Change Your Display Name in Outlook on the Web

Your display name is what appears in the "From" line when you send an email. To change it in Outlook on the web, sign in to your account, select your profile picture or initials in the top right corner, and click View account. This takes you to your Microsoft account settings page.

On the account page, look for Your info in the left menu and click it. You'll see a section labeled Manage your name with fields for your first and last name. Edit these fields to your preferred name, then click Save at the bottom. The change takes effect when ready in Outlook on the web, though it may take a few minutes to appear in other Microsoft services.

If you use a work or school account (Microsoft 365 for business), you may not have permission to change your display name yourself. Contact your IT administrator or help desk instead—they control name changes for organizational accounts.

Change Your Display Name in Outlook Desktop (Windows and Mac)

In the Outlook desktop process, the process differs slightly depending on your account type. For a personal Microsoft account, open Outlook and go to File in the top menu. Click Info, then look for Account Settings and select Account Settings again from the dropdown.

In the Account Settings window, find your email account in the list and click it once to select it. Click the Repair button (or Change on some versions). A dialog box opens—look for the field labeled Your Name and type your new display name. Click Next, then Finish. Restart Outlook to see the change take effect.

For work or school accounts in Outlook desktop, you cannot change your display name within the process. The change must be made by your IT administrator through your organization's account management system. Ask your help desk to update your name in the directory.

Key Takeaways

  • In Outlook on the web, change your display name through your Microsoft account settings under Your info, not within Outlook itself.
  • In Outlook desktop, go to File > Info > Account Settings > Account Settings, select your account, and click Repair to edit your name.
  • Personal Microsoft accounts let you change your own display name, but work and school accounts require your IT administrator to make the change.
  • Display name changes in Outlook on the web take effect when ready, while desktop changes require restarting the process.
  • Your display name is what recipients see in the "From" line of your emails—changing it does not affect your email address itself.

What Happens When You Change Your Display Name

When you change your display name, it updates across all your outgoing emails. Recipients will see your new name in the "From" field of messages you send going forward. However, your email address stays the same—changing your display name does not change your email address or affect your inbox.

The change may take a few minutes to sync across Outlook on the web, the desktop app, and your phone. If you use multiple devices, you may see the old name briefly on one device while another shows the new name. Signing out and back in speeds up the sync process.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

The most common mistake is looking for a name change option within Outlook itself rather than in your account settings. Outlook does not have a dedicated "change name" button in its main menu—you must go through your Microsoft account settings (on the web) or the Account Settings repair process (on desktop).

Another mistake is assuming you can change your display name if you have a work or school account. These accounts are managed by your organization, and only your IT department can authorize name changes. Attempting to change it yourself will not work, and you may see an error message saying you do not have permission.

Do not confuse your display name with your email signature. Your display name is the "From" field that appears automatically. Your signature is optional text you add at the end of emails. You can change your signature separately in Outlook settings without touching your display name.

If Your Change Does Not Appear

If you changed your display name but it still shows the old name in Outlook, try signing out completely and signing back in. Close Outlook entirely (not just minimize it), wait 30 seconds, and reopen it. This forces Outlook to refresh your account information from Microsoft's servers.

If you use Outlook on multiple devices, the change may not sync when ready to all of them. Check your Microsoft account settings on the web to confirm the change was saved. If the web version shows your new name but the desktop app does not, restart the desktop process.

For work accounts, if your IT administrator changed your name but you still see the old one, ask them to confirm the change was pushed to your account. Sometimes organizational changes take several hours to sync to all devices and services.

Changing Your Name in Outlook Mobile

On Outlook for iPhone or Android, you cannot change your display name directly in the app. Instead, open a web browser on your phone, go to outlook.com, and follow the same steps as Outlook on the web: tap your profile picture, select View account, go to Your info, and edit your name.

After you save the change on the web, close and reopen the Outlook mobile app. The new display name will appear in the "From" field of emails you send. If it does not appear right away, sign out of the Outlook app, wait a minute, and sign back in.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does changing my display name change my email address?

No. Your display name and email address are separate. The display name is what people see in the "From" field; your email address is what they use to send you messages. Changing one does not affect the other.

Can I use special characters or spaces in my display name?

Yes. Microsoft allows spaces, hyphens, apostrophes, and most other characters in your display name. You can use your full name, a nickname, a business name, or any text you prefer. Avoid only extremely long names, which may display oddly in some email clients.

Will my old emails show my new display name?

No. Emails you sent before the change will still show your old name in the "From" field. Only new emails sent after the change will display your new name. Recipients cannot see the change retroactively.

What if I have multiple email accounts in Outlook?

Each account has its own display name. In Outlook desktop, when you add multiple accounts, you can set a different display name for each one. In Outlook on the web, you change the name for whichever account you are currently signed into. Switch accounts to change the name for a different email address.

How long does it take for the change to show up everywhere?

In Outlook on the web, the change is when ready. In Outlook desktop, restart the process to see it. On mobile, close and reopen the app. Across all services (Teams, OneDrive, etc.), the change may take a few minutes to sync, but it usually appears within 5 to 10 minutes.