sherlock

Searches 400+ social networks for accounts matching a given username using the Sherlock CLI.

Updated Apr 18, 2026
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/azaanaliraza/operarius --skill sherlock-azaanaliraza
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent▼
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: sherlock
Source: https://github.com/azaanaliraza/operarius/tree/main/src-tauri/bin/hermes/optional-skills/security/sherlock
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/azaanaliraza/operarius --skill sherlock-azaanaliraza

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

💡 This Skill requires sherlock-project.

What problem does it solve? Manually checking whether a username is registered across hundreds of social platforms is slow and error-prone. This Skill automates OSINT username reconnaissance by running Sherlock across 400+ social networks and presenting the discovered accounts as organized, clickable links. ## Core Features & Use Cases - Cross-Platform Username Search: Queries 400+ social networks in a single command and reports only confirmed matches with --print-found. - Flexible Options: Supports NSFW site inclusion, Tor routing for anonymity, custom timeouts, and site-scoped searches when explicitly requested. - Structured Results: Parses Sherlock output into a summary count, categorized platform links, and the saved <username>.txt results file. - Use Case: A security researcher investigating a handle found in a data breach can run one search to map every public profile tied to that username across social media, forums, and developer platforms. ## Quick Start Ask the agent to find all social media accounts associated with a specific username, for example by saying "check where the username johndoe123 is registered".

Frequently Asked Questions about sherlock

High-intent search queries and answers about installing and using this skill.

FAQPage Schema
How do I find social media accounts by username?▼

Run Sherlock with the target username: `sherlock --print-found --no-color "username" --timeout 90`. It queries 400+ social networks and prints only confirmed matches as URLs, saving results to a text file named after the username.

How to install Sherlock for username OSINT searches?▼

Install with `pipx install sherlock-project` (recommended) or `pip install sherlock-project`. Alternatively use Docker with `docker run -it --rm sherlock/sherlock <username>`, or install from packages on Debian, Ubuntu, Homebrew, Kali, or BlackArch.

Can Sherlock search anonymously through Tor?▼

Yes, Sherlock supports a `--tor` flag to route requests through Tor, but it requires a running Tor daemon. If Tor is unavailable, you can use the `--proxy` flag with an alternative proxy instead.

Why does Sherlock return no results for a username?▼

No results usually means the username is genuinely not registered on the checked platforms. Try verifying the spelling, testing variations with the `?` wildcard, or accounting for deleted accounts and privacy settings.

What are the limitations of Sherlock username searches?▼

Some sites return false positives due to their response structure, and aggressive searches can trigger rate limits. Slow or blocking sites may need a higher `--timeout` value or scope restriction with `--site`.