You can change your Facebook username once every 60 days through your settings

Facebook lets you pick a custom username that appears in your profile URL and makes your account easier to find. You can change it anytime, but Facebook enforces a 60-day waiting period between changes — so choose carefully. The process takes about two minutes and happens entirely in your account settings.

Your username is different from your display name. Your display name is what appears above your posts and in comments, and you can change it as often as you want. Your username is the unique handle in your profile link — for example, facebook.com/yourname — and that's what has the 60-day restriction.

Key Takeaways

  • You can change your username once every 60 days, and the change takes effect immediately after you save it.
  • Your username must be between 5 and 50 characters and can include letters, numbers, and periods — but not spaces or special characters.
  • If someone else has already claimed the username you want, you cannot use it, and Facebook does not have a waitlist for taken usernames.
  • Changing your username does not affect your friends, messages, or any of your account data — only the web address of your profile changes.

How to change your username on desktop

Open Facebook in a web browser and click the downward arrow in the top right corner. Select Settings and privacy, then click Settings. On the left side, click Personal information.

Look for the Username field. Click the pencil icon next to it to edit. Type your new username into the box. Facebook will tell you immediately whether the username is available — a green checkmark means you can use it, and a red X means someone else has it. Once you see the green checkmark, click Review change, then Save changes.

Your new username is live right away. Your old profile link will no longer work, but any links you shared before the change will redirect to your new profile for a short time.

How to change your username on mobile

Open the Facebook app and tap the three horizontal lines (the menu icon) in the bottom right corner. Scroll down and tap Settings and privacy, then tap Settings. Tap Personal information.

Tap Username. Tap the pencil icon to edit. Type your new username. Facebook shows you right away whether it is available. If it is, tap Review change, then Save changes.

Rules for choosing a valid username

Facebook usernames must be between 5 and 50 characters long. You can use letters (a–z), numbers (0–9), and periods (.). You cannot use spaces, underscores, hyphens, or special characters like @, #, or $.

Your username cannot be the same as your display name, and it cannot contain words that Facebook flags as offensive or impersonating. If you try to use a username that breaks these rules, Facebook will reject it and ask you to try something else. Usernames are not case-sensitive — facebook.com/JohnSmith and facebook.com/johnsmith point to the same profile.

What happens if your desired username is taken

If someone else has already claimed the username you want, Facebook will show a red X and tell you it is unavailable. You cannot reserve a username or join a waitlist — you have to pick a different one.

If you believe someone is using your name or impersonating you, you can report the account to Facebook. Go to their profile, click the three dots in the top right, and select Report. Facebook reviews reports of impersonation, but they do not transfer usernames from one account to another. Your only option is to choose a different username for yourself.

The 60-day waiting period explained

After you change your username, you cannot change it again for 60 days. This timer starts the moment you save your new username, not when you first tried to change it. If you change your mind immediately after saving, you are still locked in for 60 days.

Facebook enforces this rule to prevent account takeovers and username squatting. If someone gains temporary access to your account, the 60-day delay makes it harder for them to lock you out by changing your username repeatedly. Plan your username change carefully, because you will be stuck with it for at least two months.

What does not change when you update your username

Your friends list, messages, photos, posts, and all other account data stay exactly the same. People who have you added as a friend will still see you as a friend — the username change does not affect your connections. Your notifications and settings remain unchanged.

The only thing that changes is the web address of your profile. Old links to your profile will redirect to your new username for a while, but Facebook does not may provide how long those redirects last. If you have shared your profile link in places like your email signature or a website, update those links to your new username to be safe.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change my username back to what it was before?

Only if 60 days have passed since you changed it the first time. You cannot change your username twice in a row without waiting. If you want to go back to an old username, you have to wait the full 60 days, then change to it as if it were a new choice.

What if I forgot my username?

Go to your profile by clicking your profile picture in the top right corner. Your username appears in the URL of the page — for example, facebook.com/yourname. You can also find it in your Personal Information settings under the Username field.

Can I have multiple usernames on one account?

No. Each Facebook account has one username. You can change it, but you cannot have two active usernames pointing to the same profile. If you need a separate identity, you would have to create a second account.

Does changing my username affect my Facebook Page or business account?

If you manage a Facebook Page, it has its own separate username that you change in the Page settings, not in your personal account settings. Your personal username and your Page username are independent — changing one does not affect the other.

Why does Facebook say my username is unavailable when I just made it up?

Facebook may reject a username for reasons beyond it being taken by another person. The username might contain words Facebook considers offensive, or it might be too similar to a reserved username. Try a different combination of letters and numbers, or add a period or number to your original choice.