Yes, you can change your Riot Games username, but the process depends on which game you play and how often you have changed it before

Riot Games lets you change the username you use to log in (your Riot ID) and the in-game name that appears to other players. These are two separate changes, and the rules differ. Your Riot ID can be changed once every 30 days at no cost through your account settings. Your in-game name in League of Legends, Valorant, or other Riot titles follows different rules: you get one free name change when you first create an account, and after that each change costs 1,325 Riot Points (the premium currency) or 390 Blue Essence (earned in-game) depending on the game.

The distinction matters because your Riot ID is what you use to log in across all Riot games, while your in-game name is what teammates and opponents see. You might want to change one, the other, or both.

Key Takeaways

  • Your Riot ID (login name) can be changed once every 30 days for free through your account settings on the Riot Games website.
  • Your in-game name in League of Legends or Valorant costs 1,325 Riot Points or 390 Blue Essence after your first free change.
  • Changing your Riot ID does not automatically change your in-game name; you must change both separately if you want them to match.
  • If your account was created before Riot ID was introduced, you may need to set one up before you can change it.

How to change your Riot ID (login username)

Log in to your Riot Games account at account.riotgames.com. On the left side of the page, look for "Riot ID and Smurf Accounts" or a similar heading under account settings. Click on it, and you will see your current Riot ID displayed as a username followed by a hashtag and a four-digit number (for example, "PlayerName#NA1").

Click the edit or change button next to your Riot ID. Type in the new username you want. The system will check whether it is available and whether it violates Riot's naming policy (no hate speech, slurs, or impersonation of public figures). If it passes, you can confirm the change. The new Riot ID takes effect when ready, but you cannot change it again for 30 days.

If you have not set up a Riot ID yet—which can happen on older accounts created before the system rolled out—you will see a prompt to create one instead of edit one. Follow the same process: choose a name, check availability, and confirm.

How to change your in-game name in League of Legends

In League of Legends, your in-game name is called your Summoner Name. To change it, log in to the game client and look for the store icon (usually a shopping bag or coin symbol). Navigate to the "Summoner Name Change" option in the store. The first name change is free; every change after that costs 1,325 Riot Points.

Type in your desired new name and check whether it is available. League enforces the same naming rules as Riot ID: no slurs, hate speech, or impersonation. Once you confirm, the name change takes effect when ready in-game. Other players will see your new Summoner Name in matches and on your profile.

If you do not have Riot Points and want to avoid spending money, you can earn Blue Essence by playing matches and opening champion shards. However, the in-game store only accepts Riot Points for name changes, not Blue Essence, so you would need to convert Blue Essence to Riot Points through the crafting system if that option is available during a promotional period.

How to change your in-game name in Valorant

Valorant uses the same Riot ID system for in-game names, so your Valorant display name is tied to your Riot ID. If you change your Riot ID, your Valorant name changes automatically. You do not need to buy a separate name change in Valorant the way you do in League of Legends.

This means you get one free Valorant name change when you first set up your Riot ID, and then you can change it once every 30 days for free by editing your Riot ID. There is no Valorant-specific store purchase required.

What happens to your old username after you change it

Once you change your Riot ID or Summoner Name, the old name becomes available for other players to claim after a short holding period (usually a few days to a week). Your account history, rank, and cosmetics stay with your account regardless of the name change. Other players cannot see your old names unless they looked up your profile before the change.

If you change your Riot ID, your old ID is held for a period before release. During that time, no one else can use it, but you cannot reclaim it either. After the holding period ends, it enters the pool of available names.

Naming rules and what will get your change rejected

Riot Games rejects names that contain slurs, hate speech, sexual content, or impersonation of public figures, professional players, or Riot employees. The system also flags names that are too similar to existing names (to prevent impersonation of specific players). Names with excessive numbers or special characters may be rejected as well.

If your chosen name is rejected, you will see a message explaining why. Try a different variation. If you believe the rejection was a mistake, you can contact Riot support through your account page, though most rejections are automated and based on clear policy violations.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to spend money to change my username?

No. Your Riot ID (login name) can be changed once every 30 days for free. In Valorant, your in-game name is your Riot ID, so those changes are also free. In League of Legends, your first Summoner Name change is free, but subsequent changes cost 1,325 Riot Points.

If I change my Riot ID, does my in-game name change in all my games?

In Valorant, yes—your in-game name is your Riot ID, so they change together. In League of Legends, no—your Summoner Name is separate. You must change it independently in the League store if you want it to match your new Riot ID.

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

Not when ready. After you change your Riot ID, the old name is held for a period (usually several days to a week) before it becomes available to other players. Once that holding period ends and someone else claims it, you cannot reclaim it. For Summoner Names in League, the same rule applies.

What if someone else took the username I want?

Usernames are first-come, first-served. If the name is taken, you will see that message when you try to claim it. You can try a variation (adding numbers, changing spelling slightly) or wait to see if the other player changes their name and releases it, though there is no way to know when or if that will happen.

Does changing my username affect my rank or my cosmetics?

No. Your account rank, match history, skins, and all other cosmetics stay with your account. The name change is cosmetic only and does not affect your progress or purchases.