It used to be that you only see your Facebook UID. In 2009, it was replaced by a vanity username / URL.
- Before: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=160514324018220
- After: https://www.facebook.com/TheFinestWriter
But what’s the use of UIDs, Facebook’s eyesore and obsolete URL platform? Isn’t it that vanity usernames are easier to remember and more personalized?
Well, UIDs are used by software developers to integrate several Facebook tools. It’s also applied to apps, which connect users to their Facebook accounts via third-party programs. With UIDs you can schedule your wall posts, automate your replies, connect your website or blog to Facebook, create widgets or plugins, etc.
Here’s how you can identify and get your Facebook UID:
- Go to your Facebook profile or page. For instance: https://www.facebook.com/TheFinestWriter.
- Hover your mouse pointer over to your profile picture.
- Right-click and hit Copy Link Location (for Firefox), Copy link address (for Internet Explorer) or Copy Link (for Safari).
- Open any text-based program, such as Notepad, TextEdit or MS Word.
- Paste (CTRL + V) your copied link.
- This is the tricky part. After pasting, find “fbid” and follow through the last “.”.
- After the last period or point, that’s your Facebook UID – except for the “&type=1” characters. Please see the screenshot below for more details. The highlighted part is the UID.
Please share if you find this tutorial helpful.
I’m a technology writer, tech blogger and technical writer for hire since 2005. You can view my portfolio (resume, list of satisfied clients and sample articles) at this website.
