Sherlock
Search for usernames across more than 350 social networks and online platforms
Why use Sherlock?
A fast, powerful tool for digital investigations
Multi-platform search
Simultaneous search across more than 350 social networks
Speed
A full scan in seconds
Result export
Save to JSON, CSV or plain text
Open Source
Free and customizable to your needs
Installation
Start using Sherlock in 3 simple steps
Install with pipx
Installs Sherlock in an isolated environment (official PyPI package)
$ pipx install sherlock-projectOr with apt (Kali)
Package available in the Kali Linux repositories
$ sudo apt install sherlockRun Sherlock
Runs your first search
$ sherlock usernameSupported platforms
Sherlock searches more than 350 sites across these categories
Social networks
Visual platforms
Development
Gaming & Streaming
Forums & communities
Other services
Usage examples
Essential commands to get the most out of Sherlock
Basic search
Searches the username on every platform
$ sherlock usernameExporting results
Saves the list of accounts found (--csv and --xlsx also exist)
$ sherlock username --output results.txtSpecific sites
Searches only the specified sites
$ sherlock username --site GitHub --site RedditSeveral usernames
Searches several usernames with a 10 s timeout per site
$ sherlock user1 user2 --timeout 10Best practices
Tips for effective, responsible use
Use a proxy
To avoid rate limits and protect your IP
💡 sherlock username --proxy http://proxy:port
Verify manually
False positives happen: always check the results
💡 Visit the profiles found to confirm identity
Document the results
Save and timestamp your searches
💡 Use --json or --csv to archive your findings
Respect privacy
Only use Sherlock within the law
💡 Obtain the necessary authorizations before any investigation
⚖️ Legal and ethical considerations
Sherlock is a powerful tool that must be used responsibly. Make sure you:
- •Comply with local law and data protection regulations (GDPR, etc.)
- •Obtain the necessary authorizations before any investigation
- •Only use the tool in a legitimate professional context (security, authorized investigations)
- •Never use what you find to harass anyone or invade their privacy
Ready to track down accounts?
Discover other OSINT tools to round out your investigations
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