Streamers have petitioned the ability to change their name on Twitch for a long time. Thankfully, Twitch eventually confirmed that the username change feature would arrive in February of 2017.
After this, you can finally now change your Twitch name for free once every 60 days. And there are many reasons why you may want to do that. Think about it. You may have thought of a new SEO-friendly name for your channel or looking to separate your old username from the new one. You may even want to polish your existing name.
Look, I don’t judge.
I mean, if your username is something like @PostmenopausalSpree or @InJailOutSoon, it makes total sense to want to eradicate it from the face of the internet world.
To change your Twitch name then, feel welcomed to follow this step-by-step guide.
How To Change Your Twitch Name
- Head over to Twitch.
- Log In to your account by going to the top right corner of Twitch’s main page. That is unless you are already logged in. And if you are using another computer, Twitch will require your authentication code (i.e. Twitch Token) if you have 2FA set up.
- Click on your profile and go to Settings.
Image from the official Twitch website.
- Once there, look for the Profile Settings area, and you’ll see the option to change your Email, Username, Display name, and Bio.
- Click on the pen icon.
- Enter the new username you wish to adopt. If your new name is taken, Twitch will alert you before you attempt to update it. Otherwise, it’ll display a green tick to let you know the name change is possible.
Keep in mind also that Twitch noted in their release blog that you need to export your old statistics before changing your name, as afterward, they will be thrown into the abyss.
How To Change Your Twitch Name Without Waiting
Unfortunately, if you just changed your username, you need to wait two months before updating it again. There is no official (or unofficial) way of changing your Twitch name without waiting the 60 days mandatory period.
Unless you opt-out and set up a new account. However, if you’re not a regular user but a streamer who has built their Twitch career on the username you’re about to change, making a new account is not an attractive option.
On that note, having a delay between name changes makes sense. Image what would happen if millions of users decided to change their usernames in one go: Twitch’s database would collapse. No successful company would want to risk data corruption or ruin their databases, where users (a.ka. customers) store their credentials.
What Happens To My Followers If I Change My Name?
There’s absolutely no issue with changing your Twitch name. The only challenge might be that after changing it, new followers may have a harder time locating your channel when using Twitch’s search bar. However, this is not an issue for your subscribers, as they already follow you.
That’s it, folks! You should now know how to change your name on Twitch. This simple change could perhaps skyrocket your channel to new heights. So think it well and, as advice, use SEO-friendly names!
Extra FAQ
Here are some common questions that arise whenever discussions about Twitch name changes take place.
Can You Change Your Twitch Name From The Mobile App?
Whether you’re on iOS or Android, there’s virtually no possible way to change your username on the Twitch mobile app. You will either have to use the desktop application or access the Twitch website with your phone’s web browser. Once there, carry out our step-by-step guide either under the browser version or the desktop version above.
How Long Until The New Twitch Name Updates?
Thankfully, Twitch username changes take effect immediately. Once you click on the Update button, the new username will change as soon as you navigate away from the window.
How To Change Name Color In Twitch?
Twitch lets users change name colors as a way to differentiate themselves from the flock. The color can be changed in the desktop application or by accessing the desktop web browser. If you’re using the Twitch mobile app, you’ll have to use your device’s web browser to access the Twitch website. Here’s how to change your name color:
- Open the chat box and type in the command “/color” followed by the color name.
- For non-Twitch Turbo users, the available colors are Blue, Green, Red, DodgerBlue, CadetBlue, BlueViolet, Coral, YellowGreen, SpringGreen, SeaGreen, OrangeRed, HotPink, GoldenRod, Firebrick, and Chocolate. And if you’re a Twitch Turbo user you can use any kind of color hex value that you desire. Pretty cool perk, huh?
Can Others Use My Old Username?
Twitch holds unused names out of the available name pool for six months. After this period, anyone wishing to use the name will be allowed to do so. Since Twitch doesn’t announce old usernames that have become available, users will have to guess your old name.
As a side note, banned names are permanently removed from the available name pool. As such, those cannot be recycled and made available to others.
Is It Possible To Change Back To My Old Name After A Change?
If after changing your Twitch name, you find yourself having second thoughts, rest assured that you can revert to it. Although, you’ll still have to have the length of 60 days after the last name change occurred or six months for the particular name to be made available again in the name pool. Consequently, if the name is still free after six months and you haven’t’ recently change usernames for 60 days, then you can reclaim your old Twitch name. And as this is a rather inconvenient process, please think it carefully before changing names for the first time.
Can changing names shorten my ban time?
It can’t. Regrettably, the Twitch ban timer is account-based and not username-based. Therefore, it doesn’t matter if you change your account name as you can’t evade the ban. Just wait for your ban to run out or make a brand-new account if you’ve been permanently banned to keep harassing other users.
But What Is Twitch?
Twitch is a live streaming platform targeted towards gamers. It launched in 2011. Since then, it has millions of users, with a total of 3.8 million unique streamers as of February 2020.
Twitch, therefore, offers gamers the ability to stream their gaming activity, while letting other users watch the gameplay in real-time. Streams may last from a minute to up to ten hours or more. To find a stream, however, you need to browse various categories, including specific game genres. Further, if you find a broadcaster you particularly like, you can follow them and sign up for updates as, in this way, you get notified when they upload a new video on their channel.
Since launching, Twitch has partnered with gaming giants like Blizzard Entertainment and Overwatch League to host worldwide esports events exclusive to the platform.
And How Twitch Works
As you watch a live stream, a split-screen display allows you to see what the streamer sees on their monitor or TV. But the real interesting part is that you’ll also be able to hear and see them play through a smaller window on the top of their stream. On top of that, Twitch lets users purchase games via links on streams. Broadcasters receive sales commissions and the opportunity to sell sponsored products associated with their streams by using additional affiliate links.
To encourage discourse, Twitch allows users to comment while viewing a stream. Depending on the channel, they can ask questions and receive real-time answers from streamers. Plus, Twitch also saves streams, so you’ll have the choice to rewatch streamed gameplay or entertaining video game shows.
And for those who find themselves getting more invested, Twitch offers subscriptions. These have three levels, ranging from $4.99 to $24.99 a month. Subscriptions also allow you to support your favorite streamer and give you the ability to watch a channel ad-free and access to extra benefits, like emotes or cool chat badges.