Change your display name in three steps

Your Twitter display name — the name that appears above your posts and in search results — can be changed anytime from your account settings. This is different from your username (the @handle), which has stricter rules and takes longer to change. Most people can update their display name in under a minute.

Open Twitter on your phone or computer and tap or click your profile picture in the top left corner. Select Settings and privacy, then Account, then Account information. You will see a field labeled Name with your current display name. Click or tap that field, delete the old name, type your new one, and click Save. Twitter will confirm the change when ready.

Your new display name appears on your profile and above all your posts within seconds. Anyone following you will see the change the next time they refresh their feed. You can change it back or pick a new one anytime — there is no limit to how often you can do this.

Key Takeaways

  • Your display name is the readable name shown on your profile; your username is the @handle, which is harder to change and requires a different process.
  • Display name changes take effect when ready across all your posts and your profile page.
  • You can change your display name as many times as you want with no waiting period or restrictions.
  • The change is visible to everyone following you and to anyone who visits your profile.
  • If you want to change your username instead, that process is separate and has additional requirements.

Where to find the name field on mobile

On an iPhone or Android phone, tap your profile picture in the bottom right corner of the Twitter home screen. This opens your profile page. Tap the three dots in the top right corner, then select Settings and privacy. Scroll down and tap Account, then tap Account information.

You will see several fields including your name, username, and bio. The Name field is at the top. Tap it to edit. You can use up to 50 characters, including spaces and most symbols. When you are done typing, tap outside the field or tap Save if a save button appears. The change saves automatically on most phones.

Where to find the name field on desktop

On a computer, click your profile picture in the top left corner of the Twitter home page. A menu drops down. Click Settings and privacy. On the left side, click Account, then click Account information.

The Name field appears near the top of the page. Click inside it, select all the text, and type your new name. You can use up to 50 characters. Click the Save button that appears below the field. Twitter will confirm the save with a brief message.

What you can and cannot use in your display name

Twitter allows letters, numbers, spaces, and most punctuation marks in your display name. You can use accented characters, emoji, and symbols like hyphens, underscores, and parentheses. There is no rule against using numbers or special characters, and you do not have to use your real name.

The only hard limit is 50 characters total. Twitter does not prevent you from using names that are similar to other accounts, trademarked names, or names of public figures — that is a separate issue handled through Twitter's impersonation and trademark policies if someone reports it. For your own account, you can use almost anything that fits in the character limit.

Changing your username instead of your display name

If you want to change your @username (the handle people use to mention you), the process is different and more restrictive. Your username can only contain letters, numbers, and underscores. You can change it once every 30 days, and if you change it, your old username becomes available for anyone else to claim after 30 days.

To change your username, go to Settings and privacy > Account > Account information and look for the Username field instead of the Name field. Click or tap it, type a new username, and save. Twitter will tell you when ready if the username is taken or if you have already changed it recently.

What happens to your old display name

When you change your display name, your old name is not reserved for you and does not stay associated with your account. If you change from "Sarah Chen" to "S.C.", the name "Sarah Chen" is when ready available for anyone else to use on their account. This does not affect your account security or your followers — they will straightforward see your new name.

If you change your mind within a few seconds, you can undo the change by going back to account settings and typing your old name again. Twitter does not have an undo button, but the process is fast enough that you can correct a mistake in seconds.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will changing my display name affect my followers or my posts?

No. Your followers stay connected to your account, and all your old posts remain under your new name. People who have bookmarked your profile or saved your posts will still be able to find them — they will just see your new display name attached to them.

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

Yes. Twitter allows emoji, accented letters, and most symbols in your display name as long as you stay within the 50-character limit. You cannot use line breaks or certain invisible characters, but almost everything you can type will work.

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

Your new display name appears on your profile and your posts within seconds. Anyone viewing your profile or your tweets will see the change when ready, though it may take a few seconds for their feed to refresh if they are already looking at your posts.

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

Yes, anytime. There is no limit to how many times you can change your display name or how quickly you can change it. You can switch back to an old name or try a new one whenever you want.

Is changing my display name different from changing my username?

Yes. Your display name is the readable name on your profile. Your username is your @handle, which people use to mention you. Display names can be changed when ready and as often as you want. Usernames can only be changed once every 30 days and have stricter character rules.