Change your Palia username through your Nintendo account

To change your username in Palia, you change the Nintendo account name that the game reads. Palia pulls your display name directly from your Nintendo account settings, so updating it there updates it everywhere you play Nintendo games. The change takes effect the next time you launch Palia.

You do not change the username inside the Palia game itself — there is no in-game settings menu for this. Instead, you log into your Nintendo account on a web browser or through the Nintendo Switch console, update your profile name, and Palia reflects that change automatically. This is the only way to change how your name appears to other players and in your own character profile.

Key Takeaways

  • Palia displays whatever name you set on your Nintendo account, so you change your Palia username by editing your Nintendo profile.
  • On a computer, go to accounts.nintendo.com, sign in, select your profile, and change the nickname field.
  • On a Nintendo Switch console, open System Settings, select your user account, go to Profile, and edit the Nickname.
  • The change appears in Palia the next time you start the game, and it updates across all Nintendo games you play.
  • You can change your Nintendo account name once every 30 days.

Change your username on a computer

Open a web browser and go to accounts.nintendo.com. Sign in with the email address and password for the Nintendo account linked to your Palia game. Make sure you are signing into the correct account if you have multiple Nintendo profiles.

Click your profile icon in the top right corner, then select Profile Settings. Under the Account Information section, find the Nickname field. Click the pencil icon next to it to edit. Type your new username — you can use letters, numbers, and some special characters, though Nintendo blocks certain words. Click Save when you are done. Nintendo will confirm the change on screen with a message showing your new name.

Launch Palia on your computer or console. The new name will appear in your character profile and in multiplayer areas where other players see your name. If you are already logged in, close the game completely and reopen it to see the updated name.

Change your username on a Nintendo Switch console

From the home screen, press the X button to open System Settings. Scroll down and select Users and Accounts. You will see a list of user accounts on your Switch.

Select the user account you use to play Palia. Choose Profile, then select Nickname. Type your new username and press OK. The console saves the change when ready, and you will see the updated name displayed on your profile card.

Start Palia. Your updated name will display the next time you load into the game. If Palia was already running when you changed your nickname, close it completely and reopen it to see the change take effect.

What happens when you change your username

Your old username disappears from Palia and all other Nintendo games when ready. Any friends who had you added will still see you on their friends list, but your name will show as the new one. Your in-game progress, house, furniture, fish, bugs, and all items stay exactly the same — only the name that displays changes.

If you play Palia on multiple devices (computer and Switch, for example), the name updates on all of them because they all connect to the same Nintendo account. You do not need to make the change separately on each device. Other players in multiplayer areas will see your new name the next time they encounter you in the game.

The 30-day waiting period between changes

Nintendo limits username changes to once every 30 days. If you try to change your name again before 30 days have passed since your last change, the system will show you a message saying exactly when you can change it next. This countdown is strict — you cannot bypass it or change it sooner.

This limit applies across your entire Nintendo account, not just in Palia. If you changed your username for any Nintendo game or service in the last 30 days, you will have to wait until that period ends before changing it again. The 30-day timer starts from the moment you save your previous change, not from when you attempt a new one.

Troubleshooting: name not updating in Palia

If you changed your Nintendo account name but Palia still shows your old username, try closing the game completely and launching it again. Palia reads your Nintendo profile name when it starts up, so a full restart usually fixes the delay. Wait a few seconds after closing before reopening to may support the game has fully shut down.

If the old name persists after restarting, sign out of your Nintendo account within Palia's settings and sign back in. On a computer, click your profile icon in the top right of the Palia window and select Sign Out, then sign in again with your Nintendo credentials. On Switch, go to System Settings, Users and Accounts, and re-link your account to Palia through the game's main menu. This forces Palia to refresh your account information from Nintendo's servers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change my Palia username without changing my Nintendo account name?

No. Palia does not have a separate username setting. Your Palia name is always whatever you set as your Nintendo account nickname, so changing one means changing the other.

Will my friends still see me after I change my username?

Yes. Friends who have you added will still see you on their friends list, and you will still appear on theirs. Your name will straightforward display as the new one.

What if I change my mind about the new username?

You can change it again, but you have to wait 30 days from your last change. After that period ends, go back to accounts.nintendo.com or System Settings and update your nickname to whatever you want.

Does changing my username affect my Palia house or items?

No. Your house, furniture, fish, bugs, and all progress stay the same. Only the name displayed above your character changes.

Why does my new name not show up in Palia right away?

Palia reads your Nintendo account name when the game launches, not while it is running. Close Palia completely and reopen it. The new name should appear within a few seconds of loading in.