Instagram is the king of the image world in social media terms - if you want to share a snap of your holiday, you might post it on Twitter, you could share it on Facebook, but the place it belongs is really Instagram. 

You username is a key part of your Instagram profile, too. It not only can give a flavour of what you're aiming for with your feed, but can be the fastest way to direct someone to your account if you want to show off your pics. What happens if you want to change it, though? Whether because you've outgrown your old handle or just fancy a change of label? Well, read on to find out everything you need to know. 

First up though, it's worth out mentioning that you have two names on Instagram - your displayed name and your actual username. You can change your displayed name whenever you like, to whatever you like, regardless of whether it's the same as someone else. 

Your actual username, though, is a little more restricted. That's the handle that's preceded by @ in your profile, and determines the URL for your page. It has to meet the following requirements:

  • Is unique to your account.
  • Contains fewer than 30 characters.
  • Contains only letters, numbers, periods, and underscores (no spaces).
  • Contains no profanity or restricted language.

With that understood, here's how to actually go about changing your Instagram username.

How to change your Instagram username on the app or web photo 1
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How to change your Instagram username on the app

If you open the Instagram app, which is where the vast majority of people actually use and interact with Instagram's feeds, it's super quick to access your settings.

Just tap onto your profile on the far right of the navigation bar at the bottom of your screen. There, underneath your profile picture and follow details, you'll see an "Edit Profile" button. Here, in the Username field, you can enter a new username, which will only be accepted if it's valid and acceptable. Done!

Here's that process in steps in case it's easier:

  1. Open the Instagram app and log into the account you want to change
  2. Tap your avatar at the bottom right of the screen
  3. Tap Edit Profile on your feed
  4. Tap into the Username field and enter your new choice
  5. Tap Done to complete the process

How to change your Instagram username on the web

The good news is that although Instagram is very much mobile-first, its web version has come on in leaps and bounds over the last couple of years, so it's actually super easy to change your username on the web as well. 

The steps are really similar - go to Instagram.com and log into your account, first. Click your avatar or user icon at the top right of the screen, to access your profile. Then click on the Edit Profile button next to your username. You can then change the text in the Username field, before scrolling down to click Submit. If your username is valid, it will be saved, otherwise you'll be told it can't be used. 

Again, in step-by-step for, that means:

  1. Go to Instagram.com and log in
  2. Click your avatar in the top right to access your profile
  3. Click on Edit Profile next to your username
  4. Change the Username to your desired new one
  5. Scroll down to click "Submit"