Change your Phasmophobia username through Steam

Your Phasmophobia username is controlled by your Steam account name, not by the game itself. To change how your name appears to other players in Phasmophobia, you change your Steam profile name. This takes about two minutes and does not affect your game progress, friends list, or any other account data.

The name you see in Phasmophobia matches the "persona name" on your Steam profile — the display name other players see in-game. You can change this name as often as you want, and the change takes effect when ready in Phasmophobia and all other Steam games you play.

Key Takeaways

  • Phasmophobia reads your username from your Steam profile, so you change it through Steam, not through the game.
  • Open Steam, click your profile picture in the top right, select "Profile", then click "Edit Profile" and change the persona name field.
  • The new name appears in Phasmophobia when ready — you do not need to restart the game or your computer.
  • You can change your Steam persona name as many times as you want with no cooldown or penalty.
  • Your actual Steam account name (the one you log in with) is separate and cannot be changed once created.

Step-by-step: changing your Steam persona name

Open the Steam client on your computer. In the top right corner, click your profile picture or avatar. A dropdown menu will appear with several options.

Click "Profile" from that menu. Your profile page will load, showing your current persona name, level, and other account details. Look for a button labeled "Edit Profile" — it is usually in the upper right area of your profile information.

Click "Edit Profile". You will see a form with several fields. Find the field labeled "Persona Name" — this is the name that appears in Phasmophobia and all other games. Delete the current name and type your new username. Click "Save Changes" at the bottom of the form.

The change takes effect when ready. You do not need to restart Phasmophobia or Steam. If you are already in a game, your new name will appear to other players the next time they see your character or when you join a new session.

What happens to your old username

When you change your Steam persona name, your old name is released and no longer associated with your account. Other players will see only your new name in Phasmophobia and everywhere else on Steam.

Your game progress, achievements, and unlocked equipment remain exactly the same. Changing your name does not reset your character, delete your saves, or affect any in-game items. Friends who had you added under your old name will still see you as a friend — the name change does not break those connections.

The difference between persona name and account name

Steam has two separate names on your account, and it is important to understand the difference. Your persona name is the display name — what other players see in Phasmophobia and on your profile. This can be changed whenever you want.

Your account name is the username you type when you log into Steam. This is permanent and cannot be changed. You do not need to touch your account name to change how you appear in Phasmophobia.

If your new name does not appear in Phasmophobia

In rare cases, Phasmophobia may cache your old name for a short time. If you change your Steam persona name and the old name still appears in the game, try closing Phasmophobia completely and reopening it. This forces the game to fetch your current Steam profile information.

If the old name persists after restarting the game, restart the Steam client itself. Close Steam entirely, wait a few seconds, and open it again. Then launch Phasmophobia. This clears Steam's local cache and ensures the game reads your updated profile.

Changing your name on console versions

Phasmophobia is available on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S. If you play on console, your username is tied to your PlayStation Network (PSN) or Xbox Live account, not to Steam.

On PlayStation, go to Settings, then Account, then Profile, then Online ID to change your PSN name. On Xbox, go to Settings, then Account, then Personalization, then Gamertag to change your Xbox name. These changes will reflect in Phasmophobia on those platforms.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change my Phasmophobia username while in the middle of a game?

You can change your Steam persona name at any time, even during a game. However, other players in your current session will continue seeing your old name until you leave and rejoin. The new name appears when you start a fresh session or when other players see your profile.

Will changing my username affect my rank or progression?

No. Your rank, experience, unlocked equipment, and all progression data stay exactly the same. Changing your name is purely cosmetic and does not touch any game data or statistics.

How often can I change my Steam persona name?

You can change your Steam persona name as many times as you want with no waiting period or limit. Some older Steam accounts had a cooldown, but Valve removed that restriction years ago.

What if someone else took the username I want?

On Steam, multiple people can have the same persona name — there is no uniqueness requirement. You can use any name you want, even if another player has it. Your actual account is identified by your account ID number, not your display name.

Do my friends see my name change when ready?

Yes. Friends who have you added will see your new name as soon as you save the change. They do not need to restart Steam or do anything on their end.