How to change your Twitter name
You can change your Twitter name (the display name that appears on your profile) at any time through your account settings. The process takes less than a minute on any device — phone, tablet, or computer. Your username (the @handle) is different and requires a separate step if you want to change that too.
Twitter does not limit how many times you can change your display name, so you can update it whenever you want. The change takes effect when ready across your account.
Key Takeaways
- Your display name (what people see on your profile) and your username (your @handle) are two separate things, and you change them in different places.
- To change your display name, go to Settings and Privacy, then Account, then Your Account Information, and edit the Name field.
- You can change your username from the same settings menu, but usernames have restrictions: they must be 4 to 15 characters, contain no spaces, and can only use letters, numbers, and underscores.
- Display name changes show up right away, but username changes may take a few minutes to appear everywhere on the platform.
- If you change your username, old links to your profile using the old @handle will no longer work.
Changing your display name on a phone or tablet
Open the Twitter app and tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines) in the bottom right corner. Tap Settings and Privacy, then Settings. Scroll down and tap Account.
Tap Your Account Information. You will see your current display name at the top. Tap the Name field and type your new name. Twitter allows up to 50 characters for a display name, and you can use letters, numbers, spaces, and most symbols. When you are done typing, tap outside the field or press Done. The change saves automatically.
Changing your display name on a computer
Go to twitter.com and log in. Click the More icon (three dots) in the left sidebar, then click Settings and Privacy. Click Settings.
Click Account in the left menu. Click Your Account Information. You will see your current display name. Click the Name field, clear it, and type your new name. Click Save. The change takes effect right away.
Changing your username (@handle)
Your username is the @handle people use to mention you or visit your profile directly. It is different from your display name. To change it, follow the same path to Your Account Information (Settings and Privacy > Settings > Account > Your Account Information).
Look for the Username field. Click or tap it and type your new username. Usernames must be 4 to 15 characters long, cannot contain spaces, and can only use letters (a–z, A–Z), numbers (0–9), and underscores (_). Twitter will tell you if your new username is already taken or breaks these rules. When you save, the change may take a few minutes to show up everywhere on the platform. Anyone who tries to visit your old username will see an error page.
What happens to your old name and username
When you change your display name, your old name disappears from your profile when ready. People who were following you will still follow you — the change does not affect your followers or your tweets.
If you change your username, anyone who has a link to your old profile (like a bookmark or a link in another website) will see a "user not found" error. Your new username will work right away, but it may take a few minutes for the change to show up in search results and other parts of Twitter. If someone else takes your old username after you change it, you cannot get it back.
Restrictions and things to know
Display names have no real restrictions — you can change yours to anything up to 50 characters, including emojis, and you can change it back and forth as often as you want. Twitter does not prevent you from impersonating someone else with your display name, but if you do, Twitter may suspend your account if the real person reports you.
Usernames are more restricted. They must follow Twitter's character rules, and some usernames are reserved by Twitter itself (like @Twitter, @Support, and @Help). If you try to claim a reserved username, you will get an error message. You can change your username once every 30 days, though this limit occasionally changes.
If you cannot change your name
If the Name field is grayed out or you get an error when you try to save, your account may have a restriction on it. This sometimes happens if Twitter suspects unusual activity or if your account is very new. Wait a few hours and try again.
If you still cannot change your name after waiting, check whether your account is locked or suspended by looking at your Settings page — Twitter will show a message if there is a problem. If you believe your account has been wrongly restricted, you can contact Twitter Support through the Help Center (twitter.com/help).
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I change my name back to what it was before?
Yes. You can change your display name to anything at any time, including a name you used before. Your username has a 30-day waiting period between changes, so if you changed it recently, you will have to wait before you can switch it back.
Will changing my name affect my followers or my tweets?
No. Your followers will still follow you, your tweets will still be there, and your follower count will not change. The only thing that changes is what people see when they look at your profile.
What if someone else takes my old username?
Once you change your username, anyone else can claim the old one. Twitter does not hold old usernames for you. If you change your mind, you will have to wait 30 days before you can change back, and by then someone else may have taken it.
Can I use special characters or emojis in my display name?
Yes, you can use emojis and most special characters in your display name. Usernames are more limited — they can only use letters, numbers, and underscores.
How long does it take for a username change to show up?
Display name changes show up right away. Username changes may take a few minutes to appear in search results and on other people's profiles, but your new username will work when ready.