Everything you need to sell online

Set up an online store in minutes to sell on a website, social media, or marketplaces.

instagram cover

How to Change Your Instagram Name in 5 Steps

10 min read

Learn how to change your Instagram name and username in less than 5 minutes. Whether you wish to change your business or display name, or simply wish to update your username, here is how you can change it in 5 simple steps.

How to change your Instagram name:

  1. Log in to your Instagram account
  2. Go to your profile
  3. Tap Edit Profile right beneath your bio
  4. Type in your new username
  5. Tap Done.

Following these simple steps will get you a new username in no time. If you happen to have a large following, you might need to wait for a review before your new username is updated. Continue reading as we go into details about changing your Instagram username or your display name on other devices like a desktop computer or Android.

How to sell online
Tips from e-commerce experts for small business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs.
Please enter a valid email address

 Instagram Username and Display Name

Before we start, you should have a clear understanding of the difference between display name and username. The steps mentioned above refer to changing your username which is at the top of your Instagram profile, above your profile picture. This is the name others typically use to find your profile and is the name these can also use to tag you using the “@” symbol.

Your display name, on the other hand, refers to your personal or business name. This is the one that shows up on your profile above your bio and under your profile picture. It helps others realize they’ve come to the right page and learn more about you.

Your Instagram display name:

  • Can be changed as many times as you want.
  • Can be different from your username.
  • Does not need to differ from other user’s display names. There is no need for it to be unique.
  • You can add emojis and special characters to your display name.

Your Instagram username:

  • Is often referred to as your handle and is used to define your profile address.
  • Can only be changed twice, and if you need to change it back again you’ll be asked to wait 14 days.
  • Must be unique, otherwise, it will not be available for use if someone else already has it.
  • Is limited to 30 characters.
  • Can only contain letters A-Z, numbers, periods, and underscores.
  • Cannot include symbols or emojis.

To change your Instagram display name:

  1. Log in to your Instagram account
  2. Tap “Edit Profile”
  3. Tap the box next to “Name”
  4. Remove your current display name
  5. Type your new name
  6. Tap “Done” when you are finished

To change your Instagram username in the app for iPhone or Android:

  1. Log in to your Instagram account
  2. Go to your profile
  3. Tap “Edit Profile” under your bio
  4. Go to the username field and type your new username
  5. Click “Done” for iPhone or “submit” for Android

These are the steps related to mobile view. Many users prefer a desktop version of Instagram which we cover up next. The steps to change your Instagram username or display name from your computer are fairly similar to those related to the app, with only some minor differences.

How to Change Your Instagram Name from Your Computer

Changing your username in a web browser takes less than 5 minutes. To change our username from a web browser is just as easy as it is to change it from the app. The steps are basically the same, what varies is the login source and the placement of some of the buttons.

Here is the desktop version on how to update your Instagram name:

  1. Navigate to Instagram.com
  2. Click your Avatar or account icon found at the top right of your screen
  3. Once in your profile click “Edit Profile”
  4. Click the “Name” or “Username” field
  5. Type your new username or display name
  6. Click “Submit”

Once you’ve followed these simple steps you should be directed back to your profile where you’ll be able to see your changes.

Edit Your Business Name or Information

Many Instagram users are also business owners who use the platform to promote their products and business brand. The information and steps provided above apply to business owners as well.

You can change your business information using these same steps, just keep a few things in mind. Once you click “Edit Profile,” You’ll see a “Public Business Information” section that is not available for regular accounts. Use this to edit information like your business category, contact info, and more.

For more information on how to edit your business Information on Instagram, you can visit the Instagram Help Center guide.

Instagram Won’t Let Me Change My Username

If you happen to encounter problems when changing your Instagram username, this can be due to multiple reasons. The most common one is the username you are trying to use was already taken by another user.

Another reason why you might be encountering problems when trying to change your username is that your new username does not comply with the platform’s guidelines. This specific issue can vary from things like the language is not accepted by the platform, use of unapproved characters, or it might simply be too long or too short according to Instagram’s guidelines.

Last but not least, as briefly mentioned above, users can only change their name twice before having to wait 14 days to update to a new one. Always make sure to abide by the platform’s guidelines to avoid getting your account reported or blocked, which results in Instagram completely blocking your username.

What Happens If I Want My Old Username Back?

As you are probably already aware, changing your Instagram name puts you at high risk of losing your current one. Due to Instagram’s strict guidelines related to username uniqueness, if a new account takes your old username once you’ve changed it, you won’t be able to get it back.

Although this may sound harsh and overwhelming, this is to protect your account. Your username is the key or code other users rely on to find your profile, it’d be a disaster if thousands of users had the same username.

A possible solution to have your username back, in case you decide your new one is not working, is contacting the new owner of your previous name. You can try to politely ask if they could change theirs so you can try to have yours back.

Keep in mind that oftentimes users have been waiting for a long time for this username to become available, so many won’t be open to this possibility.

Why Your Instagram Name Matters More Than You Think

Changing your Instagram username can be fairly easy and should not affect your following.

However, be mindful of the fact once you’ve updated your name, followers won’t be able to find you under your previous one. This is why those with a business account or with a large following should put the necessary emphasis from the very start when deciding on an Instagram username.

The Bottom Line

We always recommend that our Ecwid merchants choose an Instagram business name that is in line with their brand and target audience. This name will be how their customers associate their ecommerce store on their website and across all of their social media platforms. For more information check out our guide on How to Choose the Best Store Name.

At Ecwid, we not only provide each of our members with the necessary information to advance their ecommerce store but we also provide them with a forever-free plan that makes it easy to sell across all social media platforms. Build your online store today and start selling. It’s easy and free!

 

Table of contents

Sell online

With Ecwid Ecommerce, you can easily sell anywhere, to anyone — across the internet and around the world.

About the author

Max has been working in the ecommerce industry for the last six years helping brands to establish and level-up content marketing and SEO. Despite that, he has experience with entrepreneurship. He is a fiction writer in his free time.

Ecommerce that has your back

So simple to use – even my most technophobic clients can manage. Easy to install, quick to set up. Light years ahead of other shop plugins.
I’m so impressed I’ve recommended it to my website clients and am now using it for my own store along with four others for which I webmaster. Beautiful coding, excellent top-notch support, great documentation, fantastic how-to videos. Thank you so much Ecwid, you rock!
I’ve used Ecwid and I love the platform itself. Everything is so simplified it’s insane. I love how you have different options to choose shipping carriers, to be able to put in so many different variants. It’s a pretty open e-commerce gateway.
Easy to use, affordable (and a free option if starting off). Looks professional, many templates to select from. The App is my favorite feature as I can manage my store right from my phone. Highly recommended 👌👍
I like that Ecwid was easy to start and to use. Even for a person like me, without any technical background. Very well written help articles. And the support team is the best for my opinion.
For everything it has to offer, ECWID is incredibly easy to set up. Highly recommend! I did a lot of research and tried about 3 other competitors. Just try ECWID and you'll be online in no time.

Your ecommerce dreams start here

By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Your Privacy

When you visit any website, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. This information might be about you, your preferences or your device and is mostly used to make the site work as you expect it to. The information does not usually directly identify you, but it can give you a more personalized web experience. Because we respect your right to privacy, you can choose not to allow some types of cookies. Click on the different category headings to find out more and change our default settings. However, blocking some types of cookies may impact your experience of the site and the services we are able to offer. More information

More information

Strictly Necessary Cookies (Always active)
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work. These cookies do not store any personally identifiable information.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third-party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources, so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies, we will not know when you have visited our site.