person or brand (for example, most of the accounts in the screenshot at the top of this post do not belong to Lifehacker). However, simply knowing where other accounts with the same username exist is a great starting point if you’re wondering what other sites the person you’re looking for regularly uses.
Check if your username is used almost anywhere
The second scenario, checking whether the handle you are about to use is widely available on the Internet, is probably much more useful. Whether you’re thinking about starting a company or just experimenting with a new nickname online, it’s helpful to know if anyone else is using the name you’ve chosen.
How to set up Sherlock on macOS, Linux and Windows
Yes, Sherlock is useful, but it is a bit difficult to set up.
On a Mac, the easiest way to solve this problem is to install the service using Homebrew , which makes installing and updating Mac apps much easier . Once Homebrew is set up, all you need to do is open that application and type ” brew install sherlock" to install. If you’re a Linux user, things are simpler: your package manager most likely already offers Sherlock.
Unfortunately, with Windows things are much more complicated. On this system I recommended that you configure pipx to install. It is a kind of package manager for Python scripts. This process probably won’t be easy if you’re not already familiar with the command line, but as an overview, you’ll need to install Python , then use pip to install pipx, and then use pipx to install Sherlock. Yes, it’s too complex to use one simple tool. But once everything is set up, Sherlock will be easier to use – and it might be worth it.