- Changing your Twitch username from the settings page
- What Twitch requires before a username change goes through
- Your Twitch username and display name are not the same thing
- What happens to your old Twitch channel link and old name
- Twitch Partner name change and name revert options
- A tidy checklist for a Twitch rebrand
- If you can't change your Twitch username
- Frequently asked questions
To change your Twitch username, click your profile picture, open Settings, go to the Profile section and edit Username. You need a verified email, and Twitch's help says you can change it only once every 60 days, and not while you're live.
A Twitch name is a bit like a shop sign. Pick something rushed at 2am when you were ten minutes into a new game and it can follow you around for years. I see a lot of creators and small brands outgrow their first handle, and the good news is that Twitch lets you swap it yourself. There are rules, though, and they catch people out.
Everything below follows Twitch's own help pages. I'll cover the change itself, the limits on how often you can do it, and the difference between your username and your display name, which trips up more people than anything else.
Changing your Twitch username from the settings page
Twitch's account settings article says you reach the setting from the profile picture at the top right of the site. Menus vary a little by version, but the route looks like this:
- Log in to Twitch in your browser.
- Click your profile picture in the top right corner and select Settings from the drop-down menu.
- Stay on the Profile section, where the Username setting lives.
- Choose the option to edit your username and type the new name you want.
- Save the change once Twitch confirms the name is available.
If the name you type is taken, Twitch will tell you, and you'll need to try another. It's worth having two or three options ready before you start.
What Twitch requires before a username change goes through
Twitch's username policy lists a few conditions, and they explain most of the times the button seems to do nothing:
- You must have a verified email address on your account.
- The new username must be at least 4 characters long.
- You can't change it during an active broadcast, or while a VOD upload is pending.
- You can only change it once every 60 days.
That last rule is the big one. If you changed your name recently, Twitch's help says you have to wait for the 60 days to run out. So choose carefully, because you can't test a name for a day and flip back.
Your Twitch username and display name are not the same thing
Your username is what you log in with and what appears in your channel address. Your display name is how that name looks on your profile, in chat and in the directories. Twitch's display names article says display name changes are limited to capitalization. In other words, you can turn shopname into ShopName, but you can't add spaces or swap letters.
The same article says your display name doesn't change when you change your username. That's useful to know if you've just rebranded and wonder why the old look is still showing: check the capitalization setting as well.
| Question | What Twitch's help pages say |
|---|---|
| How often can I change my username? | Once every 60 days |
| Can I change it while live? | No, not during an active broadcast or a pending VOD upload |
| What can I change in my display name? | Capitalization only |
| Does the display name follow a username change? | No, it stays as it was |
| Does my old channel link redirect? | No |
What happens to your old Twitch channel link and old name
This is the part small businesses should read twice. Twitch's help says your channel URL will not redirect to your new name. Every place you've shared the old link (your website, email signature, social bios, business cards, a pinned message in your Discord) will lead nowhere until you update it.
Your old name isn't instantly free for someone else to grab, either. Twitch's help says your original name will not become available again for at least 180 days. That gives you a cooling-off window if you regret the switch, though it's no guarantee of getting the name back.
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Twitch Partner name change and name revert options
Twitch Partners get two one-time benefits through Partner Help: one name change and one name revert. The help article is clear that the self-service tool should always be your first attempt, and that Partner Help can only step in when the name you want is unavailable through self-service. If you're working towards that status, my breakdown of what Twitch asks of Partners is worth a read.
A tidy checklist for a Twitch rebrand
If you're renaming a channel for a business or a creator brand, a little planning saves a lot of broken links. Here's the order I'd work in:
- Pick the new name and check it matches your other handles, so people can find you easily.
- Wait until you're off air with no VOD upload pending.
- Change the username in Settings, then check the capitalization of your display name.
- Update the channel link everywhere you've shared it, starting with your website and email signature.
- Tell your community what's changed, using your panels, your socials and a stream announcement.
If you're weighing up whether Twitch is even the right home for your content, I've compared the options in my guide to other places to stream besides Twitch. And if you plan to broadcast to more than one place at a time, my roundup of live streaming tools is a handy next stop.
If you can't change your Twitch username
When the option won't work, go through these in order:
- Check that you've confirmed your email address. Twitch's help says a verified email is required.
- Make sure you're not live and that no VOD upload is waiting to finish.
- Think back: did you change the name within the last 60 days? If so, you'll need to wait.
- Try a different name. It might be taken, or shorter than the 4 characters Twitch asks for.
- If none of that fits, contact Twitch through its help centre rather than trying workarounds.
Frequently asked questions
How do I change my Twitch username?
Click your profile picture in the top right, select Settings, go to the Profile section and edit the Username setting. You need a verified email, and the name must be at least 4 characters long.
How often can I change my Twitch username?
Twitch's help pages say once every 60 days, and not during an active broadcast or while a VOD upload is pending.
Can I change my Twitch display name separately?
Only the capitalization. Twitch's help says display name changes are limited to capitalization, and your display name doesn't change when your username changes.
Will my old Twitch link still work after I change my name?
No. Twitch says your channel URL will not redirect to your new name, so you'll need to update the link wherever you've shared it.
Can someone take my old Twitch username?
Twitch's help says your original name will not become available again for at least 180 days after you change it.
