Change your Vimeo username in account settings

To change your Vimeo username, sign into your account, go to your account settings, find the profile section, and update the username field. Vimeo allows you to change your username once every 30 days, and the change takes effect when ready across your profile, videos, and any public links.

The username is different from your display name. Your username is what appears in your Vimeo URL (vimeo.com/yourname) and is used when other people search for you or link to your profile. Your display name is what shows on your videos and comments, and you can change that separately without any waiting period.

Key Takeaways

  • You can change your Vimeo username once every 30 days from your account settings under the profile section.
  • Your new username becomes your Vimeo URL when ready, so any old links to your profile will no longer work.
  • Usernames must be between 3 and 50 characters and can only contain letters, numbers, hyphens, and underscores.
  • If you want to change what appears on your videos without waiting 30 days, update your display name instead of your username.

Step-by-step: Finding and updating your username

Start by going to vimeo.com and signing into your account. Click the profile icon in the top right corner — it usually shows your current profile picture or initials. A dropdown menu will appear with several options.

Select Settings from that menu. You will land on your account settings page. On the left side, you should see a menu with different sections. Click on Profile. This is where your username field lives, along with your display name, bio, and other public information about your account.

Look for the field labeled Username. Click into that field and delete your current username. Type your new username. Remember that usernames must be 3 to 50 characters long and can only use letters, numbers, hyphens, and underscores — no spaces or special characters like periods or @ symbols.

Once you have typed your new username, scroll down and click the Save button. Vimeo will check whether that username is already taken. If it is available, your change will save when ready and your new URL will be active right away.

What happens to your old username and links

When you change your username, Vimeo does not keep your old one reserved for you. This means someone else can claim your old username after you change it. If you have shared links to your profile (like vimeo.com/oldusername) with other people, those links will stop working once you change your username.

Before you change your username, think about whether you have posted that URL anywhere — in social media bios, on a website, in email signatures, or in video descriptions. You may want to update those places with your new username, or you could add a note to your profile bio explaining that you have changed usernames recently.

Your videos themselves do not disappear, and the video URLs do not change. Only your profile URL changes. If someone has a direct link to one of your videos, that link will still work even after you change your username.

The 30-day waiting period between changes

Vimeo enforces a 30-day cooldown between username changes. This means once you change your username, you cannot change it again for 30 days. The timer starts from the moment you save your new username, not from when you first tried to change it.

If you make a mistake or change your mind shortly after updating your username, you will have to wait the full 30 days before you can change it again. For this reason, it is worth double-checking your new username for spelling and whether it represents how you want to be found before you click save.

Username rules and what you cannot use

Vimeo has specific rules about what characters and formats are allowed in usernames. Your username must be between 3 and 50 characters. You can use uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, hyphens, and underscores. You cannot use spaces, periods, commas, @ symbols, or other special characters.

Usernames are case-insensitive, which means vimeo.com/JohnSmith and vimeo.com/johnsmith point to the same profile. Vimeo will not let you claim a username that is already taken, even if the existing account is inactive or old. If the username you want is taken, you will need to choose a different one.

Some usernames are reserved by Vimeo itself — for example, you cannot use "vimeo", "help", "about", or other words that Vimeo uses for its own pages. If you try to use a reserved word, Vimeo will tell you the username is unavailable.

Display name versus username: which one to change

Many people confuse their username with their display name, and changing the wrong one can be frustrating. Your username is your profile URL and can only be changed once every 30 days. Your display name is what appears on your videos, comments, and profile page, and you can change it as often as you want with no waiting period.

If you want people to see a different name on your videos but do not want to wait 30 days or change your profile URL, update your display name instead. Go to Settings, click Profile, and find the Display Name field. Change it there and save. This takes effect when ready and does not trigger the 30-day cooldown.

Troubleshooting: username not saving or already taken

If you see a message that your username is already taken, someone else has claimed it. Try adding a number, hyphen, or underscore to make it unique — for example, johnsmith-photography or johnsmith2024. Vimeo will tell you when ready whether your new choice is available.

If the save button does not work or you get an error message, try refreshing the page and signing in again. Sometimes a browser cache issue can prevent the form from submitting. If you are still having trouble after refreshing, try a different browser or clear your browser cookies for vimeo.com and sign back in.

If you have changed your username within the last 30 days and want to change it again, Vimeo will show you a message telling you when you will be able to change it next. You cannot bypass this waiting period — you will have to wait until the 30 days have passed since your last change.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change my username more than once every 30 days?

No. Vimeo enforces a strict 30-day waiting period between username changes. Once you change your username, you must wait 30 days before you can change it again. This rule applies to all accounts, including paid subscriptions.

What happens to my videos when I change my username?

Your videos stay exactly where they are. The direct links to your videos do not change. Only your profile URL changes. Anyone with a link to one of your videos can still watch it even after you change your username.

Can I get my old username back after I change it?

No. Once you change your username, Vimeo does not reserve it for you. Someone else can claim it. If you want to use that username again, you would have to wait for the other person to abandon it, which is not may provide to happen.

Is my username the same as my email address?

No. Your username is separate from your email address. Your email is what you use to sign into Vimeo, and your username is your public profile identifier. You can change your username without changing your email, and vice versa.

Do I need a paid Vimeo account to change my username?

No. You can change your username on a free Vimeo account. The 30-day waiting period applies to all accounts regardless of whether you pay for a subscription.