Where to Find Your Username Settings in Trello

Your Trello username lives in your account settings, not in your profile card. Open Trello in your browser, click your profile icon in the top right corner (it shows your initials or photo), and select Account from the dropdown menu. This takes you to your account page, where you'll see a section labeled Username with your current name displayed.

The username field is editable — you can click directly into it and type a new one. Trello does not require you to confirm the change through email or a separate step. Once you type the new username and click away or press Enter, the change takes effect when ready across all your boards and workspaces.

Key Takeaways

  • Your Trello username is found in Account settings, accessible from your profile icon in the top right corner.
  • Usernames must be between 3 and 20 characters, contain only letters, numbers, hyphens, and underscores, and cannot start with a number.
  • If your desired username is already taken, Trello will show an error message and you'll need to choose a different one.
  • Changing your username does not affect your boards, cards, or team memberships — only how other people see your name.
  • The change is when ready and does not require email confirmation or a password re-entry.

What Characters and Lengths Are Allowed

Trello usernames follow specific rules. Your username must be between 3 and 20 characters long. You can use letters (uppercase and lowercase), numbers, hyphens, and underscores. You cannot use spaces, periods, or special characters like @, #, or &. Your username also cannot start with a number — it must begin with a letter or underscore.

If you try to enter a username that breaks these rules, Trello will show a red error message below the field telling you what went wrong. The most common mistake is including a space or period, or making the name too short. Try removing spaces and replacing them with hyphens or underscores instead.

When Your Desired Username Is Already Taken

If someone else has already claimed the username you want, Trello displays an error saying the username is unavailable. You'll need to choose something different. Try adding a number at the end, using a hyphen or underscore to separate words, or picking a variation of your original choice.

There is no waitlist or way to reserve a username. If you see one you want but it's taken, your only option is to pick an alternative. Some people add the year they joined, their initials, or a number that means something to them — for example, sarah-2024 or james_r.

How Your Change Affects Your Boards and Team

Changing your username does not touch your boards, cards, comments, or attachments. All your work stays exactly where it is. Other team members will see your new username on any cards you've created, comments you've made, and in the member list of shared boards. Old comments and activity still show your new username — Trello does not keep a history of past usernames.

If you're part of a workspace or team, your new username appears to everyone in that workspace when ready. There is no separate step to update your name in team settings or notify anyone. Your new username is live everywhere at once.

Changing Your Display Name vs. Your Username

Trello has two separate name fields, and they do different things. Your username is what you just changed — it's the short identifier people use to mention you in cards and comments (like @sarah-2024). Your display name is the full name that appears on your profile card and in some team views.

To change your display name, stay in Account settings and look for a field labeled Full Name or Display Name (the exact label depends on your Trello version). This field can include spaces, punctuation, and any characters you want. Changing your display name does not change your username, and vice versa.

Troubleshooting a Username Change That Won't Save

If you enter a new username but it doesn't seem to stick, first check that you clicked away from the field or pressed Enter — Trello requires you to confirm the change by leaving the field. If the name still hasn't changed after a few seconds, refresh your browser page and check Account settings again.

If you see an error message you don't understand, the most likely causes are that the username is already taken, it contains forbidden characters, it's too short (under 3 characters), or it starts with a number. Read the error message carefully — it usually tells you exactly what the problem is. If the error persists after you've fixed the obvious issues, try logging out and back in, then returning to Account settings.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

Yes. As long as no one else has claimed your old username, you can change it back at any time. Go to Account settings, click the username field, type your old name, and confirm. If someone else took it in the meantime, you'll see an error and won't be able to use it.

Will my old username still work if someone else takes it?

No. Once you change your username, the old one becomes available for anyone else to claim. If another person takes it, you cannot use it again unless they change theirs. There is no way to reserve or hold a username you're no longer using.

Do I need to update my username on each board separately?

No. Your username change applies everywhere at once — all your boards, workspaces, and team memberships. You do not need to update anything in individual board settings or team pages.

What happens to mentions of me in old comments if I change my username?

Mentions in old comments automatically update to show your new username. If someone tagged you as @sarah in a comment last month and you change your username to @sarah-2024, that old comment will now show @sarah-2024. The mention still works and still notifies you.