Where to change your username in Minecraft Bedrock

Your Minecraft Bedrock username is tied to your Microsoft account, not to the game itself. This means you change it through Microsoft's account settings, not through the Minecraft launcher or in-game menu. The process takes about five minutes and works the same way whether you play on Windows, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, or mobile.

You will need to sign into your Microsoft account on a web browser — you cannot change your username from inside the game. Once you change it, the new name appears everywhere you play Bedrock within a few minutes, though sometimes it takes up to an hour to show on other players' screens.

Key Takeaways

  • Your Minecraft Bedrock username lives in your Microsoft account settings, not in the game itself.
  • You change it by visiting account.microsoft.com, signing in, and editing your profile name in the account settings.
  • The change takes effect when ready for you but may take up to an hour to show to other players.
  • You can change your username once every 30 days — if you change it again before 30 days pass, you will see an error message.
  • Changing your username does not affect your game progress, achievements, or worlds.

Step-by-step: changing your username on a computer

Open a web browser and go to account.microsoft.com. Click the Sign in button in the top right corner and enter the email address and password for the Microsoft account linked to your Minecraft Bedrock profile.

Once you are signed in, look for your profile picture or name in the top right corner and click it. A dropdown menu will appear — select View profile. On the next page, click the Edit profile button (it may say Edit or show a pencil icon). Find the field labeled Minecraft profile name or Gamertag — this is your Bedrock username. Clear the current name and type your new username, then click Save.

Microsoft will ask you to confirm the change. You may need to enter your password again for security. After you confirm, the page will show a success message. Your new username is now active in Minecraft Bedrock.

Changing your username on Xbox, PlayStation, or Nintendo Switch

If you play Bedrock on a console, you still change your username through the Microsoft website — there is no way to do it from the console itself. Follow the same steps above: go to account.microsoft.com, sign in, view your profile, and edit your Minecraft profile name.

The reason is that Bedrock on consoles is tied to your Microsoft account, even though you may also have a separate console account (like a PlayStation Network account or Nintendo Switch profile). Your Minecraft username comes from Microsoft, not from the console platform. After you change it on the website, launch Minecraft on your console and the new name will appear.

What happens if you see an error message

The most common error is "You can only change your profile name once every 30 days." This means you changed your username within the last month. Microsoft enforces this limit to prevent abuse. You will need to wait until 30 days have passed since your last change before you can pick a new name.

If you see a message saying "This profile name is not available," the username you chose is already taken or contains words Microsoft does not allow. Try a different name — you can add numbers, underscores, or hyphens to make a unique version of the name you want. If the name you want is taken, you have no way to reserve it or request it from another player.

If you are signed in but the Edit profile button does not appear, you may not have permission to edit that account. This sometimes happens if the account is a child account or if parental controls are enabled. Ask the account owner or the person who set up parental controls to change the username for you.

How long the change takes to show everywhere

Your new username appears when ready when you sign back into Minecraft Bedrock on your own device. Other players may see your old name for up to an hour because their game client has cached (stored) your old name. This is normal and not a problem — the servers know your new name right away, even if other players' screens have not caught up yet.

If you are playing on a realm or multiplayer world and other players still see your old name after an hour, ask them to restart the game. Restarting forces their client to fetch your current name from the server.

What does not change when you update your username

Your game progress, worlds, achievements, and inventory stay exactly the same. Changing your username is purely cosmetic — it only changes the name that appears above your character and in chat. Your Microsoft account ID, your Realms subscription, and your game library all remain unchanged.

If you have skins, capes, or cosmetics you purchased, they stay with your account. If you are part of a realm or multiplayer world, you stay in it — the realm owner does not need to re-invite you. Your friends list does not change either, though your friends will see your new name the next time they load the game.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change my username more than once?

Yes, but only once every 30 days. If you try to change it again before 30 days have passed since your last change, Microsoft will show an error message and block the change. Mark the date of your change so you know when you can change it again.

What if I forgot which email address my Minecraft account uses?

Go to minecraft.net and click Sign in. Try the email addresses you think might be linked to your account. If you get a "This account does not exist" message, that email is not the one. Once you find the right email, you can reset the password if you do not remember it.

Does changing my username affect my Minecraft Java Edition account?

No. Minecraft Java Edition and Minecraft Bedrock are separate games with separate usernames. If you play both, they do not share a username. Java Edition usernames are changed through a different process on the Minecraft launcher.

Can I use special characters or spaces in my username?

No. Minecraft Bedrock usernames can only contain letters, numbers, underscores, and hyphens. Spaces and special characters like @, #, or ! are not allowed. If you try to use them, Microsoft will reject the name and ask you to pick a different one.

What if the name I want is already taken?

You cannot reserve it or request it from another player. Try adding a number or underscore to make it unique — for example, if "Alex" is taken, you could use "Alex_1" or "Alex2022". There is no way to see who owns a taken name or to contact them about it.