In this guide, I’ll go over everything you need to know about how to change your Instagram username — including whether it’s a bad social media practice.
There’s a lot of room for creativity on Instagram. You can use “Highlights” to display all of your thoughtfully categorized content, post aesthetically pleasing photos of your morning coffee, and show off your music skills in your Stories.
However, when it comes to creativity, there is one area on the app that has sparked some debate: your name. While changing your Instagram name is possible, it is not the same as changing your bio or profile photo.
When it comes to something as important as your Instagram name, it’s best to proceed with caution because it’s the primary way for people to find you.
Is It Possible To Change Your Instagram Username?
It is absolutely possible to change your Instagram username and name. Yes, those are two completely different things. Your Instagram username — also known as your Instagram handle — is displayed in the top-centre of your profile.
It’s also located above each post, as well as next to each comment and like you leave. It’s also how people refer to you in content.
Your Instagram name, on the other hand, appears only beneath your profile photo on your profile.
People can look up your profile using your username and name.
Also Read: Top 10 Free Instagram Story Saver Websites
Username Vs. Display Name
Before you make any hasty decisions, you should be aware that your Instagram display name and username are not the same thing.
There are a few restrictions on your display name, which is essentially your personal or business name.
It doesn’t have to be unique, and you can change it as often as you want. For those who want something easier to remember, changing your display name may be a more straightforward solution.
Your Instagram username, on the other hand, is the name that appears at the top of your profile. It’s also what goes at the end of your Instagram URL and how people tag you with the “@” symbol. Instagram usernames are also more limited.
Instagram’s username rules are as follows:
- This code is unique to your account.
- There are no more than 30 characters in your message.
- Only letters, numbers, periods, and underscores are used (no spaces or other symbols).
- There will be no profanity or restricted language allowed.
Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, let’s look at how to change your Instagram username. We’ve also included a few extra details that you should be aware of.
How Do You Change Your Instagram Handle Or Username?
Changing your Instagram handle is easy to do if you follow these steps:
- Take a look at Instagram.
- To get to your profile, click the person icon in the bottom-right corner of the page.
- Then, beneath your bio, press the Edit Profile button.
- Enter your username in the Username field.
- Remove your previous username.
- Fill in the blanks with your new one.
- Finally, press the Done button.
Your Instagram username will be changed after you complete the steps above. If you change your mind about your new username and want to go back to your old one, you usually have 14 days to do so.
You won’t be able to change your username back if a new account has already taken it.
How to Change Your Instagram Name
Because Instagram is primarily used on mobile devices, the first method we’ll describe makes use of the Instagram app. If you’ve already thought of a new username, it’ll only take a few seconds to finish.
To change your Instagram username in the app, open your profile by tapping the profile icon in the bottom right corner. Then, beneath your bio, tap the Edit Profile button. In the Username field, type your new Instagram username and check the box in the top right.
That concludes our discussion. Instagram usernames, as previously stated, are subject to certain limitations. You’ll see a red exclamation point and the message “Username not available” if your new username doesn’t meet them.
Continue to experiment with different usernames until you find one that works. Surprisingly, changing your name, also known as your display name, on Instagram is just as easy as changing your username.We’ve listed the steps below in brief for those who need a step-by-step on how to change your Instagram username:
- Log in to Instagram with your username and password.
- To get to your profile, click the person icon in the bottom-right corner of the page.
- Underneath your bio, tap the Edit Profile button.
- In the Username field, type your new username.
- By pressing the X symbol, you can delete your old name.
- Fill in the blanks with your new name.
- Click the Done button.
This will immediately change your name on your Instagram profile.
More Captions: 250+ Classy Captions for DP and Profile Pictures
On A Computer Or Browser, How Do I Change My Username?
It’s just as simple to change your Instagram username from a browser. The steps are, in fact, very similar. This is what you must do. Log in to your Instagram account at Instagram.com.
Then, in the top-right corner of the screen, click your profile icon. Go to the Settings tab. The Edit Profile section should be visible. In the Username field, type your new username. At the bottom of the screen, click Submit, and you’re done!
You will not receive a warning that the desired username is already in use, unlike when changing your Instagram username in the app. Instead, when you click the submit button, a small pop-up will inform you that the username isn’t available.
For your convenience, we’ve listed the step-by-step instructions below on how to change your Instagram username:
- Go to Instagram.com and create an account.
- In the top right corner, click your profile icon.
- Make a selection of options.
- Select Edit Profile from the drop-down menu.
- In the Username field, type your new username.
- At the bottom of the page, click Submit.
What Happens If Your Username Is Changed?
Your Instagram username will be changed instantly after you click the Submit button on the web or tap the checkmark button on mobile, and your previous username will be freed up. This means you won’t be able to get it back if someone else takes it.
Any website linking to your Instagram account will now return the error shown above if you change your Instagram username. Make sure to keep any websites or social media profiles you have on the internet up to date.
Your Instagram follower count will not be reset if you change your username, but it may confuse them. The good news is that the account is still active, so you won’t have to start over.
You’ll keep your followers, though they might be perplexed by the change. This may result in lower engagement or unfollows, but users simply looking to share photos with friends should be unconcerned.
Your Instagram account will automatically update everywhere it is displayed on Instagram, so you won’t have to worry about old posts you’ve commented on linking to a non-existent account.
People who want to tag you in new posts will need to know your new username, as posts you’ve been tagged in may not be updated.
The Drawbacks Of Changing Your Instagram Username
While changing your Instagram name and username is simple, there are some limitations. There are some important things to consider before pressing “Done,” depending on how actively you’ve been promoting your Instagram account in other places and how much you want to grow your following.
Is It A Good Idea To Change Your Instagram Name, And Is It A Bad Idea?
Most experts agree that changing your Instagram username isn’t the best idea if you’ve had your account for a while and have a sizable following. Why?
For starters, any links to your Instagram account that you’ve placed outside the app (such as in a guest blog post or in your email signature) will no longer automatically redirect to your account.
Because your Instagram profile URL does not change outside the app, you may experience a brief period when you are not visible on Google or other search engines.
You’ll also need to change your username on any other social media accounts you’ve linked to your Instagram (like Facebook, Pinterest, or YouTube).
When You Change Your Instagram Username, Do You Lose Followers?
Possibly. When you change your username, everything in the app will be updated to reflect your new username. As a result, your new username will appear in all of your previous comments, mentions, and likes.
If someone tries to find your profile by searching for your old username, they will receive a message that says “user not found.” They might think you’ve deleted or deactivated your Instagram account because of that notification.
It’s also possible that your followers won’t recognize you or your new handle. There’s a chance they’ll unfollow you if they think you’re a new account.
To avoid losing followers, announce your new Instagram username on your Stories or in a post before making the switch. Your followers will know what to expect as a result. Changing your Instagram display name, on the other hand, will not cause any of the issues mentioned above.
People won’t be able to find you if they type in your old display name, but none of your URLs will be affected. Changing your display name is a much safer option if you want to experiment with a new Instagram name.
Why Does Your Instagram Handle Appear To Be Inaccessible?
Don’t worry if your Instagram account appears to be locked; you haven’t been locked out, and it doesn’t mean you’ve broken one of Instagram’s rules. Instagram introduced a new feature in March 2019 that automatically locks accounts’ old usernames for 14 days after they switch to a new one.
The goal of this new tool was to stop hackers from grabbing old and unused usernames and using them as bots. Hackers have previously taken over old usernames as soon as users switched over, making it impossible for them to return to their old usernames.
This auto-lock feature gives Instagram users a grace period to change their usernames, which is a significant change, as we previously mentioned. If your username has a lock next to it, it means your account is currently set to private, which means only followers you’ve approved can see your content.
Is It Possible For Others To See Your Previous Instagram Handles?
No. People will only be able to see your current Instagram username once you’ve changed it. They won’t be able to see your previous usernames because they won’t be able to access them.
Your previous Instagram usernames used to be visible in your account settings. Instagram, on the other hand, appears to have removed that feature. All of this being said, there are a number of factors to consider before changing your Instagram username.
Changing your username isn’t a big deal if you don’t mind losing followers or decreasing engagement for a couple of weeks.
Why Is It That I Can’t Change My Instagram Username?
If Instagram refuses to let you submit a new username, it’s most likely because it doesn’t meet the previous criteria. The most common error is that the username you entered is already in use, so try something else.
Even if you’re trying to revert to an old username, it’s possible that someone else has taken it while it was still available, and you won’t be able to recover it. Another possible cause is app caching, which can occur when you change your Instagram username.
This isn’t a big deal because your new username will be visible to everyone else, and it usually goes away after a few hours. You can also turn it off and on your phone. Uninstalling and reinstalling Instagram is the silver bullet that always works if that doesn’t work.
What Is The Best Way To Find Someone With A New Username?
Although a new Instagram username may feel like a fresh start, it is still easy to find for those who are already familiar with the account. If you already follow the account, it will continue to appear in your list of followers, and new posts will continue to appear in your feed.
Searching for their display name is another way to find Instagram accounts that change usernames. Assuming the account is public, and the display name remains the same, a simple search should yield results.
The final option is to locate another account that is linked to the account. This could be a comment on an older post by the account, or someone else tagging them in a new post.
It’s not difficult to track down a changed Instagram username with a little detective work, but don’t be creepy about it.
Conclusion
In less than a minute, you can change your Instagram username. Are you sick of the Instagram handle you chose a decade ago? Remove it from your life! Usernames are the lifeblood of most social media platforms, but coming up with a good one is never easy. You’re unlikely to get the username you want unless you created your account years ago, and even then, you might regret it years later.
If you’re like the majority of us and regret decisions made in your youth, you’ll be relieved to learn that changing your Instagram username to something less cringe-inducing is simple.
Even More Topics:
