You can change your Twitter handle anytime, and your old handle becomes available for someone else to claim

Your Twitter handle — the @username that appears in your profile URL — can be changed in your account settings without losing your tweets, followers, or direct messages. When you change it, Twitter holds your old handle for 30 days before releasing it to the public. During that window, you can change back if you made a mistake. After 30 days, anyone can claim the old handle, so if you're switching to something similar, move quickly if you want to reserve it on a second account.

The change takes effect when ready across Twitter. People who follow you will still see you in their feed, but they'll see your new handle. Links to your old profile will redirect to your new one for a while, though this redirect eventually expires.

Key Takeaways

  • Change your handle through Settings and Privacy > Account > Username, and the change is live within seconds.
  • Your old handle is reserved for you for 30 days, after which anyone can claim it.
  • Existing followers stay with you, and your tweet history doesn't change, but links using your old handle will eventually stop working.
  • If you have a verified badge, it stays with your account when you change your handle.
  • You can change your handle as often as you want, but Twitter may flag rapid changes as suspicious activity.

Steps to change your handle on desktop or mobile

Open Twitter and go to your profile by clicking your profile picture in the top right corner. Select Settings and Privacy from the dropdown menu. Click Account in the left sidebar, then scroll down to find Username. Click the edit icon next to your current handle.

Type your new handle in the field that appears. Twitter will tell you when ready if the handle is taken or if it contains characters that aren't allowed. Handles can be 1 to 15 characters long and can include letters, numbers, and underscores — no spaces or special characters. Once you've entered a handle that's available, click Save. The change is live right away.

On mobile, the process is the same: tap your profile picture, go to Settings and Privacy, select Account, find Username, and edit it the same way. The save button appears at the bottom of the screen.

What happens to your old handle and why it matters

When you change your handle, Twitter reserves your old one for 30 days. During this time, no one else can claim it, and you can change back to it without losing anything. This grace period protects you if you change your mind or if someone pressures you to change your handle and you want to revert.

After 30 days, your old handle enters the public pool. Anyone can then claim it, including people who want to impersonate you or confuse your followers. If your old handle was well-known or had a lot of followers, someone may grab it quickly. If you care about preventing this, you can create a secondary account and claim your old handle yourself before the 30 days are up — though this requires a separate email address.

How your followers and content are affected

Your followers do not unfollow you when you change your handle. They'll continue to see your tweets in their feed, and your follower count stays the same. Your tweets, likes, and retweets all remain exactly as they were — nothing is deleted or hidden.

However, any links that point directly to your old profile (like a link someone shared in a text message or a website that mentioned your old handle) will eventually stop working. Twitter redirects these links for a while, but the redirect is temporary. If you've shared your handle in your email signature, on a website, or in other places, update those references to your new handle so people can find you reliably.

Verification badges and other account features

If your account has a verified badge (the blue checkmark), it stays with your account when you change your handle. You don't have to reapply for verification or do anything special — the badge moves with you.

The same is true for any other account features: your bio, profile picture, header image, pinned tweets, and lists all stay exactly as they are. Only your handle changes.

When Twitter may flag your account for suspicious activity

If you change your handle very frequently — multiple times in a short period — Twitter's automated systems may temporarily restrict your account or ask you to confirm your identity. This is a security measure to prevent account takeovers, where someone gains access to your account and changes the handle to lock you out.

If this happens, Twitter will usually ask you to verify your phone number or email address. Once you do, the restriction lifts. If you're making a one-time change or even a few changes over weeks or months, you're unlikely to trigger this. But if you're testing different handles in rapid succession, expect a possible slowdown.

Changing your handle if you've been hacked or impersonated

If someone else has access to your account and changed your handle without permission, you'll need to regain control of your account first. Go to Twitter's account access page and follow the steps to confirm your identity — usually through a phone number or recovery email. Once you're back in, change your password when ready, then change your handle to something only you would choose.

If your account was impersonated by someone else (a different account using your name), report that account directly through Twitter. Go to the imposter account's profile, click the three dots in the top right, and select Report @[handle]. Choose "It's impersonating me or someone else" and provide details. Twitter reviews these reports and may suspend the imposter account.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I get my old handle back after 30 days?

No, once the 30-day grace period ends, your old handle is released to the public and anyone can claim it. If someone else has already taken it, you cannot get it back unless they voluntarily change their handle. If the account using your old handle is impersonating you, report it to Twitter.

Will changing my handle affect my direct messages?

No, your direct message history stays the same. People who have messaged you will still see your conversation thread, and they'll see your new handle in the chat. You can still message them and receive messages as normal.

What if the handle I want is taken?

If someone else is using the handle you want, you cannot claim it unless they change it or their account is suspended. You can try a variation — adding a number, underscore, or abbreviation. If the account using your desired handle is inactive or impersonating you, report it to Twitter and they may take action.

Do I need to tell my followers I changed my handle?

You don't have to, but it's helpful. Your followers will still see you in their feed, but if they try to visit your profile using your old handle, they may be confused. A tweet announcing your new handle or an update to your bio can help people find you if they search for your old name.

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

Yes, within 30 days of changing it. Go back to Settings and Privacy > Account > Username and type your old handle. As long as no one else has claimed it yet, you can switch back when ready.