You can change your display name on Twitter in under a minute from your phone or computer

Your display name — the name that appears above your handle — is separate from your username (the @handle). You can change your display name as many times as you want, and Twitter does not require you to use your real name. The change takes effect when ready across all your tweets and profile.

Your username (@handle) is harder to change. Twitter lets you change it once every 30 days, and doing so breaks links to your old profile. For most people, changing the display name is what you actually want.

Key Takeaways

  • Your display name (the readable name) changes when ready from your profile settings and does not affect your @handle or any existing links.
  • Your @handle (username) can only change once every 30 days and will break any links people saved to your old profile.
  • On mobile, tap your profile picture, then Settings and Privacy, then Account, then Username or Display Name depending on what you want to change.
  • On desktop, click the three dots next to your profile picture, select Account Settings, then find Username or Display Name in the left menu.
  • You do not need to log out or restart the app after changing your name — the change appears when ready.

How to change your display name on mobile

Open the Twitter app and tap your profile picture in the bottom right corner. This opens your profile menu. Tap the three horizontal lines (the menu icon) if you do not see Settings and Privacy listed.

Tap Settings and Privacy, then tap Account. Look for Display Name in the list. Tap it, clear the current name, type your new name, and tap Save. The change appears on your profile when ready.

How to change your display name on desktop

Go to twitter.com and click your profile picture in the top right corner. Click Account Settings from the dropdown menu. On the left side, click Account.

Find the Display Name field, click in it, clear the current text, type your new name, and click Save. Your profile updates right away. You do not need to refresh the page.

How to change your @handle (username)

Your @handle is the username that appears in your profile URL and in replies. Changing it is optional and more complicated than changing your display name. You can only change your @handle once every 30 days.

To change it, go to Settings and Privacy > Account > Username (on mobile) or Account Settings > Account > Username (on desktop). Type your new username and click Save. Twitter will tell you if the username is already taken. Any links to your old profile will no longer work, so people who bookmarked your profile or shared your old URL will end up on a broken page.

What happens to your old tweets and followers when you change your name

Changing your display name does not affect your tweets, followers, or anything else on your account. All your old tweets stay exactly where they are, and your followers stay following you. The only thing that changes is the name that appears above your handle.

If you change your @handle instead, your followers stay with you, but any links to your old profile break. People who try to visit your old URL will see an error page. Your tweets do not move or disappear — they stay on your account under your new username.

Why you might want to change your display name

You might change your display name if you got married, go by a different name now, want to add a title or emoji to your name, or straightforward want a fresh start. Since you can change it as many times as you want with no waiting period, there is no downside to experimenting.

Changing your @handle is rarer because of the 30-day wait and the broken links. Most people only do it if they started with a username they regret and want a clean break.

What to do if your desired name is already taken

If someone else has the display name you want, you can still use it — Twitter allows multiple accounts to have the same display name. Only @handles have to be unique. If you want a specific @handle and it is taken, you can try following the account that has it and asking them to change it, but they have no reason to do so.

You can also check if an old account with that @handle is inactive. If an account has not posted in years and looks abandoned, Twitter may free up the username eventually, but there is no way to request this.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

Yes. There is no limit to how many times you can change your display name. You can change it back when ready if you change your mind. If you changed your @handle, you have to wait 30 days before changing it again.

Will my followers see the name change?

Your followers will see your new name the next time they look at your profile or see your tweets in their feed. Twitter does not send a notification about display name changes, so most people will not notice unless they visit your profile.

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

Yes. You can use letters, numbers, spaces, and most emojis in your display name. Your @handle can only use letters, numbers, and underscores — no spaces or special characters.

What if I forgot my password and cannot log in to change my name?

Go to twitter.com/login and click "Forgot password?" Enter your email or phone number, and Twitter will send you a reset link. Follow the link, create a new password, and log back in. Then you can change your name normally.

Does changing my 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 or @handle. The badge is tied to your account, not your name.