On Facebook, changing your name might be a cumbersome procedure, but on Instagram, it’s rather straightforward. Although being directly owned and run by Mark Zuckerberg’s social media behemoth, Instagram nevertheless gives you considerably greater freedom to change both your display name and username. So without further ado, let me walk you through how to modify your Instagram username and name on an iPhone, an Android, and a computer.
Change Your Name and Username on Instagram (2021)
As previously mentioned, Instagram is not subject to the same limitations on name changes as its parent company, Facebook. But, there are a few restrictions that we will go through in this article before looking at the detailed instructions. Moreover, we’ll discuss the distinction between your username and display name as well as some important information you should be aware of before changing either one. After that, let’s look at how, in a few simple steps, you may modify your Instagram username and name.
Difference Between Name and Username on Instagram
It’s important to understand the distinction between your Instagram username and display name before you set out on your mission to change your identity. You are allowed to alter your display name up to twice in a 14-day period. It might be your real name or an alias. As many people have the same same name, it can be identical to anyone else’s display name.
On the other hand, your username is specific to your account and includes the @ symbol. It’s commonly referred to as your Instagram handle, and it has more limits on what is and isn’t allowed. It appears at the end of your Instagram URL. Your Instagram username needs to meet the following requirements, per the company:
- Must be unique (no two Instagram users can have the same username)
- Must have less than 30 characters
- Should contain only letters, numbers, periods, and underscores (no spaces or other symbols)
- Should not have any profanity or restricted language
Things to Know Before Updating Instagram Profile Info
Although Instagram does not have the same limitations on name changes as Facebook, there are a few things you should be aware of before making any changes to your profile. Your username will be promptly updated for regular users, and your followers will be informed of the change. Your username change may need to be evaluated if your account has a large following. If so, Instagram promises to let you know when we’ve finished a review.
Be aware that Instagram doesn’t define a “lot of individuals,” therefore the requirement for triggering the manual review procedure is still unclear. In terms of what will change as a result of your modification, updating the Name column will only affect the name that appears on your profile. Nevertheless, altering your username will result in a change to the URL for your account, so your old Instagram URL will now produce a 404 error (page not found). Those who click on an earlier post will still be able to interact with your account as usual because your account link will automatically update wherever else (such as embedded articles, etc.).
If you decide to go back to your old handle, you can do so within the 14-day window that Instagram will keep your former username saved. Following that, it will be open to the general public, so if someone else has already claimed it, you might not be able to get it back. The remainder of the account details won’t change in any scenario. The amount of fans, liked content, following accounts, etc. is included in this.
Nevertheless, now that we have that out of the way, you can read the next part to find out how to modify your Instagram username and name on Android, iOS, and the website.
Change Instagram Name and Username on Android
Changing your name and username on Instagram for Android is as follows:
- Open the Instagram app and tap on your profile image at the bottom-right corner. Then, tap on Edit Profile .
- Next, select either Name or Username depending on what you want to change. Finally, type in the new name/username and hit the blue check (tick) mark at the top-right to save your changes.
Unless your account is widely known, your new name or username will take effect right away. As stated previously in the post, Instagram will then assess the adjustments before putting them into effect.
You will notice a red exclamation point and the phrase “Username not available” if your desired new username is already in use by someone else or does not adhere to Instagram’s criteria. Until you no longer see that notice, you can keep attempting different options.
Change Instagram Name and Username on iPhone
With the iPhone mobile app, you may also modify your Instagram username and name. This is how:
- Open the Instagram app and tap on your profile image at the bottom-right corner. Then, tap on Edit Profile under your name.
- Now type a new name or username depending on what you want to change. Finally, hit Done to confirm.
With the exception of the situations listed previously, Instagram will immediately reflect your new display name or username, just like it does on Android.
Change Name and Username on the Instagram Website
On the Instagram website, updating your name or username is a similar process to doing so on a mobile app. These are the detailed directions:
- Go to the Instagram website and log in with your account credentials. Now, click on your profile image [1] at the top-right. On the drop-down menu, hit Profile [2].
- On your profile page, click the Edit Profile button next to your username.
- Now change your profile name or username as you please. Finally, hit Submit at the bottom to save your changes.
Notably, if your desired username is already in use on the website, you won’t receive a real-time warning like you would on the app. To find out if the username you want is available or not, you must click the Submit button.
Easily Update Your Instagram Name and Username
Check out our article on how to change your name on Facebook after learning how to change your name or username on Instagram. If you want to update your identity across different apps and services, Zoom also lets you change your name. Check that out. Moreover, if you use Instagram, have a look at some of our other app tutorials, like how to disable contacts synchronisation in Instagram and how to hide message requests. Check out the top Instagram alternatives for Android and iOS, though, if you are worried about your privacy and want to completely remove the app.