Change your username through Steam, not in the game itself

Dead by Daylight does not have a built-in username change feature. Your character name in the game is tied to your Steam account, so you change it by editing your Steam profile. This takes about two minutes and costs nothing.

The game pulls your display name directly from Steam every time you log in. If you change your Steam name, Dead by Daylight shows the new name the next time you start the game. You do not need to restart the game client or do anything inside Dead by Daylight itself.

Key Takeaways

  • Your Dead by Daylight username comes from your Steam profile name, not from a setting inside the game.
  • You change your name by going to your Steam profile, clicking Edit Profile, and typing a new name in the Profile Name field.
  • Steam lets you change your name as often as you want, with no cooldown between changes.
  • The new name appears in Dead by Daylight the next time you launch the game.
  • Your Steam ID number stays the same no matter how many times you change your name, so friends can still find you.

Step-by-step: changing your Steam profile name

Open Steam on your computer and log in. Click your username in the top right corner of the window, then select "Profile" from the dropdown menu.

On your profile page, look for the "Edit Profile" button in the upper right. Click it. You will see a section labeled "Profile Name" with a text box. Delete your current name and type the new one you want. Click "Save Changes" at the bottom of the page. Steam saves the change when ready.

Launch Dead by Daylight. When the game loads, your new name will appear in the lobby and in-game. Other players will see your new name in the match, in chat, and on the scoreboard.

What stays the same when you change your name

Your Steam ID — a long number unique to your account — never changes, no matter how many times you rename yourself. Friends who have added you will still see you in their friends list and can still invite you to groups. Your rank, bloodpoints, perks, and cosmetics all stay attached to your account.

Changing your name does not reset your progress, hide your account history, or affect your matchmaking rating. If you were banned or suspended, changing your name does not lift the ban. The ban is tied to your Steam ID, not your name.

Changing your name on console (PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch)

If you play Dead by Daylight on PlayStation, Xbox, or Nintendo Switch, you change your username through your console's account settings, not through Steam. The process is different for each platform.

On PlayStation, go to Settings, then Account, then Profile, then Online ID. On Xbox, go to Settings, then Account, then Personalization, then Gamertag. On Nintendo Switch, go to System Settings, then Users, then your user account, then Profile, then Nickname. Each console lets you change your name for free, though some platforms have a cooldown between changes or charge a small fee after your first change.

Why your Dead by Daylight name might not match your Steam name

If you see a different name in Dead by Daylight than what appears on your Steam profile, the most common reason is that you have not launched the game since changing your Steam name. Close Dead by Daylight completely and reopen it. The game should sync your new name on startup.

If the name still does not match after relaunching, check that you are logged into the correct Steam account. Some players have multiple Steam accounts. Verify which account owns your Dead by Daylight license by going to your Steam library and confirming Dead by Daylight appears there.

Changing your in-game character appearance versus your username

Dead by Daylight also lets you customize how your survivor or killer looks — their clothing, cosmetics, and perks. This is separate from your username. You change cosmetics inside the game by opening your inventory and selecting different outfits. Your username, however, is always your Steam name (or console account name), and you cannot customize it inside the game.

Some players confuse their character's appearance with their username. Your username is what other players see when you join a lobby or appear on the scoreboard. Your cosmetics are what your character looks like during the match.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change my Dead by Daylight username without changing my Steam name?

No. Dead by Daylight does not have a separate username field. Your in-game name is always your Steam profile name. If you want a different name in Dead by Daylight, you must change your Steam name.

How often can I change my username?

On Steam, you can change your profile name as many times as you want with no cooldown. On console platforms, the rules vary — PlayStation allows frequent changes, Xbox allows one free change and charges for additional ones, and Nintendo Switch has a cooldown between changes.

Will changing my username affect my rank or progress?

No. Your rank, bloodpoints, perks, and all progression stay on your account. Changing your name is purely cosmetic and does not reset anything or affect your matchmaking.

What if I want to hide my username from other players?

Dead by Daylight does not have a privacy setting that hides your username from other players in matches. Your name is always visible in the lobby and on the scoreboard. You can change your name to something generic, but you cannot make it invisible.

Can I use special characters or spaces in my username?

Steam allows most characters, including spaces, numbers, and some symbols. However, Dead by Daylight may not display certain special characters correctly in-game. Stick to letters, numbers, and common punctuation like hyphens or underscores if you want your name to display properly.