Change your Nintendo Switch profile name in settings

You can change your Switch username directly through your console's settings without contacting Nintendo support. The process takes about two minutes and does not affect your game saves, friend list, or online play history.

Go to System Settings on your Switch home screen, select Users, then pick the profile you want to change. Open Profile Settings, choose Nickname, and type your new username. The Switch allows up to 10 characters, including letters, numbers, and some symbols. When you save, the change takes effect when ready across all your games and online interactions.

If you are changing a child's profile, you can do this from your own account if you are the administrator of that profile. The child does not need to be present, and the change will show up the next time they log in.

Key Takeaways

  • Your Switch username changes when ready through System Settings and does not erase your games or progress.
  • You can use up to 10 characters, including letters, numbers, hyphens, and underscores.
  • If you change your username, your friends will see the new name the next time they check their friend list.
  • Changing your username on Switch does not change your Nintendo Account email or password.

What happens to your games and friends when you change your name

Your game saves stay exactly where they are. Changing your username does not move, delete, or lock any of your saved games. You will still see all your progress in every game you own, and your playtime records remain unchanged.

Your friends will see your new username the next time they open their friend list or play with you online. If you were in the middle of a multiplayer game when you changed your name, they may still see your old name until they restart the game. Your friend request history and blocked users list do not change.

Usernames you cannot use on Switch

The Switch will reject a username if it contains profanity, slurs, or hateful language. Nintendo's filter catches common offensive words and variations, so you cannot bypass it by using numbers or symbols in place of letters.

You also cannot use a name that is only numbers, only symbols, or only spaces. The console requires at least one letter. Names that impersonate Nintendo staff or famous people (like "Nintendo_Support" or "Elon_Musk") may be flagged, though the system does not always catch these when ready — if you use one and Nintendo detects it later, they can force a name change without warning.

Changing your Nintendo Account email versus your Switch username

Your Switch username and your Nintendo Account email are separate things. Changing your Switch username does not change the email address you use to log into your Nintendo Account, and changing your account email does not change your Switch username.

If you want to change your Nintendo Account email (the address you use to sign into the eShop, recover your account, or link to other services), you do that on the Nintendo Account website, not on the console. Go to your account settings at accounts.nintendo.com, select Email Address, and follow the verification steps. This change takes effect across all your Nintendo devices.

How to change your username on a shared Switch console

If multiple people use the same Switch, each person has their own profile with their own username. You can only change the username on a profile you control. If you are the console administrator, you can change any profile's username from that profile's settings.

If you are a guest or child account on someone else's Switch, you cannot change your own username — the administrator has to do it for you. Ask the person who set up the console to go into your profile settings and change it. This is a safety feature to prevent children from changing their own names without permission.

What to do if your username change is not showing up

If you changed your username but it still shows the old name in a game or online, restart the game first. Most games load your profile information when they start, so they may not see the change until you close and reopen them.

If the old name persists after restarting, restart your entire Switch console. Hold the power button for 10 seconds, select Power Options, and choose Restart. This clears the console's memory and forces all apps to reload your profile data. If the name still does not update after a full restart, check that you actually saved the change in System Settings — go back to Profile Settings and verify the new name is there.

Changing your username on the Nintendo Switch Lite

The Switch Lite uses the exact same process as the standard Switch. Go to System Settings, Users, your profile, Profile Settings, Nickname, and type your new name. The change takes effect when ready and works the same way across games and online play.

The only difference is that the Switch Lite is portable, so you might be changing your username while away from home. Make sure you are connected to Wi-Fi or mobile hotspot when you save the change, because the console needs to sync it with Nintendo's servers. If you are offline, the change will save locally but may not show up to your friends until you connect to the internet again.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change my Switch username more than once?

Yes, you can change your username as many times as you want. There is no limit on how often you can do it, and there is no waiting period between changes. Each change takes effect when ready.

Will my friends know I changed my username?

Your friends will see your new username in their friend list and during online play, but they will not receive a notification that you changed it. If they have not opened their friend list recently, they may not notice until the next time you play together.

What if I want to go back to my old username?

You can change your username back to anything you want, including a name you used before. Just go back to Profile Settings and type the old name again. There is no special process for reverting to a previous username.

Does changing my Switch username affect my Nintendo Account password?

No. Your Switch username and your Nintendo Account password are completely separate. Changing your username does not change your password, and you do not need to update your password when you change your username.

Can I use special characters or emoji in my Switch username?

You can use hyphens and underscores, but the Switch does not support emoji or most other special characters. Stick to letters, numbers, hyphens, and underscores to avoid rejection.