Change your username in SoundCloud settings

To change your SoundCloud username, go to your profile settings, find the username field, enter your new name, and save. The process takes about two minutes and works the same way on desktop and mobile. Your old profile URL will stop working, but SoundCloud will redirect people who visit it to your new one for a limited time.

You can change your username as many times as you want, but SoundCloud enforces a waiting period between changes. After you update your username, you must wait at least two weeks before changing it again. This prevents people from rapidly cycling through names to confuse followers or avoid moderation.

Your username is different from your display name. The username is what appears in your profile URL (soundcloud.com/yourname) and is used for searching and tagging. Your display name is what shows on your profile card and can be changed without any waiting period. If you only want to change how your name looks to other people, change the display name instead.

Key Takeaways

  • Change your username through Settings > Profile, type your new name, and click Save.
  • You must wait at least two weeks between username changes, though you can change your display name anytime.
  • Your old profile URL will redirect to your new one for a period of time, so existing links do not when ready break.
  • Usernames must be between 3 and 25 characters and cannot contain spaces, though hyphens and underscores are allowed.
  • If your desired username is taken, SoundCloud will tell you when ready and you will need to choose a different one.

Step-by-step instructions for desktop

Log into SoundCloud on your computer and click your profile picture in the top right corner. A dropdown menu will appear with several options. Select "Settings" from that menu.

Once you are in Settings, look for the "Profile" tab on the left side. Click it to open your profile settings. You will see a field labeled "Username" with your current name already filled in. Click inside that field to select the text, delete your old username, and type your new one.

Before you save, check that your new username follows SoundCloud's rules: it must be 3 to 25 characters long, cannot contain spaces, and can only use letters, numbers, hyphens, and underscores. Once you have entered your new username, click the "Save" button at the bottom of the page. SoundCloud will check whether the name is available and either confirm the change or tell you the name is taken.

Step-by-step instructions for mobile

Open the SoundCloud app and tap the profile icon at the bottom right of your screen. This takes you to your profile page. Tap the three horizontal lines (the menu icon) in the top right corner of your profile.

A menu will slide out from the side. Tap "Settings" to open your settings page. Scroll down until you see the "Username" field. Tap on it to open the editing screen, clear your current username, and type your new one.

Check that your new username meets the requirements, then tap "Save" or "Done" depending on your phone's operating system. The app will confirm whether the change went through. If the name is already taken, you will see an error message and can try a different username.

What happens to your old profile link

When you change your username, your old SoundCloud profile URL stops being your primary address. However, SoundCloud does not when ready delete the old link. Instead, the old URL redirects to your new profile for approximately 30 days, which gives your followers and anyone who bookmarked your profile time to find you under your new name.

After that redirect period ends, the old URL may become available for someone else to claim, or SoundCloud may retire it entirely. If you have shared your profile link on other websites, in your email signature, or in social media bios, you should update those links to your new username to avoid confusion. The new URL will be soundcloud.com/yournewusername.

Username rules and what you cannot use

SoundCloud usernames must be between 3 and 25 characters. You can use uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, hyphens, and underscores. You cannot use spaces, special characters like @, #, or !, or emoji. If you try to enter a username with forbidden characters, SoundCloud will reject it and show you an error message.

Usernames are not case-sensitive, meaning soundcloud.com/MyMusic and soundcloud.com/mymusic are treated as the same profile. If you change only the capitalization of your current username, SoundCloud will not count that as a change and will not trigger the two-week waiting period.

SoundCloud reserves certain usernames for system use, such as "home", "search", "messages", and "notifications". You cannot claim these names even if they appear unclaimed. If you try to use a reserved name, you will get an error telling you the username is unavailable.

Troubleshooting common problems

If you see a message saying your username is taken, that name is already in use by another account. Try adding a number, hyphen, or underscore to make it unique. For example, if "musicproducer" is taken, try "musicproducer1" or "music-producer".

If you changed your username recently and cannot change it again, you are within the two-week waiting period. SoundCloud will show you the date when you can change it next. Mark that date on your calendar if you plan to change it again.

If you changed your username but your profile still shows the old name in some places, clear your browser cache or restart the SoundCloud app. Sometimes the old name stays visible in your local cache for a few hours while SoundCloud's servers update everywhere else. Logging out and back in usually fixes this.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

Yes, you can change your username back to a previous one as long as no one else has claimed it in the meantime. However, you still have to wait two weeks from your last change. If someone else took your old username, you would need to contact them or choose a different name.

Will changing my username affect my followers or my music?

No. Your followers will still follow you after you change your username, and all your uploaded tracks, playlists, and likes stay on your account. The only thing that changes is the URL people use to find your profile.

What if I want to change my display name instead of my username?

Go to Settings > Profile and look for the "Display Name" field, which is separate from the Username field. You can change your display name as often as you want with no waiting period. This is what appears on your profile card, while your username is what goes in the URL.

Can I use spaces or special characters in my username?

No. SoundCloud only allows letters, numbers, hyphens, and underscores. If you want spaces in how your name appears, use your display name instead, which has fewer restrictions.

How long does it take for my new username to show up everywhere?

The change is usually live within a few minutes on SoundCloud's website and app. However, search engines like Google may take days or weeks to update their index with your new profile URL. Your old URL will redirect to the new one during that time.