How to Change Your Instagram Username (App and Web)

To change your Instagram username, go to your profile, tap Edit profile, type the new username and tap Done. On a computer it is the same idea: click your profile picture, click Edit profile, type it in and click Submit. If the name is free, it usually changes right away, and your profile link changes with it.

Change it from Edit profile in the app

This is the quickest route, and it works the same on iPhone and Android.

1. Tap Profile or your profile picture in the bottom right to go to your profile.
2. Tap Edit profile.
3. Type your new username in place of the old one.
4. Tap Done.

If the username is available, Instagram switches you over immediately. If someone already has it, you will need to pick another one before you can save.

Change it in Accounts Center

Instagram also lets you change your name, username and profile picture from Accounts Center. Use this route if you manage several profiles or want everything in one place.

1. Tap Profile or your profile picture in the bottom right.
2. Tap Menu in the top right.
3. Tap Accounts Center, then tap Profiles.
4. Tap the profile you want to update.
5. Tap your username, enter the new one.
6. Tap Done.

Two things can look different on your phone. Instagram says not everyone can reach this setting in Accounts Center yet, and it is gradually moving people to Meta Accounts, so you may see Meta Account settings where these steps say Accounts Center. If either happens, use the Edit profile route above instead.

Change it on a computer

On instagram.com you have the same two options.

You need to be logged in for either one. The full instructions for every device are on Instagram's help page for profile information.

The limits, and who they apply to

This is where most of the confusion lives, so here is exactly what Instagram says.

For most accounts, Instagram's help center does not publish a fixed number of username changes per week or month. What it does say:

• If your account reaches a lot of people, your username change may need to be reviewed. Instagram notifies you when the review is done. If no review is needed, the change happens immediately, as long as the name is available.
• Your followers may be notified that you changed your username.
• In most cases you can switch back to a username you used before, as long as no one new has taken it and it hasn't recently been removed from an active account that isn't yours.

For creators with an active Meta Verified subscription, there are firm limits, set out on Instagram's Meta Verified profile page:

Each of these updates needs review and approval, which can take up to 3 days, and while something is in review you may not be able to edit other profile details. Your new username should also be similar to the one you had when you first subscribed.

If you use Threads with the same username, changing it on Instagram can affect features there, such as the Threads badge on your Instagram profile. Keeping the same username in both apps avoids that, and both profiles need to be in the same Meta Account to share one.

When it won't save

If Instagram refuses the change, check these in order:

• The name is taken. Try a variation.
• It contains something not allowed. Instagram shows a save error when you enter characters or content it doesn't accept. Edit the username and try again.
• It is waiting for review. Larger accounts may see the change held until Instagram finishes reviewing it.
• You hit the Meta Verified limit. If you are subscribed, check whether you changed it in the last 14 days or have an update still pending.

What changes when your username changes

Your username is also your web address. Your profile lives at instagram.com/username, so the moment you become @newname, your profile URL becomes instagram.com/newname.

Instagram's help center does not say that links to your old URL will forward to the new one, so do not count on it. Treat every place you shared the old link as out of date. If you are not sure what your profile link looks like now, our guide on how to find your Instagram link shows where to copy it from.

Update these straight after

Do this the same day so nobody lands on a dead page.

1. Links that point to your profile. Your website, email signature, YouTube channel, newsletter footer, online shop and any link page. Swap instagram.com/oldname for instagram.com/newname everywhere.
2. Bios on other platforms. TikTok, X, YouTube and LinkedIn bios often say "@oldname on Instagram". While you are at it, check your own Instagram bio for the old handle, using our guide to editing your Instagram bio.
3. QR codes. Any QR code you made yourself that encodes your old profile URL will keep pointing at that old URL. Make a fresh one before you reprint cards, menus or packaging. Instagram's own profile QR code is under Settings, then QR code, and our Instagram QR code guide covers how to share it.
4. Mentions people use. Tell collaborators and brands your new handle so they tag the right account.
5. Threads. If you want to keep your Threads features, change the username there too so the two match.

How Olaa keeps this to one change

Most of the work above comes from your Instagram URL being scattered across many places. One way to shrink that list next time is to share a single link page instead of your profile URL directly.

With Olaa, you get one short link, olaa.im/yourname, which you put in your Instagram bio and anywhere else you share yourself. The page holds all your links and social icons, so when your Instagram username changes, you update the Instagram icon once and every place that shares your Olaa link is current. The free plan includes one page, unlimited links and a QR code that points to your page rather than to a specific social handle. Setup takes a few minutes and needs no code. You can see what is included on the features page, and our Instagram bio link guide explains how to add it to your profile.

FAQ

How many times can you change your Instagram username?

Instagram's help center does not publish a limit for regular accounts. It does set one for creators with Meta Verified: the verified username can be changed once every 14 days on Instagram. Large accounts of any kind may have a change held for review.

Can I change my Instagram username back to my old one?

Usually, yes. Instagram says you can go back to a previous username in most cases, as long as no one new has taken it and it hasn't recently been removed from an active account you don't own.

Will my followers know I changed my username?

They might. Instagram says your followers may be notified of your username change, so it is worth posting about it yourself if the new handle is very different.

Do old links to my Instagram profile still work?

Instagram doesn't say that they redirect. Your profile URL is built from your username, so assume instagram.com/oldname no longer reaches you and update every link you control.

What is the difference between my Instagram name and username?

Your username is your @handle and the end of your profile URL. Your name is a separate field on your profile. You change both from Edit profile or from Accounts Center, and Meta Verified creators have separate limits for each.

Why is my username change under review?

Instagram reviews username changes for accounts that reach a lot of people. You get a notification once the review is complete. Meta Verified username and profile name updates are always reviewed, which can take up to 3 days.