How to prepare for the release of unused Twitter handles

Twitter is set to release a large number of unused handles, providing an opportunity for users to snag a coveted username. It's currently unknown when and how the handles will be released, but it's best to be prepared. Elon Musk recently announced on December 9th that the release of unused handles is coming soon. Here are five steps to prepare:

• 1

  Decide which handles you might want

  This could be a personal name, the name of your company or brand, or a specific project you're working on.

• 2

  Create a spare Twitter account and verify it

  Signing up for Twitter can be a tedious process, so it's best to have a backup account ready to go in case your primary account is unavailable.

• 3

  Monitor availability with handle.horse

  This free website allows users to set up monitors to continuously check for the availability of specific handles. It's important to be quick, as sought-after names are likely to go fast.

• 4

  As soon as the name is available, change the username of your existing account

  This will ensure that you can claim the handle you want as soon as possible.

• 5

  Claim your previous handle if necessary

  If you changed the name of an active account, you may want to also claim your previous handle. This will prevent others from taking it and will ensure that any links to your old handle will still work.