You can change your Twitter handle anytime through your account settings

Your Twitter handle — the @username that appears in your profile — can be changed whenever you want. The process takes less than a minute and does not affect your followers, tweets, or account history. Twitter keeps your old handle reserved for 30 days, so if you change your mind, you can switch back within that window.

The change happens when ready across the platform. Anyone who tries to visit your old handle will see a message that the account does not exist, but your profile remains accessible at your new handle. Your followers stay with you, and all your previous tweets remain under your account.

Key Takeaways

  • You change your handle through Settings and Privacy, then Account, then Username — a process that takes under one minute.
  • Your old handle is held in reserve for 30 days, so you can switch back if you regret the change.
  • All your followers, tweets, and account history stay with you when you change your handle.
  • You cannot use a handle that is already taken or one that was recently released by another account.
  • If you have a verified account (blue checkmark), your verification status remains after the change.

Step-by-step: changing your handle on desktop

Open Twitter and click the three-dot menu in the top left corner of your screen. Select Settings and Privacy. From the left sidebar, click Account, then scroll down to find Username.

Click the edit icon next to your current handle. Type your new handle into the field. Twitter will tell you when ready if the handle is taken or if it contains characters that are not allowed. Handles can include letters, numbers, and underscores, but not spaces or most special characters. Once you enter a handle that is available, click Save.

Twitter will ask you to confirm the change. Click the confirmation button, and your new handle is live. You will be logged out and then logged back in automatically.

Changing your handle on the Twitter mobile app

Open the Twitter app and tap the three-line menu icon in the top left corner. Scroll down and tap Settings and Privacy. Tap Account, then tap Username.

Tap the edit icon next to your current handle. Type your new handle and check whether it is available. Once you have entered a valid, available handle, tap Save. Confirm the change when prompted, and your new handle takes effect when ready.

What happens to your old handle

Twitter holds your old handle in reserve for 30 days after you change it. During this time, no one else can claim it, and you can switch back to it at any point by repeating the process above. After 30 days, your old handle becomes available for anyone to claim.

If you want to keep your old handle permanently, you can create a second account and claim it before the 30-day window closes. Otherwise, plan on your old handle being taken by someone else eventually.

Handles you cannot use

Twitter does not allow handles that are already in use by another active account. You also cannot claim a handle that was recently released — Twitter temporarily locks newly available handles to prevent rapid cycling and account squatting.

Handles must be between 4 and 15 characters long and can contain only letters, numbers, and underscores. Twitter will reject handles that contain spaces, hyphens, or most punctuation marks. If you see an error message when you try to save, check that your handle meets these requirements.

How your verification status and followers are affected

Changing your handle does not remove your blue checkmark if you have one. Your verification status stays with your account, regardless of what handle you use. Your follower count also remains exactly the same — no one unfollows you when you change your handle.

All your tweets, likes, and retweets stay on your account under your new handle. Links to your old tweets will still work, and anyone who had you bookmarked or saved will still be able to find your profile at your new handle.

If you cannot change your handle

If you see an error message when you try to save a new handle, the most common reason is that the handle is already taken. Try a different variation — adding a number, underscore, or abbreviation often makes a handle available.

If you are locked out of your account or cannot access Settings and Privacy, you may need to reset your password first. Go to the Twitter login page, click Forgot password?, and follow the steps to regain access to your account. Once you are logged in, you should be able to change your handle normally.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change my handle back to my old one after 30 days?

No. After 30 days, your old handle is released and becomes available for anyone to claim. If someone else has claimed it, you cannot get it back. You can only reclaim your old handle within the 30-day window by changing your handle back through Settings and Privacy.

Will my followers see my old handle or my new one?

Your followers will see your new handle everywhere on Twitter. Their follow relationship stays intact, and they will see your new handle in their timeline and in your profile. Old tweets will show your new handle, not your old one.

Does changing my handle affect my direct messages?

No. Your direct message conversations stay the same, and people who have messaged you before can still find you and message you at your new handle. The conversation history does not change.

Can I use special characters or spaces in my handle?

No. Twitter handles can only contain letters (A–Z), numbers (0–9), and underscores. Spaces, hyphens, periods, and other punctuation marks are not allowed. If you try to use them, Twitter will reject the handle.

What if the handle I want is taken but the account looks inactive?

You cannot claim a handle that belongs to an active account, even if that account has not posted in years. Twitter does not release handles from inactive accounts. Your only option is to choose a different handle or wait to see if the account owner abandons it and Twitter removes it for inactivity — a process that can take years.