Change your name in the Minecraft Launcher before you start the game

Your Minecraft username is set in the launcher, not in the game itself. Open the Minecraft Launcher on your PC, select the account you want to change, and look for the profile name field — this is what other players see when you join their world or server. You can change it as many times as you want, and the change takes effect the next time you launch the game.

The steps differ slightly depending on whether you use the official Microsoft Launcher (the newer version) or the older Minecraft Launcher. Both are free and come with your Minecraft purchase. If you are not sure which one you have, look at the window title when you open it — it will say either "Minecraft Launcher" or "Microsoft Launcher".

Key Takeaways

  • Your username is stored in the launcher, not in the game, so you must change it there before playing.
  • In the Microsoft Launcher, click your profile name at the top left, then select "Profile Name" and type the new name you want.
  • In the older Minecraft Launcher, go to the Skins tab, find the profile dropdown, and edit the name field directly.
  • The name change takes effect when ready in the launcher and shows to other players the next time you join a world or server.
  • You can change your name as often as you want — there is no limit or cooldown period.

Steps for the Microsoft Launcher

Click the profile icon or your account name in the top left corner of the launcher window. A dropdown menu will appear with your current profile name and account email. Select "Profile Name" from this menu.

A text field will open with your current name highlighted. Delete the old name and type the new one. Minecraft usernames can be 3 to 16 characters long and can contain letters, numbers, and underscores. Click outside the field or press Enter to save the change. The launcher will confirm the save, and your new name is now active.

Close and reopen the launcher if the name does not update when ready in the main window. Launch the game, and other players will see your new username when you join their world or server.

Steps for the older Minecraft Launcher

Open the Minecraft Launcher and click the "Skins" tab near the top of the window. On the left side, you will see a dropdown menu that says "Select profile" or shows your current profile name. Click this dropdown to see all your profiles.

Select the profile you want to rename. On the right side of the window, you will see a text field labeled "Player Name" or "Profile Name" with your current username in it. Click in this field, select all the text, and type your new name. The field will accept names between 3 and 16 characters, using letters, numbers, and underscores only.

Click the "Save" button at the bottom right of the window. The launcher will save your change, and you can now close the Skins tab and launch the game. Your new name will appear to other players when ready.

What characters and length are allowed

Minecraft usernames must be between 3 and 16 characters long. You can use uppercase and lowercase letters (A–Z, a–z), numbers (0–9), and underscores (_). You cannot use spaces, hyphens, or special characters like @, #, or $.

If you try to save a name that is too short, too long, or contains forbidden characters, the launcher will show an error message and prevent you from saving. straightforward edit the name to meet the rules and try again.

When the change shows up in multiplayer

Your new username takes effect in the launcher when ready after you save it. However, other players may not see the change right away if they are already in a world or server with you. They will see your new name the next time you join their world or the next time they rejoin after you have changed it.

On multiplayer servers, the name change usually shows within a few seconds of you joining. In single-player worlds, only you see your own name, so the change does not matter there. If you are playing on a server and your name does not update for other players after several minutes, try leaving and rejoining the server.

Changing your skin separately from your name

Your username and your skin (the character appearance) are separate things. Changing your name does not change your skin, and changing your skin does not change your name. If you want to change how your character looks, you do that in the same launcher tab where you change your name.

In the Microsoft Launcher, click your profile and select "Skin" to upload a custom skin file or choose from the built-in options. In the older launcher, the Skins tab has a separate section for uploading or selecting skins. Your skin change takes effect the same way your name does — when ready in the launcher and visible to other players on your next join.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

Yes. There is no limit on how many times you can change your name or any cooldown period between changes. You can change it back to your old name whenever you want by following the same steps in the launcher.

Will changing my name affect my worlds or inventory?

No. Your worlds, inventory, achievements, and all your game progress stay the same. Only your username changes. Other players in multiplayer will see the new name, but your data is not affected.

What if I see an error when I try to save the new name?

The most common error is that the name is too short (fewer than 3 characters), too long (more than 16 characters), or contains a forbidden character like a space or hyphen. Check the length and characters, remove anything that is not a letter, number, or underscore, and try again.

Does my name have to match my Microsoft account email?

No. Your Minecraft username and your Microsoft account email are separate. You can have any username you want as long as it follows the character and length rules. Your email stays the same regardless of what name you choose for the game.

Can I change my name on a server or realm?

No. You change your name in the launcher on your PC before you join any world or server. Once you are in the game, you cannot change your name from inside the game itself. You must exit, change it in the launcher, and rejoin.