Change Your Username Through the Epic Games Website

Your Fortnite username lives in your Epic Games account, not in the game itself, so you change it on the Epic Games website rather than inside Fortnite. Go to www.epicgames.com, sign in with the email and password you use for Fortnite, and look for your account settings. The username field is usually under "Account" or "Personal Info" depending on when your account was created.

Once you find the username field, click it and type your new name. Epic Games allows usernames between 3 and 16 characters, using letters, numbers, hyphens, and underscores. You cannot use spaces. After you type the new name, click the save or confirm button — the site will tell you when ready if the name is already taken by another player, in which case you will need to try a different one.

The change takes effect right away. When you launch Fortnite on your PC next, your new username will appear in the lobby and in-game. Other players will see the new name, and your old name becomes available for someone else to use.

Key Takeaways

  • You change your Fortnite username on the Epic Games website at www.epicgames.com, not inside the game client.
  • Usernames must be between 3 and 16 characters and can include letters, numbers, hyphens, and underscores, but not spaces.
  • The website will tell you when ready if your chosen name is already taken by another player.
  • Your new username appears in Fortnite the next time you launch the game after making the change.

Step-by-Step Instructions for Changing Your Username

Start by opening a web browser on your PC and going to www.epicgames.com. In the top right corner, click "Sign In" and enter the email address and password for your Epic Games account. If you have two-factor authentication turned on, you will need to enter a code from your phone or email after you type your password.

Once you are signed in, look for your account menu. This is usually a small icon or your current username in the top right corner of the page. Click it and select "Account" from the dropdown menu. You may see several tabs or sections — look for one labeled "Personal Info", "Profile", or "Account Settings". The exact wording varies, but it is always near the top of the account page.

Find the field that shows your current username. It will be labeled "Display Name", "Username", or "Epic Username". Click on this field to edit it. Delete your current name and type your new one. Remember that you have 3 to 16 characters to work with, and you can use letters (A–Z, a–z), numbers (0–9), hyphens (-), and underscores (_), but not spaces or special characters like @, #, or &.

After you type your new username, look for a "Save", "Confirm", or "Update" button near the field. Click it. If the name is available, the page will confirm the change. If the name is already taken, the site will show an error message and ask you to try a different name. Once the change is confirmed, close the browser or navigate away — your new username is now active.

What Happens If Your Chosen Name Is Already Taken

When you try to save a username that another player already has, the Epic Games website will display an error message saying the name is unavailable. This happens because every Fortnite player must have a unique username — two people cannot share the same one. You will need to choose a different name and try again.

If you have your heart set on a particular name but it is taken, you have a few options. You can add numbers to the end, like "YourName123" instead of "YourName". You can use an underscore or hyphen in the middle, like "Your_Name" or "Your-Name". You can also wait — if a player stops playing Fortnite and their account becomes inactive for a very long time, Epic Games may eventually release their username, but this is rare and can take years. For practical purposes, assume that if a name is taken now, it will stay taken.

Changing Your Username Does Not Affect Your Game Progress

Your Fortnite account, your Battle Pass progress, your V-Bucks, your skins, and all your cosmetics stay exactly the same when you change your username. The username is just the name other players see — it is not connected to your account data, your rank, or anything you own in the game. You can change your username as many times as you want without losing anything.

However, Epic Games does not let you change your username more than once every 30 days. If you changed it recently and want to change it again, you will see a message telling you when you can make another change. This rule prevents players from constantly switching names to confuse or evade other players.

Troubleshooting: When the Change Does Not Appear in Fortnite

If you changed your username on the Epic Games website but it still shows your old name in Fortnite, the most common reason is that you have not fully closed and restarted the game. Close Fortnite completely — not just minimizing it, but actually closing the window or quitting the process. Then wait a few seconds and launch Fortnite again. Your new username should appear in the lobby.

If you are still seeing your old name after restarting the game, sign out of your Epic Games account on the website and sign back in. Sometimes the website caches your old information. After you sign back in, go to your account settings again and confirm that your new username is showing there. If it is, close Fortnite completely and restart it once more.

In rare cases, there may be a delay of a few minutes while Epic Games updates its servers. If you have restarted the game and waited 10 minutes and your new name still has not appeared, try restarting your PC. This clears any cached information your computer is holding onto and forces it to fetch the latest data from Epic Games.

Changing Your Username on Console or Mobile Does Not Work Differently

Whether you play Fortnite on PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, or mobile, you change your username the same way: through the Epic Games website. You cannot change it inside the game on any platform. If you play Fortnite on multiple devices, changing your username once changes it everywhere, because all your devices are connected to the same Epic Games account.

The only exception is if you are playing on a console and you want to change your console username (your PlayStation Network name, Xbox Gamertag, or Nintendo Network ID). That is a separate process that happens in your console's settings, not in Fortnite or on the Epic Games website. Your console name and your Fortnite username are different things, and changing one does not change the other.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

Yes, as long as no one else has claimed that old username in the meantime. You can change your username to any available name, including a previous one. However, you can only change your username once every 30 days, so if you changed it recently and want to switch back, you will have to wait until the 30-day window has passed.

What if I forgot my Epic Games password?

Go to www.epicgames.com and click "Sign In". Below the password field, click "Forgot password?" and enter your email address. Epic Games will send you a link to reset your password. Click the link in your email, create a new password, and then sign back in to change your username.

Does changing my username affect my friends list?

No. Your friends will still see you in their friends list, and the game will automatically update your name in their view. You do not need to re-add anyone or send new friend requests. Your friends will straightforward see your new username the next time they launch Fortnite.

Can I use special characters like @ or # in my username?

No. Epic Games only allows letters (A–Z, a–z), numbers (0–9), hyphens (-), and underscores (_). You cannot use spaces, periods, commas, or symbols like @, #, $, or &. If you try to use a special character, the website will reject it and ask you to try again.

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

The change is usually when ready on the Epic Games website, but it may take a few minutes to appear in the Fortnite game client. Restarting Fortnite completely will speed this up. If you have not seen your new name after restarting the game and waiting 10 minutes, restart your PC.