Changing your username on social media is a big decision and one that not every platform allows. So, if you want to change your username on TikTok, can you do it? If so, how can you change your username? Let’s find out. Plus, if you're looking to give your newly updated profile a boost in visibility, consider enhancing your presence with TikTok likes to attract more viewers and followers. Let’s dive into how you can update your username and enhance your TikTok profile's success.
Why Would You Change Your Username?
Before we discuss changing your username, we should first discuss why someone would want to change their username to begin with. Some reasons people may change their username include:
Rebranding
If you're a business, you may undergo a rebrand, which may include changing your business name entirely. When this happens, your business account's username may no longer reflect your rebranded name, and thus, you may want to change it.
Changed Name
Some people use their actual name in their username. You may have changed your name due to marriage, a change in gender identity, or other reasons. No matter the case, you may update your username to reflect your current name.
Harassment
If you’re part of a harassment campaign, you may change your username to try to avoid people from harassing you. If an online mob only knows your username, changing it may help to stop the harassment.
Your Old Name No Longer Reflects You
It’s hard to believe, but TikTok is no longer a new platform. It was launched internationally in September 2017. So, as of this writing, it's been nearly seven years since the platform launched. If you made an account in 2017 at 13, you may be around 20 now. A lot can change in seven years, including your tastes and personality. You may look at your old username and cringe, as it could be named after something you no longer like or you feel it's too edgy. Therefore, you may want an updated username that better reflects how you are as a person today.
These are just some reasons why you may want to change your username, but the biggest one is because you want to! It's your profile, and things change. Why should you have to make a new account entirely to have a new username?
Can You Change Your Username on TikTok?
As mentioned, some websites don't let you change your username. Once you have a name, you're stuck with it, or you have to create a new account and start over.
Luckily, this practice has started to be considered outdated. Social media websites have realized that people evolve, and so should their usernames. So yes, TikTok lets you change your username, and it's not difficult to do so.
How to Change Your Username on TikTok
Changing your username is simple.
- Open the TikTok app and tap Profile. This is located at the bottom of your screen.
- Then, tap Edit profile.
- Tap Username.
- Enter the name you want. Then, tap Save.
- And that’s it!
Considerations When Changing Your TikTok Username
While you can change your username, TikTok has a few rules to avoid abusing the system. Knowing these rules can prevent you from running into any surprises. These rules include.
You Can Only Change Your Username Every 30 Days
To avoid spamming, TikTok makes it so that you can only change your username every 30 days. Therefore, make sure that the username is something you want. Double-check for any typos. The last thing you want is to tap Save, see that you made a mistake, and you’re stuck with that name for a while. If you do make a mistake, you may contact TikTok's support but don't hold your breath.
The Username Can’t Be Added to Another Account for a Bit
Once you change your username, the former one isn't necessarily up for grabs immediately. There is a grace period. TikTok does not specify the time on its site, so if you want to make a new account with your former username, keep trying.
Your Link Will Change
When you change your username, so will your profile link. Therefore, you should update any links to your TikTok account from external sources ASAP.
What a Username Can Contain
A username can only have letters, numbers, underscores, and periods, with the periods only being allowed if they are not at the end of a username. You can't use any special symbols. If your username idea had symbols in it, rewrite it to conform to TikTok's naming standards.
The Username Can’t Be Someone Else’s
Like most sites, TikTok only allows one unique username per person. This fact is vital when branding your account. If someone else has the same brand name, you don’t want to add a “2” at the end. So make sure that your username is unique and not taken. You can always search to see if a username is taken before you choose one.
