Change your username through Steam or your console account

Your Dead by Daylight username is tied to whichever platform you play on — Steam, PlayStation, Xbox, or Nintendo Switch. You cannot change it inside the game itself. Instead, you change the name on your platform account, and Dead by Daylight reads that name automatically the next time you log in.

The steps differ slightly depending on which platform you use, but the principle is the same: update your account profile name, restart the game, and the change appears in Dead by Daylight. This usually takes effect within a few minutes, though it can occasionally take up to an hour to sync across Behaviour Interactive's servers.

If you play on multiple platforms with the same game account, changing your name on one platform does not change it on the others. Each platform account is separate, so you would need to update the name on each one individually if you want consistency across all your devices.

Key Takeaways

  • Dead by Daylight reads your username from your Steam, PlayStation, Xbox, or Nintendo Switch account, so you must change it on your platform, not in the game.
  • On Steam, right-click your profile name in the top-left corner, select "Edit Profile", and change the name under "Profile Name".
  • On PlayStation, go to Settings, then Account, then Profile, then Edit Profile, and update your Online ID (though PlayStation charges for this on some accounts).
  • On Xbox, open Settings, select Your Profile, then Customize Profile, and change your Gamertag (Xbox also charges for changes after the first free one).
  • After you change your platform name, restart Dead by Daylight completely for the new name to appear in-game.

Changing your username on Steam

Steam is the most straightforward platform for a name change because it is free and when ready. Open Steam and look at the top-left corner of the window, where you see your current profile name. Right-click on it and select "Edit Profile".

On the profile page, look for the section labeled "Profile Name" near the top. This is the name that appears in Dead by Daylight. Click the pencil icon next to it, type your new name, and click "Save". The change takes effect when ready on Steam, though Dead by Daylight may take a few minutes to display it after you restart the game.

Your Steam profile name can be up to 32 characters and can include spaces and most special characters. Dead by Daylight will display whatever name you set, so keep in mind that other players will see it in the lobby and in-game.

Changing your username on PlayStation

PlayStation calls your username your "Online ID", and the process requires navigating your account settings on the console itself. Press the PlayStation button on your controller to open the control center, then select your profile icon in the top-left corner. Choose "Profile", then "Edit Profile".

Find the "Online ID" field and select it. You can change it to a new name up to 16 characters long. PlayStation allows you to change your Online ID for free once every 60 days; after that, each additional change costs money (the exact amount varies by region). After you save the change, restart Dead by Daylight and your new name will appear.

If you have never changed your Online ID before, your first change is always free. If you are unsure whether you have changed it in the past, you can check your account history on the PlayStation website under "Account Settings" to see when your last change was made.

Changing your username on Xbox

On Xbox, your username is called your "Gamertag". Press the Xbox button on your controller to open the guide, then select your profile. Choose "Customize Profile", then select "Gamertag".

Type your new Gamertag, which can be up to 15 characters. Your first Gamertag change is free; after that, Xbox charges a fee for each change (the amount varies by region). Once you confirm the change, restart Dead by Daylight and your new name will sync within a few minutes.

Xbox Gamertags are unique across the entire Xbox network, so if the name you want is already taken, you will need to choose a different one. The system will tell you when ready if a name is unavailable.

Changing your username on Nintendo Switch

On Nintendo Switch, your username is part of your user profile on the console. Press the X button to open the home menu, then select "System Settings". Go to "Users", select your user account, then choose "Profile". Select "Nickname" and type your new name.

Nintendo Switch usernames can be up to 10 characters long. After you save the change, close the settings and restart Dead by Daylight. The new name will appear in-game within a few minutes.

Unlike PlayStation and Xbox, Nintendo Switch does not charge for username changes, so you can update it as often as you want. However, changes can take slightly longer to sync to Dead by Daylight than on other platforms — if your new name does not appear after restarting the game, wait a few minutes and restart again.

What to do if your new name is not showing up in Dead by Daylight

If you changed your platform username but Dead by Daylight still shows your old name, the most common cause is that the game has not fully restarted. Close Dead by Daylight completely — not just the menu, but the entire process. Wait 10 seconds, then open it again. This forces the game to re-read your platform account information.

If the name still has not changed after a full restart, check that you actually saved the change on your platform. Go back to your platform settings and confirm that your new name is there. If it is, wait another 10 to 15 minutes and restart Dead by Daylight again — sometimes the sync takes longer than expected.

If your platform shows the new name but Dead by Daylight continues to show the old one after multiple restarts, sign out of Dead by Daylight completely and sign back in. On Steam, this means closing the game and launching it again. On consoles, this means signing out of your user account in the system settings, then signing back in before launching the game.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

No. Dead by Daylight pulls your username directly from your Steam, PlayStation, Xbox, or Nintendo Switch account and does not allow you to set a separate name within the game. The only way to change your Dead by Daylight username is to change your platform account name.

Will changing my username affect my rank, perks, or cosmetics?

No. Your rank, perks, cosmetics, and all other progress are tied to your account, not your username. Changing your name does not touch any of that data — only the name that appears to other players changes.

How long does it take for my new username to show up in Dead by Daylight?

Usually a few minutes after you restart the game. Occasionally it can take up to an hour if the servers are busy, but this is rare. If it has been more than an hour, try signing out and back in to your platform account.

Can I change my username back to my old one?

Yes, as long as your platform allows it. Steam lets you change your name as many times as you want for free. PlayStation and Xbox allow free changes on a schedule (PlayStation every 60 days, Xbox once per account lifetime), then charge for additional changes. Nintendo Switch allows unlimited free changes.

What if the username I want is already taken?

On Xbox, Gamertags are unique, so if someone else has the name you want, you cannot use it. On Steam, PlayStation, and Nintendo Switch, multiple people can have the same username, so you can use any name you want regardless of whether others have it.