What you can change on Twitter and where to find it
Twitter lets you change your display name, username, email address, password, phone number, bio, profile picture, header image, and privacy settings. Most changes happen in one place: your account settings page. To get there on a computer, click the three dots (•••) in the top left corner of your home feed, then select "Settings and privacy." On a phone, tap your profile icon in the bottom right, then tap the gear icon for settings.
Some changes take effect when ready—your display name and bio update right away. Others, like your email address or password, require you to confirm the change by clicking a link Twitter sends you. Your username change is permanent for 30 days, meaning you cannot change it again for a month after you do.
Twitter stores your changes in real time, so you do not need to click a "save" button. If you make a mistake, you can go back and change it again (except for your username, which has the 30-day lock).
Key Takeaways
- Your display name, bio, and profile picture change when ready, but your email address and password require confirmation through a link Twitter sends you.
- Your username cannot be changed again for 30 days after you change it, so choose carefully.
- All account settings are found in one place: Settings and privacy, accessed from the three-dot menu on desktop or the gear icon on mobile.
- If you forget your password, use the "Forgot password?" link on the login page to reset it with your email or phone number.
- Changing your email address does not affect your followers, tweets, or any other part of your account—only how you log in.
How to change your display name and bio
Your display name is what appears at the top of your profile—it can be anything and does not have to be unique. Your username (the one that starts with @) is different and is harder to change. To update your display name, go to Settings and privacy, then select "Account" from the left menu. Click "Account information," then click the pencil icon next to your name. Type your new name and click "Save."
Your bio is the short description under your name. In the same Account information section, click the pencil icon next to your bio field, type or edit your text (up to 160 characters), and click "Save." Both changes appear on your profile when ready.
How to change your username (@handle)
Your username is the unique handle that starts with @. To change it, go to Settings and privacy, select "Account," then click "Account information." Find the "Username" field and click the pencil icon. Type your new username (it must start with @ and contain only letters, numbers, and underscores). Click "Save."
Twitter will tell you right away if the username is already taken. Once you change it, you cannot change it again for 30 days. Your old username becomes available for someone else to claim after a short period. All your tweets, followers, and likes stay with your account—they follow your new username.
How to change your email address or password
To change your email, go to Settings and privacy, select "Account," then click "Account information." Find "Email address" and click the pencil icon. Enter your new email and click "Save." Twitter sends a confirmation link to both your old email and your new email. You must click the link in the new email to confirm the change. Until you do, your old email remains active.
To change your password, go to Settings and privacy, select "Account," then click "Change your password." Enter your current password, then type your new password twice. Click "Save." Your new password takes effect when ready. If you forget your password, go to the Twitter login page, click "Forgot password?", and follow the steps to reset it using your email or phone number.
How to change your profile picture and header image
Your profile picture is the small circular image next to your name. To change it, click on your current profile picture from your profile page. A menu appears with options to upload a new photo, choose from your camera roll, or remove the picture. Select your image, crop it if you want, and click "explore." The new picture appears on your profile and next to all your tweets right away.
Your header image is the large banner at the top of your profile. Click on your header image, then choose to upload a new photo, select from your camera roll, or remove it. Crop the image to fit the space and click "explore." Both images must be in a common format like JPG or PNG, and Twitter compresses them to fit the space.
How to change your privacy and safety settings
Twitter offers several privacy controls. Go to Settings and privacy and select "Privacy and safety" from the left menu. Here you can choose whether your account is public (anyone can see your tweets) or private (only people you approve can follow you and see your tweets). You can also control who can message you, whether people can find your account by email or phone number, and whether your tweets appear in search results.
If you make your account private, people who already follow you keep access to your tweets, but new followers must ask permission. You can approve or deny each request. These settings take effect when ready and do not affect your existing followers or tweets.
How to change your phone number or remove it
To add or change your phone number, go to Settings and privacy, select "Account," then click "Account information." Find "Phone number" and click the pencil icon. Enter your phone number in the format Twitter shows (usually with your country code). Click "Save." Twitter sends a confirmation code to your phone—enter it to confirm.
To remove your phone number, go to the same section, click the pencil icon next to your phone number, and select "Remove." Your phone number is then no longer linked to your account. You do not need a phone number to use Twitter, but it can help you recover your account if you forget your password.
What happens when you change your account information
When you change your display name, username, bio, or profile picture, your followers see the update on your profile and in their feeds. Your tweets do not change—they stay exactly as you posted them. Your follower count, likes, and retweets do not change either.
When you change your email address or password, only you notice the difference. Your followers see no change. Your account history, tweets, and followers all stay the same. If you change your username, your old username becomes available for someone else to use after a few weeks, but all your content and followers move with your new username.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I change my username back to what it was before?
Not when ready. After you change your username, you must wait 30 days before changing it again. If someone else has claimed your old username in the meantime, you cannot get it back unless they change theirs. Plan your username change carefully.
What if I cannot find the Settings and privacy menu?
On desktop, click the three dots (•••) in the top left corner of your home feed. On a phone, tap your profile icon in the bottom right corner, then tap the gear icon. If you are using an older version of the Twitter app, the menu layout may be slightly different, but settings are always accessible from your profile.
Do my followers get notified when I change my display name or bio?
No, Twitter does not send notifications for display name or bio changes. Your followers will see the change when they visit your profile or see your tweets in their feed, but they are not alerted that you made a change.
Can I change my email address without losing my account?
Yes. Changing your email address does not affect your account, followers, tweets, or anything else. It only changes how you log in. Your account stays exactly the same—you just use a different email to sign in next time.
What if I change my password and then forget the new one?
Go to the Twitter login page and click "Forgot password?" Enter your email address or phone number, and Twitter sends you a link to reset your password. You do not need to remember your old password to create a new one.