How to Change Nicknames on Messenger (Phone and Computer)

Nicknames are one of the small Messenger touches that make a busy chat feel friendlier, whether you're tidying up a group of cousins or making sure the right Sam is the right Sam in a work thread. The good news is that they only take a few taps. Facebook's help pages describe how to set one on your phone and on a computer, and there's one detail about who can change them that surprises people. Here's the lot, including what the help pages don't say, so you don't have to guess.

How to set a nickname on Messenger on iPhone and Android

According to Messenger's Help Centre, you can create a custom nickname for people you're chatting with. In the Messenger app, the steps are:

1. From Chats, open a conversation.
2. Tap the name at the top of the chat.
3. Tap Nicknames.
4. Choose a nickname and tap Set.

Menus vary by app version, so if you don't see Nicknames straight away, look through the options that open when you tap the name at the top. The help article lists these same steps for the app, so that's the path I'd follow first.

How to change nicknames on Messenger from a computer

On a computer, Messenger's help article describes a slightly different route:

1. Go to the messages page on Facebook.
2. Open a conversation.
3. On the right-hand side, click Customise chat, then click Edit nicknames.
4. Click the name of the person whose name you want to edit.
5. Type the nickname and click Save.

Wording changes between versions. If you see Customize chat or a slightly different label, look for the same idea: an option to edit nicknames within the chat's settings.

Who can see and change a Messenger nickname

Here's the detail worth knowing. Messenger's help says to bear in mind that anyone in the chat can choose a nickname. So nicknames aren't private notes to yourself. In a chat, they belong to the conversation, and the help article doesn't describe any way to set one that only you can see.

That has a few practical effects:

• Anyone in the chat may be able to see a nickname you set.
• Anyone in the chat can pick a nickname, including for you.
• If you want a private label for someone, use your phone's contacts instead. Messenger's help article doesn't offer a private version.

Changing a nickname in a group chat on Messenger

The same steps apply to a group chat: open the conversation and use the chat's settings to choose Nicknames. The article I read talks about the people you're chatting with, and it doesn't separate one-to-one from group conversations, so I'd expect to find the option in either. Because anyone in the group can choose a nickname, it's worth agreeing a light rule, such as keeping them kind and work-friendly. Group chats with colleagues and customers are the ones where a joke nickname can land badly.

How to remove or change a Messenger nickname you've set

Facebook's help article covers creating a nickname, and it doesn't include a separate heading on removing one. The sensible route is to open the same Nicknames screen from the chat and choose a different nickname, or clear the one you entered if your version lets you. If you can't find a clear option, menus vary by app version, so tap the person's name in the Nicknames list and look at what your version offers. I'd rather say that than invent a button.

If you don't see Nicknames in your Messenger chat

• Update the Messenger app. Facebook's help pages say menus can differ between versions.
• Check you're inside a conversation and tapping the name at the top, not the back arrow.
• On a computer, click Customise chat on the right-hand side of the open chat.
• Try the other device. The phone and computer routes are described separately in the help article.
• If a chat is a special type, such as an encrypted one, the options may differ. Messenger's help says to check the chat settings for details.

Using Messenger nicknames for a small business or a team

If you manage client chats or a small team on Messenger, nicknames can save time. A short label like Sam (accounts) stops you mixing up two people with the same first name, and it makes a busy group easier to scan. Keep them professional, because anyone in the chat may see them. For customer conversations on your Page's inbox, I'd leave real names alone. A friendly nickname can feel too familiar for someone you've only just met.

Nicknames vs your Messenger username and chat names

A nickname is a label for a person inside a chat. It isn't the same as someone's Facebook name, their username or the name of a group chat. Messenger's help has related articles on finding or changing your username on Messenger and on adding a name or image for a group chat, so those are the places to look if you want to rename something else. If a nickname isn't the answer and you'd rather stop seeing someone's messages altogether, my guide to blocking someone on Messenger covers the options.

And if a chat has got messy for other reasons, my guide to deleting Facebook messages is the next thing to read. For more on keeping your account tidy and private, my guide to keeping Messenger secure is worth a look.

I keep every related walkthrough in the Facebook Help: 80 Guides to Pages, Groups, Ads, Stories and Fixes.

Frequently asked questions

How do I change a nickname on Messenger?

In the app, open a chat, tap the name at the top, tap Nicknames, choose a nickname and tap Set. On a computer, open the chat, click Customise chat, then Edit nicknames, click the person's name, type the nickname and click Save.

Who can see a Messenger nickname?

Messenger's help says anyone in the chat can choose a nickname, so treat it as visible to the people in that conversation.

Can I set a nickname that only I can see?

The help article I read doesn't offer a private nickname, so I'd use my phone's contacts for private labels.

Can I change a nickname in a group chat?

The steps are the same: open the conversation and look for Nicknames or Edit nicknames. Anyone in the chat can choose a nickname.

How do I remove a nickname on Messenger?

The help article covers creating nicknames. Open the same Nicknames screen and look at the options your app version offers, as menus vary.