Your Facebook username is the custom web address Facebook assigns or lets you create

Your Facebook username is a short, unique name that appears in your profile URL — the web address people use to find you. It looks like facebook.com/yourname. This is different from your display name, which is what appears on your posts and comments. Facebook assigns you a username automatically when you create an account, but you can change it once to something you prefer.

You need your username when you want to share a direct link to your profile, when you're setting up integrations with other apps, or when someone asks for your Facebook handle. It's also the name that appears in your email address if you've set up Facebook email forwarding. Unlike your phone number or email, your username is public — anyone can see it and use it to find your profile.

Key Takeaways

  • Your Facebook username is the custom name in your profile URL (facebook.com/yourname), separate from your display name.
  • You can find your username by visiting your profile and looking at the URL in your browser's address bar.
  • Facebook gives you one free change to your username, and you can change it again after 14 days.
  • If you've never set a custom username, Facebook assigned you a default one based on your account number.

Finding your username on your profile page

The fastest way to find your username is to go to your own profile and look at the web address. Open Facebook, click your profile picture in the top right corner, and select "Profile." Look at the URL in your browser's address bar at the top of the screen. It will read facebook.com/yourname or facebook.com/profile.php?id=123456789. The part after the last forward slash is your username — or if you see "profile.php?id=" followed by numbers, that's your user ID, which means you haven't set a custom username yet.

If the URL shows numbers instead of a name, Facebook assigned you a default username when you created your account. You can still create a custom one, but you'll need to do it through your settings. The default username is harder for people to remember and share, so most people change it at least once.

Checking your username in account settings

You can also find your username by going to your settings. Click the downward arrow in the top right corner of Facebook, then select "Settings and privacy" and then "Settings." On the left side, click "Personal information." Under "Username," you'll see what you've set. If nothing appears there, you haven't created a custom username yet and Facebook is using your default ID number.

This method is useful if you want to check whether you've already created a custom username or if you want to see what email address is connected to your account at the same time. Your settings page also shows you when you last changed your username, which can help you figure out when you're may be able to access to change it again.

Creating or changing your username

If you don't have a custom username yet, or if you want to change the one you have, click on the username field in your settings and select "Edit." Type in the new username you want. Facebook will tell you right away if it's already taken or if it contains words that aren't allowed. Usernames can be 5 to 50 characters long and can include letters, numbers, and periods.

Facebook lets you change your username once for free. After that, you have to wait 14 days before you can change it again. If you change your username, your old URL will stop working, so anyone who had a link to your old profile won't be able to reach it that way. Your display name — the name that shows on your posts — can be changed anytime without this restriction.

What happens if your username is taken or unavailable

If the username you want is already taken, Facebook will show you a message saying it's not available. You'll need to choose something different. Some usernames are reserved by Facebook for safety reasons, like ones that could be confused with official pages or ones that contain certain words. If you get a message that your choice isn't allowed, try adding a number, a period, or a different word.

If you've already changed your username once and want to change it again, you'll have to wait 14 days from the date of your last change. You can check when you're may be able to access to change it again by looking at the date shown in your settings. If you're locked out of changing it, the only option is to wait until the 14-day window passes.

The difference between username and user ID

Your user ID is a long string of numbers that Facebook assigns to every account. It's permanent and never changes. Your username is the custom name you create or that Facebook assigns to you. Some people use their user ID for technical purposes, like connecting apps or setting up integrations, while your username is what you share with other people.

If you want to find your user ID, you can look at your profile URL if it shows numbers instead of a name. You can also use a tool like findmyfbid.com to look up your ID by entering your username or profile URL. Your user ID is public information, but most people don't need to know it unless they're doing something technical with their account.

Sharing your username safely

Your username is public, so sharing it is safe in the sense that it won't expose private information. However, once you share it, anyone can use it to find your profile and see whatever you've made public — your posts, photos, friends list, and any other information you haven't restricted. Before you share your username, check your privacy settings to make sure you're comfortable with what people can see.

You can control who sees your posts, photos, and friend list by adjusting your privacy settings in "Settings and privacy" > "Settings" > "Privacy." You can set different rules for different groups of people, like friends only, public, or custom lists. Your username itself doesn't change what people can see — your privacy settings do.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I have the same username as someone else?

No. Each Facebook username is unique. If the one you want is taken, you'll need to choose something different. You can try adding numbers, periods, or underscores to make a variation of the name you want.

What if I forgot my username and can't access my account?

If you can't log in, use the "Forgot password?" link on the Facebook login page. You can recover your account using your email address or phone number. Once you're back in, you can find your username in your settings or on your profile page.

Does changing my username affect my messages or friends list?

No. Changing your username doesn't affect your messages, friends, or any of your account data. The only thing that changes is the web address people use to find your profile. Your old URL will stop working, but your account and all its contents stay the same.

Can I use special characters or spaces in my username?

No. Usernames can only contain letters, numbers, and periods. You cannot use spaces, underscores, hyphens, or other special characters. If you want to separate words, use a period instead.

Is my username the same as my display name?

No. Your display name is what shows on your posts and comments, and you can change it anytime. Your username is the custom name in your profile URL, and you can only change it every 14 days after your first change.