How to Change Your Name on WhatsApp (Name vs Username)

There are more names in play on WhatsApp than most people realise, and mixing them up causes most of the confusion. There's the profile name you choose, a username you may be able to create, and the name each person saves you under in their own phone. You can change the first two, but never the third. If you run a business, getting your profile name right matters, because it's what new customers see. Here's how to change it on Android and iPhone according to WhatsApp's help pages, and where it appears.

Your WhatsApp name, your username and the name others save you as

Name	Who sets it	What WhatsApp's help pages say
Profile name (display name)	You, in your profile	Limited to 25 characters. Visible to people in groups who haven't saved your contact information. Doesn't have to be unique.
Username	You, in your profile, if available to you	Optional and unique, shown with an @. People who don't have your number saved see it instead of your number.
Saved contact name	Each person, in their own phone	A label on their phone. Contacts who have your number saved keep seeing the name they saved and your number.

That last row explains why a friend may still see your old name after you've changed it. Your change doesn't override what they typed in their own address book.

Change your name on WhatsApp on Android

1. Open WhatsApp and tap the menu (three dots), then Settings.
2. Tap your profile picture, then Name.
3. Enter your new name. The limit is 25 characters, and you can add an emoji.
4. Tap Save.

Change your name on WhatsApp on iPhone

1. Open WhatsApp and tap You.
2. Tap your profile, then Name.
3. Enter your new name. The limit is 25 characters.
4. Tap Save.

Menus vary by app version. If you use WhatsApp on a computer, the help centre has separate tabs for web and desktop; I haven't covered those here.

Where your WhatsApp profile name shows

WhatsApp's help page says your profile name is visible to people in groups who haven't saved your contact information. That's the headline use. There are two other places the help pages mention it:

• In the link preview when you invite someone to WhatsApp. WhatsApp's find-and-invite article says your profile name appears there so the recipient can identify you, or your phone number if you haven't got a profile name.
• In a chat, when someone has started a conversation with you by your username. WhatsApp's help page says they'll see your username and display name, and not your phone number unless they already have it saved.

If you tell customers to message you on WhatsApp, a clear name matters. A person who's never saved you sees whatever you've put there, so make it something they'll recognise.

Change your WhatsApp username as well as your name

A username is a separate thing, and it's worth knowing the difference. WhatsApp's help page says your username is different from your display name, the name that appears in your profile. A display name doesn't have to be unique, but a username does. WhatsApp's pages also say usernames are rolling out gradually and may not be available to you yet.

Where you have the option, the steps on iPhone are: tap You, tap the area around your profile photo, tap Username, then Edit, then Change username, enter the one you want and tap Save, then Done. If it isn't available, WhatsApp can suggest alternatives. Its help page lists the format rules: 3 to 35 characters, lowercase letters, numbers, underscores and periods, not only numbers, and unique. You can change or delete it at any time, though the help page notes there's a limit to how many times you can change it, and a changed or deleted username may be claimed by someone else. If you delete it, you have 14 days to reclaim it.

It also explains why people bother. With a username, people who don't have your number saved see the username instead, so your phone number stays private. My guide to finding someone on WhatsApp shows the other side: how people use a username to reach you.

Choose a WhatsApp profile name that works for your business

• Use your own name plus your business, or your trading name, so customers recognise you.
• Stay under the 25-character limit so nothing's cut off.
• Skip the emoji and capitals. They make a business look less trustworthy.
• Match your picture. A matching name and photo are easier to trust, and my guide to changing your WhatsApp profile picture covers the photo side.
• Don't use someone else's name or a brand you don't own.

For a business account, the Business app has its own profile details. I haven't confirmed the rules for those from WhatsApp's help pages, so check the Business section of the help centre for business names.

Rename a person in your own WhatsApp contacts instead

If what you want is to rename someone else, such as a customer saved as a bare number, that's a different job. WhatsApp's help page says to tap the search bar in Chats, enter their name, tap the contact, then edit their details. On iPhone you tap their name and then Edit. On Android you view the contact and choose Edit. My guide to adding a contact on WhatsApp covers the full set of options.

If your WhatsApp name won't change or doesn't show

• Make sure you tapped Save. It's easy to miss.
• Update the app. An older version may show a different profile screen.
• Check who is looking. A contact who saved you under another name still sees that name.
• Try a shorter name if the limit is the issue.
• Remember About and your photo are separate fields. WhatsApp's help page lists name, About and profile picture as three things you edit.

Frequently asked questions

How do I change my name on WhatsApp?

Open Settings (Android) or tap You (iPhone), tap your profile, tap Name, enter the new name and tap Save. The limit is 25 characters.

Who can see my WhatsApp profile name?

WhatsApp's help page says your profile name is visible to people in groups who haven't saved your contact information.

What's the difference between a display name and a username?

WhatsApp's help page says a username is unique and shown with an @, while a display name is the name in your profile and doesn't have to be unique.

Why does my friend still see my old name?

They've probably saved you in their phone under that name. WhatsApp's help page says contacts who have your number saved keep seeing the name they saved.

Can I hide my phone number with a username?

If usernames are available to you, yes. WhatsApp's help page says people who don't have your number saved see your username instead, but you still need a phone number for your account.