While the process of changing your name is unnecessarily restrictive on Facebook, it’s relatively simple on Instagram. Although Instagram is owned and operated directly by Mark Zuckerberg’s social media giant, it still allows you to change both your display name and username much more freely. So in no time, let me show you how to change your Instagram name and username on iPhone, Android and the web.
Change Your Name and Username on Instagram (2021)
As mentioned earlier, Instagram does not have name change restrictions imposed by its parent Facebook. However, there are a few caveats that we will discuss in this article before we take a look at the step-by-step guide. We’ll also talk about the difference between your display name and username, and what you should know before changing them in any case. That said, let’s check out how you can change your Instagram name and username in a few easy steps.
Difference Between Name and Username on Instagram
Before you begin your task of changing your name on Instagram, it’s worth noting that there is a difference between your display name on the platform and your username. The display name is your own name or nickname and you can change it up to twice within 14 days. It can be exactly the same as someone else’s display name because many people can share the same name.
On the other hand, your username comes with the “@” tag and is unique to your account. Often referred to as your Insta handle, it goes to the end of your Instagram URL and has more restrictions on what is acceptable and what is not. According to the company, your Instagram username must meet the following criteria:
- Must be unique (two Instagram users cannot have the same username)
- Must be less than 30 characters
- Must contain only letters, numbers, periods and underscores (no spaces or other symbols)
- Must not use profanity or restricted language
What You Should Know Before Updating Instagram Profile Information
While Instagram doesn’t impose the same kinds of restrictions on name changes as Facebook does, there are a few things you should know before updating your profile information. For general users, your username will be updated instantly and your followers will be notified of the change. However, “If your account reaches a lot of people, your username change may need to be reviewed. If so, you will be notified when we complete a review.” Instagram says.
Note that Instagram doesn’t explain what constitutes “a large number of people,” so the threshold for enabling the manual review process remains unclear. As for what will change after your edit, changing the ‘Name’ field will not change anything other than the name shown on your profile. However, Changing the ‘username’ changes your account URL, this means that your old Instagram URL will return a 404 error (page not found). Meanwhile, your account link is automatically updated everywhere else (like embedded posts etc); this means that users who clicked on a previous post can still interact with your account as usual.
Instagram will keep your old username for 14 days, so if you decide to go back to your old username, you can do so within this time. After that, it will be public, which means you may not be able to get it back if someone else has already claimed it. Either way, the rest of the account information will remain unchanged. This includes the number of followers, posts liked, accounts followed, etc.
Anyway, now that we’ve figured it out, you can learn how to change your Instagram name and username on Android, iOS and website in the next section.
Change Instagram Name and Username on Android
Here’s how to change your name and username on Instagram for Android:
- Open the Instagram app and tap your profile picture in the lower right corner. Next, tap on ‘Edit Profile‘.
- Next, ‘Name‘ or ‘User name‘ It depends on what you want to change. Finally, type the new name/username and blue check mark at the top right to save your changes.
Your new name or username, otherwise it will be reflected immediately. “your account reaches many people”. In this case, Instagram will review the changes before implementing them, as stated earlier in the article.
note: If your new preferred username is already used by someone else or doesn’t meet the standards set by Instagram, you’ll see a red exclamation point and a ‘Username doesn’t exist’ message. You can keep trying other options until you see this message..
Change Instagram Name and Username on iPhone
You can also change your Instagram name and username using the iPhone mobile app. Here’s how:
- Open the Instagram app and tap your profile picture in the lower right corner. Next, tap on ‘Edit Profile‘ under your name.
- Now type a new name or username depending on what you want to change. Finally, ‘Completed‘ to approve.
As with Android, your new display name or username will be instantly reflected on Instagram on all platforms except the cases mentioned earlier.
Change Name and Username on Instagram Website
The process of changing your name or username on the Instagram website is similar to how you do it on the mobile apps. Here are the step-by-step instructions:
- go to Instagram website and login with your account information. Now, click on your profile picture [1] in the upper right. In the drop-down menu, ‘Profile‘ [2].
- On your profile page, ‘Edit Profile‘ button next to your username.
- Now change your profile name or username as you wish. Finally, ‘To send‘ at the bottom to save your changes.
note: Unlike the app, you will not receive a real-time alert on the website if your preferred username is already in use. Instead, you’ll have to hit the Submit button to find out if the username you’re after is available..
Easily Update Your Instagram Name and Username
Now that you know how to change your name or username on Instagram, check out our guide on how to change your name on Facebook. You can also change your name in Zoom, so check if you want to renew your identity between various apps and services. Also, as an Instagram user, check out some of our other tutorials for the app, including how to hide message requests on Instagram and turn off contact syncing on Instagram. On the other hand, if you are concerned about your privacy and want to get rid of the app completely, check out the best Instagram alternatives on Android and iOS.
