You can change your Riot Games username through your account settings, but the process has limits you should know before you start

Your Riot Games username is the name that appears in-game and on your profile across all Riot titles — League of Legends, Valorant, Teamfight Tactics, and others. You can change it, but Riot restricts how often you can do this and charges a fee after your first change. The change takes effect when ready in most cases, though it may take a few minutes to update across all games.

The username you choose must be between 3 and 16 characters, contain only letters, numbers, spaces, and certain symbols, and cannot be offensive or already taken by another player. Once you change it, your old name becomes available for someone else to claim after a short period.

Key Takeaways

  • Your first username change is free, but each change after that costs 1,380 Riot Points, which is Riot's premium currency.
  • You can only change your username once every 30 days, even if you pay the fee.
  • The change happens in your account settings under "Username" and takes effect when ready in most games.
  • Your old username becomes available for other players to claim after a waiting period, so choose carefully if you plan to keep the same name long-term.

Access your account settings and find the username section

Go to the Riot Games website and sign in to your account. Once you are logged in, look for your account name or profile icon in the top right corner and click it. A dropdown menu will appear with several options.

Select "Account" from this menu. You will be taken to your account overview page. On the left side of the page, you should see a menu with different sections. Look for and click on "Username" — this is where you change your in-game name.

Enter your new username and review the restrictions

On the Username page, you will see your current name displayed and a text box where you can type a new one. Before you enter anything, read the rules that appear on the page. Riot Games enforces these restrictions: your username must be 3 to 16 characters long, can only use letters (A–Z), numbers (0–9), spaces, hyphens, and underscores, and cannot contain offensive language or impersonate Riot staff.

Type your desired username into the box. As you type, the page will tell you whether the name is available or already taken. If it is taken, you will see a red message saying so. If it is available, you will see a green checkmark. Do not move forward until you see the green checkmark.

Understand the cost and cooldown before confirming

If this is your first username change ever on this account, the change is free. If you have changed your username before, you will see a message telling you the cost: 1,380 Riot Points. This is Riot's premium currency, and you must have that amount in your account to proceed. If you do not have enough Riot Points, you will need to purchase them through the Riot client or website before you can change your name.

You will also see a notice about the 30-day cooldown. This means that after you change your username, you cannot change it again for at least 30 days, regardless of whether you pay the fee. Plan your change carefully if you think you might want a different name soon.

Confirm the change and wait for it to take effect

Once you have entered an available username and understand the cost and cooldown, click the "Change Username" button or similar confirmation button on the page. The page will ask you to confirm one more time. Click yes or confirm to finalize the change.

Your new username should take effect when ready in most Riot games. However, it may take a few minutes to update everywhere — in your profile, in chat, and in match history. If you are in the middle of a game when you change your name, you may need to restart the game client to see the change reflected in-game.

What happens to your old username

After you change your username, your old name does not disappear right away. Riot holds it for a waiting period (usually 30 days, though this can vary) before making it available for other players to claim. During this time, no one else can use your old name, and you cannot reclaim it yourself.

Once the waiting period ends, your old username becomes available in a first-come, first-served system. If you want to keep a particular name long-term, choose carefully — if you change away from it and someone else claims it, you cannot get it back.

Troubleshooting common problems

The username I want is already taken: If you see a red message saying the name is unavailable, that name is already claimed by another player. You will need to choose a different name. Try adding numbers, hyphens, or underscores to a variation of your preferred name.

I do not have enough Riot Points: If you have changed your username before and do not have 1,380 Riot Points in your account, you cannot proceed. You will need to purchase Riot Points through the Riot client (in any Riot game) or through the Riot Games website. Go to your account settings, find the "Purchases" or "Wallet" section, and buy the amount you need.

The change did not take effect in-game: Close the game client completely and reopen it. Your new username should appear once the client restarts. If it still does not show after a restart, wait a few more minutes — updates can take time to sync across Riot's servers.

I changed my mind and want to change it again: You must wait 30 days from the date of your last change before you can change your username again. You cannot bypass this cooldown, even if you pay the fee.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does changing my username affect my rank or game progress?

No. Your username is purely cosmetic — it is the name other players see, but it does not affect your account data, rank, MMR, or any progress in any game. All your statistics and achievements stay the same.

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

Not when ready. Your old username enters a holding period before it becomes available to other players. If you want to reclaim it, you would have to wait for that period to end and then hope no one else has claimed it in the meantime. It is risky to count on this.

What if my username contains a space or special character and it is not working?

Spaces, hyphens, and underscores are allowed, but some other symbols are not. Stick to letters, numbers, spaces, hyphens, and underscores only. If the page shows red text saying the name is invalid, remove any other characters and try again.

Do I have to change my username, or is it optional?

Changing your username is completely optional. You can keep the same name for as long as you want. You only need to change it if you want a different in-game name.

Will my friends still be able to find me after I change my username?

Yes. Your friends list does not break when you change your username. They will see your new name the next time they log in or refresh their friends list, and they can still message and play with you normally.