Why can't I use my Nickname?

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Updated Feb 08, 2026
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Why Your Nickname May Be Unavailable

There may be cases where your Nickname is either in use or held by Services — either of which can be resolved if you have registered your nickname with NickServ.

  • Ghost connection: In most cases, this is due to a ghost connection that has not timed out yet. You can /WHOIS myNickname to see if you have a ghost connection due to connectivity issues.
  • Another user: There may be times where another user is using the nickname, if you have turned protection (KILL) off. By default, this is set to ON and gives a user 60 seconds to IDENTIFY to NickServ.
  • NickServ holding: When NickServ forcibly changes a user off of your nickname, it connects a pseudo-client (JUPE) for a few minutes to prevent the user from changing right back.

How to get your nickname back

In any of the above cases, you can use NickServ's RECOVER command to regain control of your nickname:

/ns RECOVER nickname YourPassword

If another user is using your nickname, they will be disconnected by NickServ so that you may /nick to the nickname. Be sure to use the /nick command quickly.

If you have any concerns or questions, please join #Help.