You can change your Twitter username whenever you want, and it takes about two minutes
Your Twitter username — the handle that starts with @ — is separate from your display name. You can change it as often as you like without losing your account, your followers, or your posts. The old username becomes available for someone else to claim after a few minutes, so if you are changing it because you want a different one back, move quickly.
The process is the same whether you use Twitter on the web, iPhone, or Android. You go to your account settings, find the username field, type the new one, and save. Twitter will tell you when ready if the name is already taken.
Key Takeaways
- Your username and display name are different things — you can change your username without changing how your name appears on your profile.
- Changing your username does not affect your followers, your posts, or your account history.
- Old usernames become available for others to claim after a few minutes, so if you want to reclaim a previous handle, do it right away.
- Anyone who linked to your old username will see a "user not found" page, so tell people about the change if they follow you.
- You cannot use spaces, special characters, or capital letters in a Twitter username — only letters, numbers, and underscores.
How to change your username on the web
Log in to Twitter and click the three-dot menu in the top right corner of the screen. Select Settings and privacy, then Settings. On the left side, click Account.
Find the field labeled Username. Click inside it and delete your current username, then type your new one. Twitter checks in real time whether the name is available — if it is taken, you will see a red message saying so. Once you have a name that is available, click Save.
You will be logged out and asked to log back in. Use your email and password as usual — your username has changed, but your login method has not.
How to change your username on iPhone or Android
Open the Twitter app and tap your profile picture in the top left corner. Tap Settings and privacy, then Settings. Tap Account.
Tap Username. Delete your current username and type the new one. If it is available, tap Save. You will be logged out and asked to log back in with your email and password.
What happens to links and mentions after you change your username
Any link to your old Twitter profile — in someone else's bio, in a blog post, in an old email — will no longer work. The page will show "user not found" or redirect to a search page. This is why it is worth telling your followers about the change, especially if you use Twitter for work or if people link to your profile regularly.
Mentions of your old username in tweets will not automatically update. If someone tweeted "@oldusername check this out" last month, that tweet still says @oldusername, but clicking it will not find you. The mention will not notify you either. Mentions of your new username will work normally.
Rules for what you can use as a username
Twitter usernames must be between 4 and 15 characters long. You can use letters (a–z), numbers (0–9), and underscores (_). You cannot use spaces, hyphens, periods, or other special characters. Capital letters are allowed when you type them, but Twitter treats usernames as case-insensitive — @MyHandle and @myhandle are the same account.
You cannot use a username that is already taken, even if the account has not posted in years. If the account you want belongs to someone else, you cannot claim it. Twitter does have a process for reclaiming usernames from accounts that have been inactive for a very long time, but this is rare and requires contacting Twitter support.
Why you might want to change your username
People change their usernames for many reasons. You might want something shorter, easier to spell, or more professional. You might have used a username for years and want a fresh start. You might have privacy concerns about an old handle that included your real name or location.
Changing your username does not hide your account history — anyone can still see all your old tweets and your follower list. If you are trying to distance yourself from old posts, changing your username alone will not do that. You would need to delete the tweets themselves or make your account private.
What to do if someone else took your old username
If you change your username and then want to change back to your old one, you have a few minutes before someone else can claim it. If more than a few minutes have passed and someone else has taken it, you cannot reclaim it through the normal settings.
Twitter support can sometimes help if the account that took your old username is inactive or if there are other unusual circumstances, but this is not may provide. The best approach is to contact Twitter support through the help center and explain the situation. You can also try reaching out to the account that has your old username and asking if they will release it, though most people will not.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will changing my username log me out of Twitter?
Yes. After you save your new username, Twitter logs you out and asks you to log back in. Use your email address and password — these do not change when your username changes.
Can I change my username back to what it was before?
Only if no one else has claimed it. Usernames become available for others to take after a few minutes. If you want to reclaim an old username, do it right away. If someone else has already taken it, you cannot get it back through settings.
Does my display name have to match my username?
No. Your display name is what appears at the top of your profile in large text. Your username is the @handle. You can change one without changing the other. Many people use their real name as a display name and something different as their username.
What if the username I want is taken?
You cannot use it. Twitter will show you a red error message saying the username is unavailable. You will need to choose a different one. You can try adding a number, an underscore, or a variation of the name you want.
Can I change my username on my phone if I do not have the Twitter app?
Yes. Open Twitter in your phone's web browser, log in, and follow the same steps as the web version. The settings menu looks slightly different on mobile browsers, but the username field is in the same place.