How to change your Instagram name in three steps
You can change the name that appears on your Instagram profile — called your display name — directly from your phone or computer in under a minute. Go to your profile, tap or click the Edit Profile button, change the text in the Name field, and save. Instagram does not limit how many times you can change it, and the change takes effect when ready across all your followers' feeds.
This is different from your username (the handle that starts with @). Usernames have stricter rules and a waiting period if you change them frequently. Most people change their display name, not their username, when they want a quick update.
Key Takeaways
- Your display name is what appears above your username on your profile and in comments — you can change it as often as you want with no waiting period.
- Your username (handle) is permanent-looking but can be changed; Instagram enforces a 14-day waiting period between username changes if you switch frequently.
- Changing your name does not affect your account security, followers, or messages — everything stays attached to your account.
- If someone else takes your old username after you change it, you cannot get it back, so think through the switch before you make it.
Steps to change your display name on a phone
Open Instagram and go to your profile by tapping the person icon in the bottom right corner. Tap Edit Profile near the top of the screen. The first field shows your current display name — tap it and replace it with whatever you want. You can use letters, numbers, spaces, and most punctuation marks. Instagram does not restrict length, though very long names may display oddly on smaller screens.
Once you have typed your new name, scroll down and tap Done (iPhone) or the checkmark (Android). Your new display name appears when ready on your profile and in any comments you have already posted. Your followers see the change the next time they view your profile or their feed.
Steps to change your display name on a computer
Go to instagram.com and log in. Click your profile icon in the bottom left sidebar, then click Edit Profile. The Name field is the first one on the page — click it and type your new display name. You can use the same characters as on mobile: letters, numbers, spaces, and punctuation.
Scroll down and click Submit. The change takes effect when ready. If you do not see the change right away, refresh the page or log out and back in.
What happens to your username when you change your display name
Your username — the @handle that people use to tag you or search for you — stays exactly the same. Changing your display name does not touch your username. If your username is @sarah.martinez and you change your display name to "Sarah M.", your username remains @sarah.martinez and all your followers' links to you still work.
This separation is useful: you can update how your name looks without disrupting the way people find or mention you. However, if you want to change your username itself, that is a separate action with different rules.
How to change your username if you want a different handle
Go to Edit Profile (same steps as above for display name). Scroll down to find the Username field. Tap or click it and type your new handle. Instagram checks in real time whether the username is taken — if it is, you see a message saying so. If it is available, you can save the change.
Instagram enforces a 14-day waiting period between username changes if you have changed it before. If you change your username and then want to change it again, you must wait 14 days. During that waiting period, you cannot use the old username either — it is reserved for you. After 14 days, the old username becomes available for anyone else to claim.
What stays the same after you change your name
Your followers, messages, posts, and likes all remain attached to your account. People who follow you continue to follow you. Direct messages you have sent and received stay in your conversation history. Your follower count, post count, and all your content remain exactly as it was.
The only thing that changes is what people see when they look at your profile or your comments. Your account ID — the number Instagram uses internally — never changes, so nothing breaks on the backend.
Things to consider before changing your username
If you have shared your username in other places — a website, a business card, a TikTok bio, an email signature — those links still work for 14 days after you change it. After that, your old username becomes available for someone else to register. If that person is impersonating you or using it for spam, you cannot reclaim it.
For this reason, if your Instagram is tied to a business or a public identity, change your username only when you are ready to update it everywhere else too. If your account is private and personal, the risk is lower — but it is still worth thinking through.
Display name changes have no such risk: you can change your display name back and forth as much as you want, and it does not affect your username or anyone's ability to find you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I change my name back to what it was before?
Yes. If you changed your display name, you can change it back anytime — there is no waiting period. If you changed your username and want to switch back, you must wait 14 days from the most recent change, then type the old username in the Username field. If no one else has claimed it in the meantime, it is yours again.
What if someone else took my old username after I changed it?
Instagram does not reserve old usernames. Once your 14-day grace period ends, anyone can register the username you left behind. If someone else claims it, you cannot get it back through Instagram support. This is why thinking through a username change matters more than a display name change.
Does changing my name affect my Instagram business account or creator account?
No. Display name and username changes work the same way on business and creator accounts as they do on personal accounts. Your insights, branded content tools, and other business features stay active and attached to your account.
Can I use special characters or emojis in my display name?
You can use most punctuation and special characters in your display name. Emojis work too. Instagram does not restrict these the way it restricts usernames (which only allow letters, numbers, periods, and underscores). Test what you want to use — if Instagram rejects it, you will see an error message when you try to save.
Will my followers get a notification when I change my name?
No. Instagram does not send notifications for display name changes. Your followers will see the new name the next time they visit your profile or see your comments, but they are not alerted that you changed it.