Where to find the name setting in Teams

Your display name in Microsoft Teams lives in your account profile, not in a Teams-specific settings menu. The fastest way to change it is to click your profile picture in the top right corner of Teams, select Profile, then find the Edit profile button. From there you can change the name that appears next to your messages and in the directory.

The exact location depends on whether you use Teams on desktop, web, or mobile. On desktop and web, the profile picture is always in the top right. On mobile (iPhone or Android), tap the three dots at the bottom right, then Settings, then Profile. The steps are the same after that point.

Keep in mind that your Teams display name is separate from your Microsoft account name. Changing your Teams name does not change your email address or your login credentials—it only changes what other people see when you send a message or appear in a meeting.

Key Takeaways

  • Click your profile picture in the top right corner, select Profile, and choose Edit profile to change your display name.
  • Your Teams display name is separate from your Microsoft account email and login—changing one does not affect the other.
  • The name change takes effect when ready in Teams, but may take a few minutes to update in the directory or in other people's contact lists.
  • If you use Teams through your workplace, your IT department may have locked your profile so you cannot change your name without their permission.

Step-by-step: changing your name on desktop or web

Open Teams and look at the top right corner. Click your profile picture—it is usually a small circle with your initials or a photo. A menu will drop down with several options.

Select Profile from that menu. You will see a panel that shows your current display name, email address, and other account details. Look for a button that says Edit profile or a pencil icon next to your name. Click it.

A text field will appear with your current name highlighted. Delete the old name and type the new one. You can use letters, numbers, spaces, and most punctuation. When you are done, click Save or press Enter. The change takes effect right away in Teams.

Changing your name on mobile (iPhone or Android)

Open the Teams app and tap the three horizontal dots (the menu icon) at the bottom right of your screen. This opens your settings menu.

Tap Settings, then scroll down and tap Profile. You will see your current display name and other account information. Tap Edit profile or the pencil icon next to your name.

The name field will become editable. Clear the old name and type the new one, then tap Save. On mobile, the change may take a few seconds longer to process than on desktop, but it will update across all your devices.

What happens after you change your name

Your new name appears when ready in Teams on your own screen. Other people will see the updated name the next time they refresh Teams or the next time they view a conversation you are part of. In most cases this happens within a few minutes, but it can occasionally take longer if Teams is syncing across many devices.

Your old messages do not change—they still show the name you had when you sent them. Only new messages and your profile card will display your new name. If you change your name again later, the same rule applies: old messages keep the old name, new ones show the new name.

If you are part of a Teams channel or group chat, the name change is visible to everyone in that space. There is no way to use different names in different channels or teams—your display name is the same across your entire Teams account.

When your workplace controls your profile

If you use Teams through your employer or school, your IT department may have restricted who can change profile information. If you click Edit profile and the name field is grayed out or locked, your organization has disabled self-service profile editing.

In that case, you will need to contact your IT department or help desk to request a name change. They can update it on their end, and the change will sync to your Teams account. This is common in large organizations where profile information is tied to a directory or human resources system.

Some organizations allow you to change your display name but not your legal name in the directory. If you are unsure what you are allowed to change, ask your IT support team—they can tell you what fields are editable and what requires administrator approval.

Troubleshooting a name change that will not save

If you type a new name and click Save but the change does not stick, first try signing out of Teams completely and signing back in. Sometimes Teams caches your old profile information, and a fresh login forces it to reload.

If the name still does not change after you sign back in, check whether your organization has profile restrictions in place (see the section above). If your workplace controls your profile, you cannot change it yourself no matter how many times you try.

If you are using a personal Microsoft account and the name still will not save, try changing it through the web version of Teams instead of the desktop app, or vice versa. Occasionally one version syncs faster than the other. If it still does not work after 10 minutes, sign out, wait 5 minutes, and sign back in. If the problem persists, contact Microsoft support.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does changing my Teams name change my email address?

No. Your display name and your email address are separate. You can change your display name to anything you want, but your email address (the part after the @ symbol) stays the same. Your login credentials do not change either.

Can I use a different name in different Teams or channels?

No. Your display name is the same across your entire Teams account. If you want to use different names in different spaces, you would need separate Teams accounts, which most organizations do not allow.

Will my old messages show my new name or my old name?

Your old messages will show the name you had when you sent them. Only new messages and your profile card will display your updated name. This is permanent—you cannot retroactively change the name on past messages.

How long does a name change take to show up for other people?

Usually a few minutes. Other people will see your new name the next time they refresh Teams or view a conversation you are in. In rare cases it can take up to an hour, but this is uncommon.

What if I change my name and then want to change it back?

You can change your name as many times as you want. Just follow the same steps: click your profile picture, select Profile, click Edit profile, type the new name, and save. There is no limit on how often you can do this.