Your username is the custom web address Facebook creates for your profile

Your Facebook username is a short, unique name that appears in your profile URL — the web address people use to find you. If your profile URL is facebook.com/james.rodriguez, then "james.rodriguez" is your username. Facebook assigns you a default username based on your name when you create an account, but you can change it to something shorter or more memorable.

You may have a username already without realizing it. Facebook creates one automatically, even if you have never customized it. The easiest way to find out what yours is: go to your profile, look at the web address in your browser's address bar, and read what comes after facebook.com/. That is your current username.

Key Takeaways

  • Your username appears in your profile URL and is different from your display name, which is what friends see on posts and messages.
  • Facebook assigns you a default username when you create an account, and you can change it once every 30 days.
  • To change your username, go to Settings and Privacy, then Settings, then find the Username field under Personal Information.
  • Usernames can contain only letters, numbers, periods, and underscores, and must be between 5 and 50 characters long.
  • Once you change your username, your old profile URL stops working, so update any links you have shared elsewhere.

Where to find your current username

Open Facebook and click your profile picture in the top right corner. Select "Profile" from the menu. Look at the web address in your browser — it will read something like facebook.com/yourname or facebook.com/100012345678. Everything after the last forward slash is your username. If you see only numbers, you have not yet created a custom username.

You can also find your username by going to Settings and Privacy, then Settings. Scroll down to Personal Information and look for the Username field. Whatever appears there is what you are currently using.

How to change your username

Go to Settings and Privacy, then select Settings. On the left side, click Personal Information. Find the Username field and click Edit next to it. Type the new username you want, then click Review Change. Facebook will show you what your new profile URL will look like. Click Confirm to save it.

Facebook limits you to one username change every 30 days. If you changed your username recently, you will see a message telling you when you can change it again. The system prevents people from switching usernames constantly, which helps prevent impersonation and confusion.

Rules for choosing a valid username

Your username must be between 5 and 50 characters long. You can use letters (a–z, A–Z), numbers (0–9), periods (.), and underscores (_). You cannot use spaces, hyphens, or special characters like @, #, or &. Facebook will reject a username that breaks these rules and tell you what went wrong.

Your username also cannot be a name that Facebook has reserved — for example, you cannot use "facebook", "help", "settings", or other official Facebook terms. If you try to use a reserved name, Facebook will show an error message. Choose something personal or related to your interests instead.

The difference between username and display name

Your username is the web address people use to find your profile — facebook.com/yourname. Your display name is what appears next to your posts, comments, and messages. You can change your display name as often as you want, but your username is limited to once every 30 days.

Friends see your display name in their feed and in messages. Only people who visit your profile or know your web address see your username. If you want people to call you by a nickname but keep your legal name on your account, you can set your display name to the nickname and leave your username as something else.

What happens when you change your username

Your old profile URL stops working when ready. If you shared a link to facebook.com/oldusername anywhere — in an email, on a website, in a text — that link will no longer take people to your profile. Facebook does not redirect old usernames to new ones, so you need to update those links yourself.

Your friends can still find you by searching your name or display name. They can also still message you and see your profile if they have already added you. Changing your username does not affect your friendships or your account security — it only changes the web address.

Troubleshooting username problems

If you see only numbers in your profile URL (like facebook.com/100012345678), you have not yet created a custom username. Go to Settings and Privacy, then Settings, then Personal Information. Click Edit next to Username and create one. You get one chance to set your first custom username, so choose carefully.

If the username you want is already taken, Facebook will tell you it is unavailable. Try adding a number, a period, or an underscore. For example, if "john.smith" is taken, try "john.smith1" or "john_smith". If you cannot think of an alternative, you can also leave your username as the default number string — it works fine, just is not as memorable.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use my username on other Facebook products like Instagram or Messenger?

No. Your Facebook username works only on Facebook. Instagram has its own username system, and Messenger uses your Facebook name and profile picture but not your username. If you want the same name across platforms, you need to set it separately on each one.

What if someone else is using the username I want?

Facebook usernames are first-come, first-served. If someone else has the username you want, it is not available. You cannot request it or put yourself on a waiting list. Try variations like adding a number, period, or underscore to make it unique to you.

Can I go back to my old username after I change it?

Not when ready. You can change your username once every 30 days. If you change it and then want your old one back, you have to wait 30 days before you can change again. Even then, your old username might be taken by someone else by that time.

Does changing my username affect my account security or password?

No. Your username is just the web address of your profile. It does not change your password, login email, or any security settings. You log in with your email address or phone number, not your username, so changing the username has no effect on how you access your account.

Why does Facebook limit username changes to once every 30 days?

The 30-day limit prevents people from impersonating others by constantly switching to similar usernames. It also reduces confusion when people share profile links — if usernames changed every day, links would break constantly. The limit balances flexibility with security.