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How To

How To Change Your Instagram Username

Photograph of the blog post author, Music Gateway Team

Music Gateway Team

18.1.2023

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We can show you how to change your Instagram name on your account and keep followers whether you’re on iOS, Android or desktop. We’ve also got some of the best artist Instagram names to give you inspiration.

Your Instagram name and username can be changed as much as you like by editing your profile. Don’t worry, you won’t lose followers for it. Your username needs to be unique, otherwise, it will be unavailable but Instagram names can be the same across accounts. 

Sometimes you just want to pick a new artist name. You should change your username on Instagram if you’ve decided to make a change. This will help you keep your image synchronised across all of your social platforms. Instagram makes it quite easy to change your name but you could still run into problems so check out our guide below. 

How to change Instagram name

  • Go to your Instagram profile 
  • Edit profile (next to your Instagram picture)
  • Change your Instagram name and username 
  • Adapt your Instagram bio 
  • Change your hashtags 

Change your Instagram username

Instagram name generator

If you’re really struggling, you could use a random name generator. These can be really random so we recommend using a more focused name generator. You’ll be able to guide the generator with some keywords and it will give you plenty of results to choose from.

Instagram name checker

You need to make sure no one has taken your name once you’ve made your choice. Instagram will tell you if your name has been taken when you change it. However, if you have a few ideas then you might want to use a name checker. There are plenty of choices out there and they are really easy to use.

#1 Go to your Instagram profile 

You will find a little person icon on the bottom right-hand corner of your phone when you open the Instagram app. When you click on this then it will take you to your profile. 

If you are changing your username on a desktop then you will find Instagram is structured slightly differently. The icon is now on the top right on a panel with the logo, search bar and notifications and explore icons. 

#2 Edit profile (next to your Instagram picture)

When you land on your profile you should see all of you lovely photos that you’ve uploaded.  Above that, you’ll see the edit profile bar, which is also underneath your profile photo and follower number.  

On a desktop, this might be a bit harder to find. Instead of a big bar across the screen, it is a small button. You will find edit profile next to your username and above you follower numbers. 

#3 Change your Instagram name and username 

This is the same for both mobile and desktop and all you have to do is put in your new name. Make sure your username is available and try and keep your names consistent across all of your social media channels. 

Instagram username change limit

Make sure you’ve brainstormed and come up with plenty of ideas before choosing your name. Unlike Facebook, there isn’t a limit on changing your name but you should still commit to your choice. 

#4 Adapt your Instagram bio 

You should read through your bio once you’ve changed your username. Your bio on Instagram is very visible on your profile and it won’t look very good if you’ve still got your old name there.  

You can easily change your bio while you change your name. You might not have an in-depth one to cover your new name but it doesn’t have to be complicated. A simple sentence or two should do the trick. 

#5 Change your hashtags 

You want people to see your posts when people search for you. If all of your posts have a hashtag with your previous name then this won’t happen. It is a good idea to go through some of your old posts and edit the hashtag to include your new name.  

This way, if someone does find it hard to find your profile, they could still find your posts and then your profile from there. If someone looks through your old posts then your previous name could be confusing so get as much as you can up to date. 

Why can’t I change my username on Instagram?

Usually, changing your username isn’t much hassle. However, you might put in your new username, only to find that it won’t change. This is often because the username is not available, meaning that it has been taken by someone else. 

There isn’t anything you can really do about this and you’ll have to find a new username. You will be able to call your profile name whatever you want but you ideally want to keep them the same.  

You might find a username is unavailable but there is has no user. This is likely to be because the previous user of that name has been banned. When Instagram bans or blocks someone’s account, the username becomes permanently inactive. 

Will I lose my Instagram followers? 

You shouldn’t lose followers for changing your name. It doesn’t create a new profile so all of your previous followers and people you follow will stay the same. 

If you choose a name that is offensive or explicit then you might find yourself losing followers. You could also find yourself getting reported and blocked so even if you’re doing it for a joke, it really isn’t worth it. 

How can I gain more followers on Instagram?

Building a consistent brand and posting regularly with hashtags is important if you want to gain more followers. Constantly changing your name could make this more difficult so it is better to stick with a single name. If you want some more advice, check out our best Instagram promotion tips.

What is the best Instagram name?

We’ve put together a list of some of the best artist Instagram names. You should use your artist name across all of your social media handles but you might want to use a different name. This could be because your artist name isn’t available or maybe you just want to be cool and creative.

  • @badgalriri | Rihanna
  • @champagnepapi | Drake
  • @sushitrash | Joji
  • @feliciathegoat | Tyler, the Creator
  • @thisissigrid | Sigrid
  • @thegr8khalid | Khalid
  • @blonded | Frank Ocean
  • @skeptagram | Skepta
  • @this_nao | Nao
  • @jungle4eva | Jungle
  • @iamcardib | Cardi B

Have you ever changed your Instagram username and did you remember to update your hashtags and bio?


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