Change your display name in Zoom in three steps
Your Zoom display name is what other meeting participants see next to your video or in the participant list. You can change it before joining a meeting, during a meeting, or in your account settings — each method takes less than a minute. The fastest route depends on whether you want to change it just once or make it permanent across all your meetings.
If you are joining a meeting soon and want a different name for just that call, change it in the meeting join screen. If you want the new name to stick for all future meetings, change it in your Zoom account settings instead. Both methods work on desktop, mobile, and the web version of Zoom.
Key Takeaways
- You can change your display name before joining a meeting, and that name will appear only for that single meeting.
- To make a name change permanent across all meetings, go to your Zoom account settings on the web and edit your profile.
- During a meeting, right-click your own name in the participant list and select "Rename" to change it for everyone in that call.
- Your Zoom display name is separate from your account email address and does not affect how you log in.
- Changes made in your account settings take effect immediately on all devices where you are signed in.
Change your name before joining a single meeting
This method changes your name only for that one meeting. Other participants will see the new name, but your account name stays the same, and future meetings will use your original name unless you change it again.
On desktop or web: Open the Zoom meeting invitation link or go to zoom.us and click "Join a Meeting." Enter the meeting ID, then look for the text field that says "Your name" or shows your current display name. Type the new name you want to use and click "Join Meeting."
On mobile: Open the Zoom app, tap "Join a Meeting," enter the meeting ID, and tap the name field at the top of the screen. Clear the current name and type the new one, then tap "Join."
Change your name permanently in account settings
This method changes your display name for all future meetings. You will need to be signed into your Zoom account on the web to make this change.
Go to zoom.us and sign in with your email and password. Click your profile picture in the top right corner and select "Profile." Look for the "First Name" and "Last Name" fields — these are what appear as your display name in meetings. Edit these fields to your new name and click "Save Changes" at the bottom of the page. The change takes effect immediately on all devices where you are signed in.
If you use Zoom on mobile and desktop, you do not need to change your name on each device separately. Once you save the change in your account settings, it syncs automatically.
Change your name during an active meeting
You can rename yourself while a meeting is in progress. This change affects only that meeting and does not change your account settings.
On desktop: Look at the bottom of your screen for the "Participants" button and click it. Find your own name in the participant list, hover over it, and click the three dots that appear. Select "Rename" and type the new name. Click "OK" to confirm. Everyone in the meeting will see the new name immediately.
On mobile: Tap "Participants" at the bottom of the screen, find your name, and swipe left on it (iPhone) or long-press it (Android). Select "Rename," type the new name, and confirm. The change is visible to all participants right away.
What happens to your email address when you change your name
Your Zoom display name and your account email address are separate. Changing your display name does not change your email, and other people cannot see your email address just by looking at your name in a meeting. Your email is what you use to sign into Zoom, and it stays the same no matter what name you display.
If you need to change the email address associated with your Zoom account, that is a different process and requires going to your account settings and updating your login email. Your display name change will not affect this.
Undo a name change or revert to your original name
If you changed your name for a single meeting and want to use your account name for the next meeting, you do not need to do anything — your original name will appear automatically. If you changed your name in your account settings and want to go back, follow the same steps: go to your profile, edit the "First Name" and "Last Name" fields back to what they were, and click "Save Changes."
There is no undo button, so you will need to type the name you want manually. If you cannot remember your original name, check any past meeting recordings or invitations — your name appears there as it was at the time of the meeting.
Common mistakes when changing your Zoom name
The most common mistake is changing your name in account settings and then wondering why it did not change for a meeting you were already in. Remember: changes to your account settings take effect for future meetings, not current ones. If you are already in a meeting and want a different name, use the "Rename" option during the call instead.
Another mistake is changing your name in the join screen and expecting it to stick permanently. That method changes your name only for that one meeting. If you want the new name for all meetings, change it in your account settings on the web.
On mobile, some users miss the name field before joining because it is small and easy to overlook. Look carefully at the join screen — the name field is usually near the top, above the "Join" button.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a different name in different meetings?
Yes. You can change your name in the join screen before entering each meeting, and that name will appear only for that call. Your account settings name will be used for any meeting where you do not manually change it beforehand. This is useful if you want to use a professional name in work meetings and a different name in personal ones.
Will my contacts see my new name if I change it?
Your Zoom contacts will see your new display name in the Zoom app and in meetings. If you changed your name in your account settings, it appears everywhere. If you changed it only for one meeting, only people in that meeting see the new name.
What if I change my name but it does not show up in the meeting?
If you changed your name in account settings, sign out of Zoom completely and sign back in. Sometimes the app needs to refresh to show the change. On mobile, close the Zoom app entirely and reopen it. If you changed your name in the join screen and it did not work, try clearing the name field completely, typing it again, and joining.
Can the meeting host prevent me from changing my name?
The host cannot prevent you from changing your display name. However, some hosts use settings that lock participant names, which means you cannot rename yourself during the meeting — you can only change your name before joining. If you cannot find the rename option during a meeting, the host may have this setting enabled.
Does changing my Zoom name change my name on other video platforms?
No. Your Zoom name is separate from your names on Teams, Google Meet, Slack, or any other platform. You would need to change your name in each service individually if you want the same name everywhere.