Our Instagram names are what defines the subject of our account is about, or it gives out information about who we are. That’s why choosing a relevant Instagram username is one of the most important steps of having an Instagram account.
There were surely times we all felt like we do not like the name we have chosen for our account, or we have just decided to change the niche we worked on completely. This requires us to change Instagram name and also username of the account as the first step of switching to another niche. Keep up with me to know how to change Instagram name, and find out why it is recommended not to do that.
What are the differences between Instagram usernames and names?
Before I begin to explain how to change your Instagram name, let me mention that there are some differences between an Instagram name and username.
- Instagram usernames are unique
The first and the most important difference between an Instagram name and username is that a username is unique, and when you choose it, no one else can have it and two users cannot use it at the same time. But Instagram names do not have any restrictions, and they can be the same among several users. You can even write a sentence, phrase, or any other thing on your mind instead of merely your name on the “Name” section of Instagram bios. Actually, the Instagram name is what you want the public to see as your Instagram handle.
- Usernames build your Instagram profile links
All of us have a link to our profiles on all social media platforms, which mostly end up with a unique code, ID number, or usernames. Instagram usernames will create the link to our profiles, and when we decide to change Instagram username, this link would also change and it would adapt with the new username.
Can you change your Instagram username?
Hopefully, yes, we can easily change our usernames on Instagram. On all of the social media platforms in the whole world, usernames are unique, and the users need to keep that in mind so that they’d choose their usernames more carefully. On almost all social media platforms such as Reddit, users are not allowed to change usernames they created after the registration process, but hopefully, Instagram is not one of them and we are able to change Instagram names whenever we want.
Can I use my old username on Instagram?
There is the possibility that you be able to use your old username once again but under two circumstances. The first one is that the old Instagram username will be locked for 14 days after the change so, you need to wait for at least two weeks, and after that, try to change it back with this period.
The second condition is that the Instagram name might be taken by someone else while you just gave it up, and as I mentioned, two different users cannot use the same username name since social media usernames need to stay unique.
So only decide to change Instagram name only when you are sure that you will not want to get it back in the future because there is a huge risk of losing it and not being able to get the old username back.
How to change Instagram name and username?
After almost a decade passed from when Instagram was founded, one of the most common questions which is still asked by lots of users is how to change a name or username on Instagram, and that actually is one of the easiest things to do. Keep up reading with me to find your answers.
To change your Instagram name, follow the steps below:
1. Head to the Instagram app and open it.2. Go to your main profile, which is located at the bottom right corner in the app and or at the top right corner on the Instagram web.
3. Tap on the “Edit Profile” button, which is clearly located in your bio section.
4. Now, on the page which opens up, you can both change Instagram name and username. Just tap on either of them that you are willing to change and write the new ones.
5. That’s done! These were all you need to do to change Instagram name, also username.
Things to do after you change the Instagram name
As mentioned earlier on the blog, usernames are considered your Instagram handle on the platforms, and people know your account by both the name and username you have chosen for the account. That’s why there are some disadvantages when you choose to change your Instagram username or name for an account. You may lose followers and the contents you have linked to your Instagram. Another huge reason why it is recommended not to change Instagram name and username is that you will not appear on Google or other search engines for a short time.
Anyways, if you are willing to take the risks of changing the username on Instagram would bring to your account, there are some things to do in order to lessen the bad effects of this action.
- Spread the change on social media
You surely are active on other social media platforms. Remember to change the other social media usernames, which holds the same name as the one you changed on Instagram to let people know and recognize you not to keep them from unfollowing.
- Make your followers aware
The most important thing to do right after you change Instagram username is to announce it to your followers. Most of us would unfollow or block any account that we do not recognize. After you convert to a new username, make an Instagram post or story announcing the change to your followers and make them recognize the new Instagram handle you want to create.
- Edit external and internal links to the account
All of us have surely tried to share our Instagram photos and videos on other platforms, or we have sometimes shared the link to our profile on different websites for purposes such as marketing. Let me tell you that after changing Instagram usernames, these links would be completely useless because, as I mentioned previously, usernames build up our profile links and since the name is now changed, the URL needs to be edited.
So think of the platforms you might have shared your Instagram link, and edit them to be replaced with the new username.
Conclusion
Instagram is an exception among so many social media platforms, and it totally lets us change our Instagram names and even usernames, but there are some disadvantages of switching usernames and if it is better to be sure before making this huge change since you are somehow going to convert your Instagram handle with a new one.