What is a Twitter user ID converter?
A Twitter user ID converter is a tool that turns an X handle into the account's numeric user ID, or an ID back into the handle. X doesn't show the ID anywhere on a profile, but apps, APIs and data exports use it, so you sometimes need to look it up.
What's the difference between a handle and a user ID?
The handle is the name people see, like @postelapp, and the owner can change it whenever they like. The user ID is a number X gives the account when it's created, and it never changes. That makes the ID the safe way to point at an account over time.
| Question | Handle | User ID |
|---|---|---|
| Looks like | @postelapp | A number, like 783214 |
| Can change? | Yes, any time | Never |
| Shown on the profile? | Yes | No |
| Used by | People | Apps, APIs and data exports |
When do I need a user ID?
You need a user ID when a tool asks for one instead of a handle. That happens with the X API, analytics and automation tools, and some ad or audience settings. It also helps to save IDs for accounts you track, so a renamed account doesn't get lost.
- Connecting an account in an API or automation tool.
- Matching accounts in a data export, which lists IDs.
- Finding an account again after it changed its handle.
To see what an account posts, try the free Twitter viewer. Postel drafts posts for LinkedIn and X in your own voice and schedules them.