How to Change Your Facebook Username (and What It Affects)

Your Facebook username is the short handle at the end of your profile address, and it's the bit people type or see when you share your profile. Plenty of us picked one years ago, or let Facebook assign a string of numbers, and never looked at it again. If you're putting your Facebook profile on a business card, an email signature or a website, a clean username looks far more professional and is easier for customers to remember.

Facebook now handles usernames in Accounts Center, the settings hub it shares with Messenger and Instagram. The steps here follow Facebook's help article Find or change your username on Facebook. Facebook says it's rolling Accounts Center out gradually, so a few menu names may look slightly different on your screen.

Username vs display name on Facebook

People often mix these two up, so it's worth getting straight before you change anything:

	Username	Display name
Purpose	Your handle in the profile web address	The name shown on your profile and posts
Characters allowed	Letters, numbers and full stops only	Must follow Facebook's names rules
Where you change it	Accounts Center, Profiles, Username	Accounts Center, Profiles, Name
Limits	You may not get an old one back	Facebook limits how often you can change it

If you want people to see a different name on your posts, you need the display name, which Facebook covers in its separate article How to change your name on Facebook. This guide is about the username.

Steps to change your Facebook username on a computer

1. Click your profile picture in the top right of Facebook.
2. Select Settings & privacy, then click Settings.
3. Click Accounts Center, then click Profiles.
4. Select the profile you want to edit, then click Username.
5. Enter your new username, then click Done.

If the name you want is taken, Facebook will tell you and you'll need to try a variation. Adding a full stop between words, or your town or trade, often does the trick.

Editing your Facebook handle in the mobile app

The app uses the same Accounts Center screens. Menus vary by app version, but the route usually runs like this:

1. Open the Facebook app and tap the menu.
2. Tap Settings & privacy, then Settings.
3. Tap Accounts Center, then Profiles, and choose your Facebook profile.
4. Tap Username, type the new one and tap Done.

Can't see Accounts Center? Facebook's help page on finding your settings says you can use the search bar inside Settings, so try typing username there.

Facebook's rules for a new username

• Usernames can only contain letters (A to Z), numbers (0 to 9) or a full stop, according to Facebook's help article.
• Facebook has a separate article called Guidelines for creating a custom username or screen name on Facebook, which is worth a read if yours keeps being rejected.
• You may not be able to reclaim your original username once you've changed it, so be sure before you click Done.

What changes when you pick a new Facebook username

This is the part people don't expect. According to Facebook's help page, changing your username also changes:

• Your Facebook profile address at facebook.com followed by your username.
• Your Messenger profile address at m.me followed by your username.
• Your username on Messenger itself, because the change applies to both apps.
• Your Instagram username too, if you've synced profiles and your sync settings say so.

That last point catches people out. If you've built an Instagram handle you love, check your sync settings in Accounts Center before you touch your Facebook username.

Old links after a username change

Because your profile address changes, any link you've printed or posted with the old username may stop pointing to you. Before you change it, make a quick list of where your profile link appears: your website, email signature, business cards, QR codes and any directory listings. Update them on the same day so customers don't hit a dead end.

Business Page usernames work differently

Facebook's help article notes that Page admins can also change the username for Pages they look after. That's a separate setting on the Page, not on your personal profile. A Page username is the one to use on shop windows and printed materials, because it points people to your business rather than your private life. If you're still deciding which to lead with, I've compared the two in my guide to using a Facebook Page or a personal profile for business.

While you're tidying up your Page details, it's also handy to know where your numeric Page ID lives, because some tools ask for that rather than the username. Here's where to find your Facebook Page ID.

If Facebook won't let you change your username

• Check that you've only used letters, numbers and full stops. Spaces, dashes and symbols aren't allowed.
• Try a less common version, because popular names are usually taken.
• Make sure you're in the right profile in Accounts Center if you manage more than one.
• If Username isn't listed under Profiles, update the app or try a computer, since Accounts Center is still rolling out.

A username change is also a good moment to look at your account security. If it's been a while, here's how to change your Facebook password from the same Accounts Center screens.

Frequently asked questions

Is a Facebook username the same as my name?

No. Your username is the handle in your profile web address. Your display name is the name people see on your profile and posts, and you change it separately.

Can I use spaces or symbols in my Facebook username?

No. Facebook's help article says usernames can only contain letters, numbers or a full stop.

Will my old profile link still work?

Facebook's help page says your profile address changes with your username, so update anywhere you've shared the old link.

Does changing my Facebook username change Instagram?

It can. Facebook says that if you've synced profiles with Instagram, your username will also update there according to your sync settings.

Can I get my old username back?

Facebook warns that you may not be able to reclaim your original username once you've changed it.