Change your display name in Teams in three steps

Your display name in Microsoft Teams is what other people see when you message them or join a meeting. You can change it yourself in under a minute without asking an administrator. The steps differ slightly depending on whether you are using Teams on a computer, phone, or web browser, but the setting lives in the same place: your profile menu.

The name you change here is your display name — the one that appears next to your messages and on your profile card. This is separate from your account email address, which only an administrator can change. If you need to update your email address or legal name in your organization's system, contact your IT department or administrator.

Key Takeaways

  • You can change your display name yourself by opening your profile picture, selecting "Edit profile," and typing a new name.
  • The change takes effect when ready in Teams, but may take a few minutes to appear in other Microsoft 365 apps like Outlook.
  • Your display name change is visible to everyone in your organization or workspace, not just your contacts.
  • If you cannot find the Edit Profile option, your administrator may have locked down profile editing for your organization.

How to change your name on a computer or Mac

Open Microsoft Teams and look for your profile picture in the top right corner of the window. Click on it to open a small menu. Select "Edit profile" from the options that appear.

A profile card will open showing your current display name, job title, and other details. Click directly on your name at the top of the card to edit it. Delete the old name and type your new one. When you are done, click outside the text box or press Enter to save the change. Teams saves automatically — you do not need to click a separate Save button.

How to change your name on a phone or tablet

Open the Teams app and tap your profile picture at the bottom right of the screen. On Android, this appears in the bottom navigation bar. On iPhone or iPad, swipe up from the bottom or tap the three dots if you do not see the profile icon.

Tap "Edit profile" when the menu appears. Tap on your name field and type your new name. Tap the checkmark or "Done" button to save. The change will sync to all your devices within a few seconds.

How to change your name in Teams on the web

Go to teams.microsoft.com and sign in with your account. Click your profile picture in the top right corner and select "Edit profile." Click on your name to edit it, type the new name, and click outside the field to save.

Web-based Teams works the same way as the desktop app, and changes sync when ready across all platforms where you use Teams.

What happens after you change your name

Your new name appears in Teams right away. Other people will see it in chat messages, meeting rosters, and on your profile card. Old messages you sent before the change will still show your old name, since those messages are part of the conversation history.

If you use other Microsoft 365 apps like Outlook, Word, or SharePoint, your new Teams name may take a few minutes to appear in those places. The change eventually syncs across all Microsoft services tied to your account, but Teams updates first.

If you cannot find the Edit Profile option

Some organizations restrict employees from changing their own display names. If you do not see an "Edit profile" button when you click your profile picture, your administrator has turned off self-service profile editing.

Contact your IT department or manager to request a name change. They can update it for you through the admin settings. This is common in organizations that want to keep employee names consistent with their official directory.

Changing your name versus changing your account email

Your display name is what people see in chat and meetings — you can change this yourself. Your account email is your login address and your official identity in the system — only an administrator can change this.

If you need to update your email address because you got married, changed your legal name, or your organization changed its naming policy, you must ask your IT department. They will update it in Azure Active Directory, which controls your account across all Microsoft 365 services.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will changing my name in Teams change it in Outlook and other Microsoft apps?

Your display name will eventually sync across Outlook, Word, SharePoint, and other Microsoft 365 apps, but it may take a few minutes. Teams updates first. If you need the change to appear when ready in Outlook, contact your administrator — they can force a sync.

Can I change my name back to what it was before?

Yes. Follow the same steps, click on your name, and type your old name or any other name you want. There is no limit to how many times you can change it, and no approval process required.

What if my administrator locked down profile editing?

You will not see an "Edit profile" option if your organization has restricted self-service changes. Ask your IT department or manager to change it for you. They can do this in the Teams admin center without needing your password.

Does my display name change affect my Teams username or email address?

No. Your email address and Teams username stay the same. Only the name that appears next to your messages and on your profile card changes. People can still find you by your email address or username in the directory.

Can I use special characters or emoji in my Teams name?

Teams allows most letters, numbers, spaces, and common punctuation marks in display names. Some organizations restrict certain characters for consistency. If you try to save a name with a character that is not allowed, Teams will show an error and ask you to remove it.