While it can often be difficult to change an unfortunate birth name, you’re not stuck with a bad name on your Twitter account. How you identify yourself online can say a lot about you, so it’s crucial to tailor your username to best fit your online persona. Luckily, it’s easy to change both your username and display name on Twitter, and there is no limit to how many times you can change them.
Though used interchangeably, your Twitter username and display name are not the same thing. Your username is your unique Twitter handle, the name that appears in your profile URL and allows you to log in, reply to tweets, and direct message others (it’s the name that follows the @ sign). Your display name, on the other hand, appears above your username on your profile page and is likely the name that most users will recognize you by.
If you’ve ever wanted to add a level of professionalism to your online persona or were curious about adding to your display name after Twitter’s latest character limit update, here is our quick-hit guide on how to change your Twitter name. Rather than creating a new account, changing your username or display name will leave your existing followers, direct messages, and replies intact. Here’s how:
How to change your Twitter username
Step 1: Log in to your Twitter account
Log into Twitter as you normally would with your current username (or email) and password. Note: This can also be done using the Twitter app on your phone or tablet.
Step 2: Access the Account Settings
Next, click on your profile image — or the gear icon, if you don’t have a profile image — between the search bar and the Tweet button in the upper-right corner. Select Settings near the center of the resulting list. The Account tab should open by default, but you can click on the Account option in the menu to the left if it doesn’t.
The steps to accessing Account Settings is the same in the app, but your profile image will be on the opposite side of the screen.
Step 3: Change your username
Type your desired username in the text field next to Username (or in the Username tab in the app) – it just needs to be 15 characters or less. A message will appear prompting you to choose another username if your first choice is unavailable.
Your new username can only contain alphanumerical characters and must omit both the words “Twitter” and “Admin” unless you’re using an official Twitter account. You can refer to the Twitter Help Center for more details regarding username restrictions. When you’ve finished, click the blue Save changes button at the bottom of the page to save your new username.
If you have a verified account (designated by the blue checkmark next to your name), you’ll lose your badge if you change your username. We recommend that you contact and alert Twitter before you make any changes.
How to change your Twitter display name
Step 1: Log in to your Twitter account
Like before, log into Twitter with your username and password. Note: This can also be done in the app.
Step 2: Head to your profile
In order to access your profile, click on your portrait (or the gear icon) located between the search bar and the Tweet button in the upper-right corner. Then, select Profile. You can also click on your header photo, profile photo, display name, username, or number of total tweet, which are located either on the left-hand side of yours screen or above the Profile button.
Next, select Edit profile. It’s a big, hard-to-miss button on the right-hand side of the screen. The edges of the screen should fade, and your profile information on the left-hand side will be highlighted.
Step 3: Change your Twitter display name
Type in your desired username — it can be 50 characters or less now — in the text field located directly below your profile picture. Unlike your username, your display name doesn’t have to be unique to your account (John Smiths of the world, rejoice!) and can even include emojis.
When you’re finished, click the blue Save changes button on the right-hand side of the page to save your new display name.
And that’s it! You can change your name on Twitter as many times as you’d like following these instructions. As mentioned before, however, if you have a verified account, changing your username will cause you to lose your verification check mark. It can also be confusing to your followers if you are constantly changing your name. After all, with great power comes great responsibility. Happy tweeting!
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