You can change your Facebook username once every 30 days through your settings

Your Facebook username is the custom web address people use to find your profile — it appears in the URL as facebook.com/yourname. You can change it whenever you want, but Facebook limits you to one change every 30 days. The process takes about two minutes and happens entirely in your account settings.

The username is different from your display name. Your display name is what appears above your posts and in search results; you can change that as often as you like. Your username is the permanent-looking part of your profile link, and that's what has the 30-day restriction.

Key Takeaways

  • You can change your username once every 30 days, and the change takes effect immediately.
  • Your username must be between 5 and 50 characters, contain only letters, numbers, periods, and underscores, and cannot be a name already taken by another account.
  • The change appears in your profile URL right away, but old links to your profile may stop working after a few days.
  • If you have changed your username recently, you will need to wait until the 30-day window passes before you can change it again.

Where to find the username setting on Facebook

Open Facebook and click the downward arrow in the top right corner of your screen. Select Settings and privacy, then click Settings. On the left side of the page, click Personal information. You will see a section labeled Username with your current username displayed.

If you are on a mobile phone, tap the three horizontal lines (the menu icon) in the bottom right corner, scroll down, and tap Settings and privacy, then Settings. Tap Personal information to find the username field.

The steps to change your username

Click or tap the Edit button next to your username. A text box will appear with your current username highlighted. Delete the old username and type the new one you want to use. Facebook will show you a preview of what your new profile URL will look like.

Before you confirm, check that the new username follows Facebook's rules: it must be 5 to 50 characters long, use only letters, numbers, periods, and underscores, and cannot start with a number. If your choice is already taken by another account, Facebook will tell you and ask you to try a different one. Once you have chosen an available username that meets the requirements, click Review and then Confirm.

What happens immediately after you change it

Your new username becomes active right away. Your profile URL changes to facebook.com/yournewusername, and that link will work immediately. However, any old links using your previous username — links you shared with friends, links in emails, links on other websites — will stop working within a few days. Facebook does not maintain permanent redirects from old usernames to new ones.

If you have shared your profile link widely or it appears on your business website or resume, you may want to update those places with your new username. Anyone who has you as a friend can still find you by searching your name, regardless of your username.

What to do if you cannot change your username right now

If you changed your username fewer than 30 days ago, you will see a message telling you when you can change it again. The 30-day timer starts from the date of your last change, not from today. You will need to wait until that date passes before the Edit button becomes available again.

If the Edit button is missing or grayed out for a different reason, your account may have restrictions. This can happen if your account is new, if you have recently changed your name or other personal information, or if Facebook has flagged your account for review. In those cases, wait a few days and try again, or contact Facebook through the Help Center if the problem persists.

Choosing a username that works for you

Keep your username simple and easy to spell. Short usernames are easier for people to remember and type, and they look cleaner in URLs. Avoid numbers and underscores if you can, because people often forget them or mistype them when they try to find you. If your name is common, adding a middle initial or a birth year can help you stand out without making it too long.

Think about whether you want your username to match your display name. They do not have to match — your display name can be "Sarah Johnson" while your username is "sarahjohnson1985" — but matching them makes it easier for people to connect the two. If you use Facebook for business or professional purposes, a professional-sounding username will serve you better than a casual one.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

Yes, but only if no one else has claimed that username in the meantime. If someone else has taken your old username, you cannot use it again. You will need to choose a different one or wait to see if that person changes their username.

Will changing my username affect my friends or messages?

No. Your friends will still see you in their friend list, and your messages will continue to work normally. The only thing that changes is the URL people use to visit your profile. Your display name, which is what appears on your posts and in conversations, stays the same unless you change it separately.

What if the username I want is already taken?

You will need to choose a different one. Facebook will tell you immediately if a username is unavailable. Try adding a number, a period, or an underscore to make it unique. You can also try variations of your name or a username that reflects your interests.

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

If you have a Facebook Page for a business or organization, that has its own separate username that you change through the Page settings, not your personal account settings. Your personal profile username and your Page username are independent of each other.