Where to change your username depends on your platform

You cannot change your Apex Legends username directly inside the game. Instead, you change the account name tied to the platform you play on — your EA account on PC, your PlayStation Network name, or your Xbox Gamertag. Apex Legends pulls your username from whichever platform you logged in through, so changing it there changes it in the game.

The process is different for each platform, and some have restrictions on how often you can change. On PlayStation and Xbox, you may have already changed your account name once for free; a second change costs money. On PC through EA, you can change your display name without cost, though the change takes a few hours to show up in-game.

Before you start, know that your old username will not carry over to your new one. Your rank, battle pass progress, and cosmetics stay with your account, but your match history and any reputation tied to your old name does not follow you.

Key Takeaways

  • Your Apex Legends username comes from your platform account — EA on PC, PlayStation Network on PlayStation, or Xbox Live on Xbox — so you change it there, not in the game.
  • PlayStation and Xbox charge money for a second name change after your first free one, while EA's PC name change is free but takes a few hours to appear in-game.
  • Your rank, battle pass, and cosmetics stay with your account after a name change, but your match history does not transfer to your new name.
  • Some usernames are reserved by the platform and cannot be claimed, and each platform has its own rules about what characters and words are allowed.

Changing your username on PC through EA

Log into your EA account at www.ea.com using the email and password you use for Apex Legends. Once you are logged in, click your account name in the top right corner and select Account from the dropdown menu.

On the Account page, look for the Personal Info section and click Edit next to your display name. Type your new username into the field — EA allows up to 30 characters and does not allow certain symbols or offensive words. Click Save when you are done. The change takes effect when ready on the EA website, but it can take a few hours to show up in Apex Legends itself. If you do not see it after a few hours, restart the game.

If the name you want is already taken, EA will tell you and you will need to choose a different one. You can change your display name as many times as you want without paying.

Changing your username on PlayStation

On PlayStation 4 or PlayStation 5, go to Settings from your home screen, then select Users and Accounts. Choose Other and then User Profile. Select Edit Profile and then Change PSN Name.

Your first name change is free. If you have already changed your name once on this account, PlayStation will charge you $9.99 to change it again. Type your new username — PlayStation allows up to 16 characters and does not allow spaces or most special characters. Click Change PSN Name to confirm.

The change takes effect when ready. When you launch Apex Legends, your new name will show up in the game. If you see your old name still, restart the game or log out and back in.

Changing your username on Xbox

On Xbox One or Xbox Series X|S, press the Xbox button on your controller to open the guide. Go to Profile & system, then Settings, then Account, then Personalization, then Gamertag. Select Change Gamertag.

Your first gamertag change is free. Any change after that costs $9.99. Type your new gamertag — Xbox allows up to 15 characters and does not allow spaces. You can use numbers and some symbols, but Xbox blocks offensive words and certain character combinations. Click Save to confirm.

The change takes effect right away. Apex Legends will show your new gamertag the next time you launch the game. If your old name still appears, close the game completely and reopen it.

What happens to your old username after you change it

Your old username becomes available for someone else to claim after a waiting period. On PlayStation, the old name enters a holding period of 30 days before anyone else can use it. On Xbox, the waiting period is similar. On EA, the name becomes available much faster, sometimes within hours.

Your rank, cosmetics, and battle pass progress all stay tied to your account and do not change when you change your name. Your match history and statistics, however, are tied to your old username. If someone looks up your old name in a stats tracker, they will see your old matches. Your new name will have no history until you play matches under it.

Troubleshooting a name change that did not work

If you changed your username but it still shows your old name in Apex Legends, restart the game first. Close it completely — do not just go to the main menu — and reopen it. This forces the game to pull your current account information from the platform.

If the old name persists after a restart, check that you are logged into the right account. On PC, verify you are using the correct EA account. On PlayStation or Xbox, make sure you are signed into the console account that owns Apex Legends. If you own the game on multiple accounts, you may have changed the name on the wrong one.

If you see an error message saying the name is taken or not allowed, the platform rejected it for one of these reasons: the name violates the platform's code of conduct, the name contains characters that platform does not support, or someone else claimed it first. Try a different name and try again.

Names you cannot use on any platform

All three platforms — EA, PlayStation, and Xbox — block usernames that contain slurs, hate speech, or sexually explicit words. They also block names that impersonate real people or celebrities, names that look like official accounts, and names designed to confuse other players (like using numbers that look like letters).

Each platform maintains its own list of blocked words and phrases, so a name that works on one platform might be rejected on another. If a name is rejected, the platform will usually tell you why, though the message can be vague. Try removing numbers, changing the spelling slightly, or adding a number to the end of a word you want to keep.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change my username back to my old one?

Yes, but only after the waiting period passes. On PlayStation, you must wait 30 days. On Xbox, the waiting period is similar. On EA, the old name becomes available much faster. Once the waiting period ends, you can change your name back to the old one if no one else has claimed it.

Will my friends still see me on their friends list after I change my name?

Yes. Your friends list is tied to your account, not your username. Your friends will see your new name in their list and in-game, but you will still be the same person on their friends list.

Do I have to pay to change my username on PC?

No. EA does not charge for display name changes on PC. You can change it as many times as you want for free. PlayStation and Xbox charge $9.99 for a second name change after your first free one.

How long does it take for my new username to show up in Apex Legends?

On PlayStation and Xbox, the change shows up when ready or after a game restart. On PC through EA, it can take a few hours to appear in-game, even though it changes right away on the EA website.

What if someone took the username I want?

You will need to choose a different name. Try adding numbers to the end, using underscores or hyphens if the platform allows them, or spelling a similar word differently. Each platform has millions of usernames in use, so popular names are usually taken.