Change Your Twitter Name From Settings

To change your Twitter name, open Twitter on your phone or computer, tap or click the three-line menu icon in the top left corner, and select Settings and privacy. Then go to Account, choose Account information, and tap the Name field. Delete your current name and type the new one you want. Twitter will show you if the name is available as you type. When you're happy with it, tap Save or press Enter.

The entire process takes less than a minute. Your new name appears on your profile and in replies right away, though it may take a few seconds to show everywhere on Twitter. You can change your name as often as you want—there's no limit to how many times you do this.

Key Takeaways

  • Go to Settings and privacy, then Account, then Account information to find the Name field.
  • Your Twitter name (display name) is different from your handle (the @username), which requires a separate process to change.
  • You can use spaces, numbers, and most special characters in your display name, but Twitter will reject some symbols.
  • The change takes effect when ready across your profile, but may take a few seconds to show in all places where your name appears.
  • You can change your name back to a previous one at any time without losing your account or followers.

What Counts as Your Twitter Name Versus Your Handle

Twitter uses two different identifiers that people often confuse. Your display name is what appears at the top of your profile and next to your posts—this is what you change in Settings. Your handle is the @username that comes after the @ symbol, like @TwitterSupport. These are separate things, and changing one does not change the other.

If you want to change your handle instead of your display name, you'll need to go to Account information and look for the Username field. Changing your handle is more complicated because Twitter may not let you reclaim a previous username, and some handles become unavailable after you change away from them. Your display name, by contrast, has no restrictions on how often you change it.

Characters and Symbols You Can Use

Your display name can be up to 50 characters long and can include letters, numbers, spaces, and most punctuation marks. Twitter will accept hyphens, underscores, periods, and parentheses without any problem. Emojis work too—many people add them to their names for personality or to signal what they tweet about.

A few symbols will cause Twitter to reject your name: the @ symbol cannot appear in your display name (it's reserved for handles), and some special characters like brackets or slashes may not work depending on your device. If Twitter won't let you save a name, try removing any unusual symbols and try again. The error message will usually tell you what went wrong.

Changing Your Name on Mobile Versus Desktop

The steps are nearly identical whether you use the Twitter app on iPhone or Android, or the website on a computer. On mobile, tap the three horizontal lines (the menu) in the top left, scroll down to Settings and privacy, and follow the path to your name field. On desktop, click the three dots next to your profile picture in the left sidebar, then Settings and privacy, and navigate the same way.

Some older versions of the Twitter app may have the menu in a slightly different place—if you don't see the three-line icon, look for a menu button near your profile picture. The name change itself works the same way on all devices: find the field, clear it, type the new name, and save.

What Happens When You Change Your Name

Your followers stay with you when you change your name—nobody unfollows you because your display name changed. Your old posts keep your account attached to them, so people can still find your tweet history. Your profile URL (the web address) stays the same because it's based on your handle, not your display name.

People who have you saved in their phone contacts or bookmarked your profile will still be able to find you. The only people who might be confused are those who know you by your old display name and haven't seen you in a while, but they can still search for your handle to locate you.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

The most common mistake is confusing your display name with your handle. If you're trying to change the @username part, you're in the wrong place—that's a separate setting. Another mistake is typing a name that's too long: Twitter will cut it off at 50 characters, so if you paste a long name, some of it will disappear when you save.

Some people also change their name and then when ready change it again without realizing the first change went through. Check your profile after you save to make sure the new name is actually there before you make another change. If you're on a slow internet connection, wait a few seconds after hitting Save before navigating away from the settings page.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

Yes. You can change your name to anything you want, including a previous name, as many times as you want. There's no waiting period or limit on how often you do this. Just go back to the Name field and type the old name again.

Will changing my name affect my followers or my tweets?

No. Your followers stay with you, your tweets stay on your profile, and your follower count doesn't change. The only thing that changes is what people see when they look at your profile or read your posts.

What if Twitter says my name is unavailable?

Twitter rarely blocks display names for being "taken"—you can have the same display name as someone else. If you get an error, it's usually because of a character Twitter doesn't accept. Try removing any special symbols and save again. If the error persists, restart the app or refresh the page and try once more.

How long does it take for my new name to show up everywhere?

Your new name appears on your profile and in your replies almost when ready. It may take a few seconds to show in search results or in other people's feeds, but this is usually done within a minute. If you don't see it after a few minutes, refresh the page or restart the app.

Can I use special characters or emojis in my Twitter name?

Yes, emojis work fine in display names and many people use them. Most punctuation marks like periods, hyphens, and parentheses work too. Avoid the @ symbol and brackets, as Twitter won't accept those. If a character doesn't work, Twitter will show an error when you try to save.