How To Change Your Twitter Username

If you are wondering how to change your Twitter handle, then you'll know what a username is. However, you might not fully understand what it does. Each username is unique in that you cannot have the same sequence of characters attached to more than one account. This is so that you don't confuse two different people, even if people often try to do this (especially with celebrity accounts).

When signing up to Twitter, you may not give much consideration to your username. Many people will try to use their given name, often adjusting it with a number or unrelated suffix as their own name has been taken. Some will want to use a brand name as their Twitter feed is used to publicize a product or service they own or work for. Others may want to be a little more creative and use a Twitter handle which is funny or interesting.

This username is what people search for on the Twitter database to find you. However, you also have the option of adding a display name. This means that if your username is taken, you can still add your real name to the display name so that people can know who you are. While a username can be up to 15 characters, display names can have as many as 50 characters in them.

However, a Twitter username does something else - it makes an impression. Even your real name can make an impression on someone, which is often why people change them later in life to better represent the person they are. If you are younger and sign up to Twitter the things you are interested in or find funny might be very different once you become an adult. ‘@gothgirl2K12’^[2] might be suitable to your 15 year old self, but once you go through law school and want your name on a bus stop bench, your feelings may change. There is even a Twitter feed dedicated to the worst usernames on Twitter^[3] to name and shame some of the silly or plain misguided names people somehow think it's OK to give themselves.

Now that you know the difference between Twitter username and display name, let’s find out how to you can change them.

If you are operating your Twitter account from your computer or laptop (the desktop options), follow these steps to change your username:

• Open your web browser and open the Twitter website by entering Twitter.com.

• Log in to your Twitter account using your existing username and password. There are several options on this page. You can register with Twitter if you haven’t already, you can click on the ‘Forgot Password’ button if you forgot your password and want to retrieve it or you can hit the ‘Remember Me’ button if you are using your personal computer. After doing this, you will not need to enter your username and password every time you want to login to your Twitter account. You should not do this if you are using your office computer or a public computer. Otherwise anyone would be able to login to your Twitter account and misuse it.

• Once you login to your Twitter account, open the ‘Settings and Privacy’ tab. To do that, you will have to click on your Profile Picture and then click on the ‘Settings and Privacy’ button.

• Select ‘Account’ on the left. You will see an option to ‘Change Username’. Your Twitter username can be 15 characters long. Give yourself a unique username. Once you enter your desired username, Twitter will check if it is available for use or not. If not, you will have to select another username. Twitter will also suggest a few usernames that are available for use. You can select one from these options too.

• When you enter a username that is available to be taken, you will see ‘Available’ on top of your username box.

• Once you are done, scroll own and select ‘Save Changes’. You will see a display message that says that your settings have been saved and your username has been changed.

• Click ‘x’ on top right corner of this display message to close it, and start using Twitter.

• You will see your new username on the left hand side of your home page.

If the Twitter app is already installed on your iPhone, and you have already signed in, there are a few changes in the way you can change your Twitter username on this device. Follow these instructions:

• Grab your iPhone and launch the Twitter app. If you don’t have the app on your device, download it from the Apple Store.

• Once you have opened the app, tap on the profile photo for your Twitter account. If you don’t have a photo, you can tap on your personal icon.

• Open the slide-out menu where you will see a ‘Settings and Privacy’ button. Click on this tab.

• Tap ‘Account’ on the screen that shows up, and choose ‘Username’.

• Under ‘New’, start typing the new username that you want. Since you need to have a unique username, Twitter will check if it is available for use or if it attached to a different account. Depending on what you type, it will suggest a few similar usernames you can choose. If you don’t like any of them, you can type another username and take any available options.

• When you have typed in a unique username that is available to be taken, you will see a green check sign on its right side. If it is not available, you will see a red minus mark beside it.

• Hit ‘Done’. Wait for your new username to display on top of your home screen.

There are slight differences in the way you can change your Twitter username on Android devices. Let’s have a look:

• Open the Twitter app on your Android device. You will see it as a blue icon with a white bird in it. If you are already logged in to your Twitter account, you will be taken directly to your home page. Otherwise, you will have to login using your existing username and password.

• Tap on your profile photo which you can see on the top left corner of your Android screen. If you have not yet set a profile photo, you will see the image of an egg in that place. Tap on that icon.

• A pop up window will appear, in which you have to touch ‘Settings and Privacy’.

• Tap on the ‘Account’ button. You will find it on top of the page.

• Now hit ‘Username’ that you will also see on top of the page that opens.

• Select your current username, click on delete the option for which you will see on top of your username page.

• Now it’s time to enter the new username that you want to take. If it is available to be taken, you will see a green checkmark near it. If it is not available, Twitter will suggest you a few options based on the keywords that you typed. You can either change the words that you typed or select an available username suggested by Twitter.

• Tap ‘Done’ that you will find in the bottom right corner of your screen.

• You have successfully changed your Twitter username and you will see your new username on top of your home page.

If you change your Twitter username, it will not affect any of your direct messages, replies and existing followers. People will simply see your new username next to your profile image. We advise you to tell your followers before changing your username, so that they don’t get shocked to see a new follower in their account and direct their messages to you via your new username.

With Facebook, there is a limit to how often you can change your ID and you may also be wondering how often can you change your Twitter username. As far as we are aware, there is no limit to how often this can be done. This might be particularly good for the indecisive out there.

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