You can change your Twitter name (called your display name) as many times as you want, and it takes less than a minute

Your Twitter name is the text that appears above your posts and on your profile — the one people see when they read your tweets. Twitter lets you change it whenever you want, and there is no limit to how many times you can do it. The process is the same whether you use Twitter on a phone or a computer.

Your username (the @handle that comes after the @ symbol) is different from your display name and follows different rules. This guide covers changing your display name only. If you want to change your username instead, that requires a separate process with a few more restrictions.

Key Takeaways

  • Your display name can be changed from your profile settings in under one minute, and you can change it back anytime.
  • You can use spaces, numbers, and most special characters in your display name, but your username (@handle) has stricter rules.
  • Changing your display name does not affect your followers, your tweets, or your account history.
  • If you want to change your username instead, you must wait 30 days between changes and can only do it once every 30 days.

How to change your display name on a phone

Open the Twitter app and tap the three horizontal lines (the menu icon) in the bottom right corner. Tap your profile picture at the top of the menu. This opens your profile page.

Tap the "Edit profile" button. You will see a field with your current display name at the top. Tap that field and delete the old name, then type your new one. You can use up to 50 characters, including spaces and numbers. When you are done typing, tap "Save" at the top right of the screen. Your new name appears on your profile when ready.

How to change your display name on a computer

Go to twitter.com and log in if you are not already logged in. Click your profile picture in the top right corner, then click "Settings and privacy" from the dropdown menu. Click "Your account" on the left side of the screen.

Click "Account information" and then click "Edit" next to your display name. Delete your current name and type the new one. Click "Save" when you are finished. The change takes effect right away and appears everywhere on your account.

What you can and cannot use in your display name

Your display name can include letters, numbers, spaces, and most punctuation marks — including periods, hyphens, underscores, and emoji. You have up to 50 characters to work with. Twitter does not restrict how creative you want to be with your display name.

The only real limit is that your display name cannot be blank. If you want to remove your display name entirely, you cannot do that — you must have at least one character. Some accounts use a single space or a period as a workaround, though this is not officially supported and may cause display problems on some devices.

The difference between your display name and your username

Your username is the @handle that appears in your profile URL and when people mention you in tweets. It can only contain letters, numbers, and underscores — no spaces or other special characters. Usernames are permanent identifiers that other people use to find and tag you.

Your display name is just the text that appears above your posts. Two people can have the same display name, but no two people can have the same username. If you want to change your username, you can do that from the same "Account information" page, but you can only change it once every 30 days. Your display name has no such restriction.

What happens to your account when you change your name

Changing your display name does not affect anything else on your account. Your followers stay the same, your tweets remain exactly as they were, and your follower count does not change. People who were following you before the name change continue to follow you after.

Your old tweets will show your new display name when people view them, even though you posted them under your old name. This is because Twitter updates your display name across your entire account history. If you change your name back later, the old tweets will show your original name again.

How to change your name back or change it again

You can change your display name as many times as you want with no waiting period between changes. Go back to your profile settings using the same steps above, delete your current name, and type a new one. There is no limit to how many times you can do this or how often you can do it.

If you want to go back to a name you used before, you can type it in exactly as it was. Twitter does not prevent you from reusing old display names. Keep in mind that if someone else has created an account and taken your old username while you were using a different one, you will not be able to switch back to that username — but you can always use that old name as your display name instead.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change my Twitter name if my account is suspended or locked?

No. You cannot access your account settings if your account is suspended or locked. You must resolve the suspension or unlock your account first through Twitter's support process before you can make any changes to your profile.

Will people see my old name if they search for me?

No. When people search for your account, they will see your current display name, not any old names you used before. Your username (@handle) is what remains searchable and constant — your display name is just what appears on top of it.

Can I use special characters like @ or # in my display name?

Most special characters work in your display name, but @ and # may cause confusion since @ is used for usernames and # is used for hashtags. Twitter allows them technically, but using them can make your profile harder to find and may confuse people trying to mention you.

What if I forgot my password and cannot access my account?

You will need to reset your password before you can change your display name. Go to twitter.com, click "Forgot password?" on the login page, and follow the steps to reset it using your email address or phone number. Once you have reset your password and logged back in, you can change your name.

Does changing my display name affect my verification badge?

No. If your account is verified (has a blue checkmark), the verification stays with your account no matter how many times you change your display name. The badge is tied to your account, not to any specific name you use.