Where to find your username setting

Your Spotify username lives in your account settings, not in the app itself. On desktop, open Spotify, click your profile icon in the top right corner, select "Account", then look for the username field under "Profile". On mobile, tap "Home", then your profile icon in the top right, then "View profile", then the gear icon for settings, then "Username".

The exact path varies slightly between the Spotify app, the web player, and mobile platforms, but the username field appears in the same place across all of them — in your account or profile settings, never in a preferences or notification menu. If you cannot find it, you are likely in the wrong settings section.

Key Takeaways

  • Your username is different from your display name — you can change your display name anytime, but your username has restrictions and a cooldown period.
  • Usernames must be between 3 and 30 characters, contain only letters, numbers, underscores, and hyphens, and cannot start with a number.
  • After you change your username, you must wait 30 days before changing it again.
  • Your old username becomes available for someone else to claim after you change it, so anyone with your old profile link will no longer reach your account.

The difference between username and display name

Spotify lets you set two different names. Your display name is what your friends see next to your playlists and activity — you can change this as often as you want with no restrictions. Your username is the unique identifier that appears in your profile URL and is used for login — this one has rules and a waiting period.

If you only want to change how your name appears to friends, change your display name instead. Go to your profile settings and look for "Display name" — this is separate from the username field and has no cooldown. Most people who think they need to change their username actually just need to change their display name.

What usernames are allowed

Spotify usernames must follow these rules: between 3 and 30 characters long, containing only letters (a–z, A–Z), numbers (0–9), underscores (_), and hyphens (-). Your username cannot start with a number. Spaces are not allowed, and special characters like periods, commas, or @ symbols will be rejected.

If you try to enter a username that breaks these rules, Spotify will show an error message telling you what is wrong. If the username you want is already taken, you will see "This username is taken" — in that case, you will need to choose a different one. Usernames are case-insensitive, so "JohnSmith" and "johnsmith" are treated as the same username.

Steps to change your username on desktop

Open the Spotify app on your computer. Click your profile icon in the top right corner — it looks like a circle with your profile picture or initial. From the dropdown menu, select "Account". You will be taken to your account page in a web browser.

On the account page, scroll down until you see "Username" in the profile section. Click the edit icon (pencil) next to your current username. Type your new username in the field that appears. Make sure it follows the rules: 3 to 30 characters, letters and numbers only, no spaces, and no starting with a number.

Click "Save" or press Enter. Spotify will check whether the username is available and whether it follows the rules. If there is an error, read the message carefully — it will tell you exactly what is wrong. Once you save successfully, your new username is active when ready, but you cannot change it again for 30 days.

Steps to change your username on mobile

Open Spotify on your phone. Tap the "Home" tab at the bottom if you are not already there. Tap your profile icon in the top right corner. Tap "View profile" to open your full profile page.

Tap the gear icon in the top right corner of your profile to open settings. Scroll down and tap "Username". The current username will appear in a text field. Delete it and type your new username. Remember: 3 to 30 characters, letters and numbers only, underscores and hyphens allowed, no spaces, and no starting with a number.

Tap "Save" or "Done" (the exact button name depends on your phone's operating system). Spotify will check the username and show you a confirmation message. If the change was successful, you will see your new username on your profile when ready. You will not be able to change it again until 30 days have passed.

What happens to your old username

Once you change your username, your old one becomes available for someone else to claim. This means anyone who bookmarked your old profile link or shared it with friends will no longer reach your account — they will either see a "user not found" message or land on someone else's profile if they claimed your old username quickly.

If you have shared your profile link with people, send them your new profile link after you change your username. You can find your new profile link by opening your profile, tapping the three dots menu, and selecting "Share profile" or "Copy link". Your Spotify URI (the long code that starts with "spotify:user:") will also change, so any playlists or links using the old URI will break.

The 30-day waiting period

After you change your username, Spotify locks you out of changing it again for 30 days. This cooldown period starts the moment you save your new username and cannot be skipped or shortened. If you change your username and when ready realize you made a typo or want something different, you will have to wait the full 30 days before you can change it again.

Plan your new username carefully before you save it. Write it down and check it against the rules one more time. If you are unsure, you can always change your display name instead — that has no cooldown and is what most people see anyway.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

Not when ready. You must wait 30 days after your first change before you can change it again. After 30 days, you can change it to anything allowed, including your old username — but only if no one else has claimed it in the meantime. If someone else took your old username, you cannot reclaim it.

What if I forgot my username and need to log in?

You can log in with your email address instead of your username. On the Spotify login page, enter the email address you used to create your account, then your password. Your username is only needed if you want to share your profile with others or if you are looking it up for reference.

Does changing my username affect my playlists or saved songs?

Your playlists and saved songs stay with your account no matter what username you use. The change only affects how people find and share your profile. Your listening history, followers, and all your library content remain exactly the same.

Can I use special characters like periods or @ symbols in my username?

No. Spotify usernames can only contain letters, numbers, underscores, and hyphens. Periods, commas, spaces, @ symbols, and other special characters are not allowed. If you try to use them, Spotify will show an error message and reject the username.

What if the username I want is already taken?

You will need to choose a different one. Try adding numbers or underscores to make it unique — for example, "john_smith" or "johnsmith42" instead of "johnsmith". You can also check if the username becomes available later, but there is no way to reserve a username or request that someone else release theirs.