How to Change Your Facebook Username and Profile URL

Why Your Facebook Username and Profile URL Matter

Your Facebook username is the unique identifier that appears in your profile URL — the web address people can use to find you directly. Instead of sharing a long string of numbers (your Facebook ID), you can give someone a clean link like facebook.com/yourname. This matters because it's what appears when you create a page, build a public profile, or want to make it simple for people to locate you online.

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Many people don't realize they can customize this at all. Facebook assigns you a default username based on your name when you first create an account, but you have the power to change it to something that better represents you. This is especially useful if your name is common, if you've changed your personal name, or if you want a username that reflects your professional brand or interests.

The distinction between your username and your actual name on Facebook is important to understand. Your display name (the name that appears on your posts, comments, and profile) can be changed frequently and seen by your audience. Your username, however, is more permanent and technical — it's the backend identifier that determines your profile's web address. Changing your username affects how people search for you and the link you share publicly.

Understanding this difference helps you make intentional choices. Some people use their username as a professional tool, others as a way to maintain privacy, and still others as a creative expression. Whatever your reason, knowing how these settings work puts you in control of your digital presence on Facebook.

Practical takeaway: Before you make any changes, think about what you want your username to communicate. Is it permanent in your mind, or might you want to change it again later? Knowing Facebook's rules about how often you can change it (discussed in the next section) will help you decide.

Facebook's Username Change Rules and Limits

Facebook doesn't let you change your username as often as you'd like. There's a specific policy in place: you can change your username once every 60 days. This means if you updated it last month, you'll need to wait until that 60-day window closes before you can pick something new. This rule exists to prevent spam, account takeovers, and confusion in the platform.

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The 60-day restriction applies to each change you make. So if you switched your username on January 15th, you couldn't make another change until March 15th. If you changed it again on March 15th, the next opportunity would be May 15th. This is a hard limit — Facebook won't let you bypass it even if you have a strong reason.

There's also a pool of restrictions on what usernames you can actually claim. You cannot use a username that's already taken by another person. You cannot use certain reserved usernames that Facebook protects (like "facebook," "admin," or "help"). You cannot use usernames that include Facebook's trademarked terms. Additionally, usernames must be at least five characters long and can only contain letters (a-z), numbers (0-9), periods (.), and underscores (_).

It's worth noting that if you previously used a username and then changed it, someone else can claim your old username after a waiting period. This means your old profile URL won't redirect to your new one indefinitely. If you're deeply attached to a particular username, you'll want to keep it rather than experimenting with changes.

One more consideration: if your account is very new (less than a few days old), Facebook may not allow you to set a custom username at all. New accounts sometimes need to establish a history before the username customization feature becomes available.

Practical takeaway: Treat your username decision seriously since you're limited to one change every 60 days. Jot down a few options you like and sit with them for a day or two before committing. This prevents hasty changes you'll regret.

Step-by-Step Process for Changing Your Username on Desktop

Changing your Facebook username on a computer is straightforward once you know where to look. Start by logging into your Facebook account and looking at the top right corner of your screen, where you'll see your profile picture. Click on that profile picture or the small arrow next to it to open a dropdown menu.

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From that dropdown menu, select "Settings and privacy," then click "Settings." You're now in your account settings dashboard. On the left side of the screen, you'll see a vertical menu with various options. Look for "Personal information" — this is where username settings live.

Click on "Personal information" and you'll see several fields including your name, contact information, and importantly, your username section. Look specifically for the line that shows your current username and profile URL (it will display something like "facebook.com/yourname"). Click the "Edit" button next to this section.

A text box will appear with your current username highlighted. You can now type your new username directly into this field. As you type, Facebook will show you in real-time whether that username is available. If you see a green checkmark, it's yours to claim. If you see an X or message saying it's taken, you'll need to try something different.

Once you've found an available username you want, click the "Review" button. Facebook will show you a preview of your new profile URL and ask you to confirm the change. Read through this carefully to make sure the URL looks right. Then click "Save Changes." Your new username is now active.

The change takes effect immediately, though it may take a few minutes for the new URL to work everywhere across Facebook. If you immediately share your profile link with someone, it should work right away in most cases.

Practical takeaway: Take a screenshot of your settings screen before you make the change. This way, if something seems off afterward, you'll have a record of what you saw and can troubleshoot more easily.

Changing Your Username on Mobile Devices

The process on your phone or tablet is similar to desktop, but the menu layout is slightly different since mobile screens are smaller. Open the Facebook app and tap the three horizontal lines (often called a "hamburger menu") at the bottom right of your screen. This opens your main navigation menu.

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Scroll down through this menu until you find "Settings and privacy." Tap it to expand a submenu, then select "Settings." You're now in your mobile settings screen, which is organized the same way as the desktop version but displayed vertically for mobile viewing.

Look for "Personal information" in the list and tap it. This section displays your name, contact details, and username information. Tap the "Edit" button next to your username field just as you would on desktop. The same text box will appear, and you can type your new username while Facebook shows you availability in real-time.

One thing to note about mobile: if your screen is small or you're using a phone with limited screen space, the preview of your new URL might be harder to read. Take your time and look carefully at what Facebook shows you before confirming. You can always zoom in if needed.

After reviewing your choice, tap "Save Changes" or whatever confirmation button appears. On mobile, this might be labeled slightly differently depending on your device type (iPhone, Android, tablet, etc.), but the function is the same.

A few mobile-specific tips: make sure you have a stable internet connection before starting, as losing connection mid-change could cause problems. Also, if you're switching between the app and mobile browser, know that changes made in one will reflect in the other immediately, since they're updating the same Facebook account.

Practical takeaway: If you're doing this on mobile for the first time, open the mobile settings menu while sitting near a computer or tablet. Having a reference view of the desktop version helps you navigate the mobile menus with more confidence.

What Happens to Your Old Username and URL

When you change your Facebook username, your old username becomes available for other people to claim. Facebook doesn't hold your old username in reserve or keep it connected to your account. This means someone else can take it, and your old profile URL (facebook.com/oldusername) will no longer work.

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This has real implications. If you've shared your profile link in many places — on your personal website, in email signatures, on business cards, or across social media — all those old links will stop working. People who visit them will get a "page not found" error or be redirected to a generic Facebook page.