How to Change Your Username on Twitter (X) in 2026
Open Settings and privacy and edit the Username field. In the X app, tap Account, then Username, type the new name and tap Done. On x.com, go to Your account, then Account information, re-enter your password, edit the name and click Save. If someone already has the name, X asks you to choose another.
The edit takes a minute; the consequences last longer. Your old @handle is free for anyone to claim straight away, and a blue checkmark disappears until X reviews the account again. Below, the question “how do I change username on Twitter?” gets X’s steps for each app, its naming rules and the fixes when X refuses a name. The rest of the rebrand, from tweets to posts, is mapped in Twitter is now X.
Table of Contents
- How do I change username on Twitter (X)?
- Username vs display name: what’s the difference?
- X username rules
- What happens to your old handle?
- Will you lose your blue checkmark?
- Why can’t I change my X username?
- How to change your display name instead
- FAQ
How do I change username on Twitter (X)?
In your account settings, on x.com or in the X app. X’s help page gives the same three steps for iPhone and Android, and seven on the web, where you confirm your password before you can edit the Username field. Here they are:
In the X app on iPhone:
- Navigate to Settings and privacy and tap Account.
- Tap Username and update the username currently listed in the Username field. If the username is taken, you'll be prompted to choose another one.
- Tap Done.
Checked against X Help Center: How to change your X username.Archived copy, 4 July 2026 View the archived copy.
The Android app uses the same three steps. On a computer:
On x.com (computer):
- Click on the more button from the navigation bar.
- Click on Settings and privacy.
- Click on Your account.
- Click on Account information.
- You will be prompted to type in your account password to confirm it's you.
- Under Account information, update the username currently listed in the Username field. If the username is taken, you'll be prompted to choose another one.
- Click the Save button.
Checked against X Help Center: How to change your X username.Archived copy, 4 July 2026 View the archived copy.
No Username option in your app? X’s own pages disagree here. An older X help page says usernames can’t be changed in the mobile apps and must be changed on x.com or mobile.x.com, while the current change-username page gives the app steps above. If the option is missing, sign in on x.com in a browser and use the web steps. Checked against X Help Center: Help with common username issuesArchived copy, 13 October 2025 View the archived copy
Username vs display name: what’s the difference?
Your username is your unique @handle; your display name is the name shown next to it. The username begins with @, belongs to your account alone, appears in your profile URL and is used to log in. The display name is separate and needn’t be unique: X describes it as something playful, a business name or a real name, and lets you change it at any time.
| Username (@handle) | Display name | |
|---|---|---|
| Unique to your account | Yes | No |
| Where it shows | After the @, in your profile URL, in replies and Direct Messages | Next to your username |
| Length | More than 4 and up to 15 characters | Up to 50 characters |
| Where you change it | Settings and privacy | Edit profile, on your profile page |
Checked against X Help Center: How to change your X username.Archived copy, 4 July 2026 View the archived copy.
Our explainer on what a social media handle is covers the same split on other networks.
X username rules
More than 4 and at most 15 characters, using only letters, numbers and underscores. That’s X’s change-username page, which also rules out spaces. Its registration page rules out dashes and symbols too, and words the floor differently, implying 4 characters can work, so five or more is the safe length. Display names are separate and can run to 50 characters. If the name you want is taken, the registration page suggests adding an underscore before or after it: its example is @lindsay_ or @_lindsay.
Checked against X Help Center: How to change your X username.Archived copy, 4 July 2026 View the archived copy.
Before you try a new handle, check its format with our free social media username checker. It tests the handle against X’s rules in your browser and gives you the profile link, so you can see for yourself whether an account already uses it. Need ideas first? The X username generator builds handles from a name or keyword and drops any that break these rules.
What happens to your old handle?
X frees it immediately, so anyone can claim it. X says that once you change your username, your previous one “will immediately be available for use by someone else.” Your followers, Direct Messages and replies aren’t affected: followers simply see the new username next to your profile photo. X suggests telling followers before you switch, so replies and messages go to the new name.
Checked against X Help Center: How to change your X username.Archived copy, 4 July 2026 View the archived copy.
X’s page doesn’t say whether old links or @mentions that use your previous handle keep working. Your username is part of your profile URL, though, and the old one can be claimed by someone else, so update it wherever you’ve shared it: bio links, your website, email signatures and other profiles.
Moving a handle between your own accounts
Free it on one account, then claim it on the other. X documents a do-it-yourself swap between two accounts you own:
On x.com or in the X app:
- Log into the account that currently has the desired username.
- Change the username to something else (try adding a number or underscore). This will immediately free up the username for use by other accounts.
- Log into your other account and change the username to the desired username.
Checked against X Help Center: Help with common username issues.Archived copy, 13 October 2025 View the archived copy.
Move quickly between the second and third steps, because the freed name is open to everyone. Deactivating an account doesn’t free its username immediately, so changing the name is the fast route. Swapping between your own accounts is fine; buying or selling a username is not. X’s Authenticity policy bans buying or selling accounts or usernames, and using third-party services that do. Checked against X Help Center: Authenticity
Will you lose your blue checkmark?
Yes, until X reviews your account again. X says changing your profile photo, display name or @handle removes the blue checkmark until the account is re-reviewed, and you can’t make further changes to those fields while the review runs. So if you also want a new display name or photo, X won’t take it until the review is over. Checked against X Help Center: About X Premium
The check returns once X’s team confirms the account still meets its requirements. Checked against X Help Center: About X Blue CheckmarkArchived copy, 21 September 2026 View the archived copy Planning to subscribe to Premium soon? X’s Premium FAQ says accounts that changed their profile photo, display name or @handle within the previous 3 days may be unable to sign up. Checked against X Help Center: About X Premium (FAQ)Archived copy, 2 October 2026 View the archived copy The requirements, and the gold and grey checks for organizations, are in our guide to getting verified on X.
Why can’t I change my X username?
Usually because the name isn’t available. X lists these reasons a username can’t be claimed, even when it looks free:
- Another account already has it.
- It contains Admin or the platform’s name (before the rebrand, the rule named Twitter).
- It’s longer than 15 characters.
- It contains symbols, dashes or spaces.
- A suspended or deactivated account holds it.
Checked against X Help Center: Help with username registration.
Two more causes come from X’s other pages: the Username option may be missing in your app (use x.com, as above), and if a recent profile change removed your blue checkmark, X allows no further changes until it has re-reviewed the account.
Can you get an inactive username?
Not by asking X to release it. X’s registration page says it “cannot release inactive usernames at this time.” Checked against X Help Center: Help with username registration Your options are a variation, such as the underscore X suggests above, or a different name that passes X’s rules.
How to change your display name instead
From your profile: Edit profile, change Name, Save. The display name is the one X lets you change at any time, up to 50 characters, and it doesn’t have to be unique. While you’re still setting up a new profile, the option stays hidden until you’ve uploaded a profile photo and a header photo. X’s steps, the same on the web and in the apps:
On x.com or in the X app:
- Sign in to X.com or open your X app (iOS or Android).
- Go to your profile.
- Click or tap the Edit profile button and you'll be able to edit your header photo, profile photo, name, bio (maximum 160 characters), location, website and birth date.
- Click or tap into any of these areas and make your changes.
- Click or tap Save.
Checked against X Help Center: How to customize your profile.Archived copy, 25 September 2026 View the archived copy.
Like a new @handle, a new display name removes a blue checkmark until X reviews the account.
Try Outfeed AI for your X text posts
FAQ
What is the difference between a username and a display name on X?
Your username is your unique @handle: it appears in your profile URL, shows in replies and Direct Messages, and is used to log in. Your display name is a separate, non-unique name shown next to it, such as a real name or a business name. X lets you change your display name at any time, up to 50 characters.
How long can an X username be?
Up to 15 characters. X’s change-username page says a username must be more than 4 characters and no more than 15, using only letters, numbers and underscores, with no spaces. X’s registration page words the minimum differently, implying 4 characters can work, so five or more is the safe length. Display names can be up to 50 characters.
What happens to my old handle after I change my X username?
X releases it immediately: your previous username becomes available for anyone else to claim as soon as you change it. Changing your username doesn’t affect your followers, Direct Messages or replies; followers simply see the new username next to your profile photo. X suggests telling your followers first so they reply to the new name.
Can I change my Twitter handle in the X app?
Yes, according to X’s current help page, which gives app steps: open Settings and privacy, tap Account, then Username, enter the new name and tap Done. An older X help page says usernames can’t be changed in the mobile apps, so if the option is missing, change it on x.com or mobile.x.com instead.
Why can’t I change my X username?
The name is usually unavailable. X lists names that are already taken, contain Admin or the platform’s name, run over 15 characters, include symbols, dashes or spaces, or belong to suspended or deactivated accounts. An older X page also says the mobile apps can’t change usernames, so try x.com. And if a profile change just removed your blue checkmark, X allows no further changes until its review ends.