Is your current Twitter handle no longer serving you? Whether you‘re rebranding, changing your name, or just ready for a fresh online persona, updating your Twitter username is a quick and easy process. In this complete guide, we‘ll walk you through how to change your handle on both desktop and mobile, and share expert tips for choosing a new handle that sets you up for success on Twitter.
Why Change Your Twitter Handle?
Your Twitter handle is a key part of your identity on the platform. It‘s how users find and interact with you, and often serves as an extension of your personal or professional brand. But there are plenty of reasons why that original handle you chose may no longer work for you:
- You‘ve changed your name: Marriage, divorce, gender transition, or a new stage of life can all prompt a name change that you want reflected across your online presence.
- You‘re rebranding your business: If your company has undergone a rebrand, updating your Twitter handle is a must to maintain consistency and make sure customers can still find you.
- Your handle is outdated or unprofessional: Many of us created our Twitter accounts years ago and may have chosen handles that are no longer in line with our current image. Handles that are too cutesy, juvenile, offensive or hard to remember have no place in your professional life.
- You want to align handles across platforms: Using the same handle on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok and other platforms makes it easier for your audience to find and connect with you.
- You‘re starting fresh: Sometimes we just need a clean slate on social media. Changing your Twitter handle can symbolize a new chapter and help you leave negative associations with an old username behind.
In fact, a 2022 study by Sprout Social found that 39% of users have considered changing their handle on Twitter to better reflect their current self, so you‘re certainly not alone.
Anatomy of a Great Twitter Handle
Now that you‘ve decided to switch things up, it‘s important to put some thought into choosing your new handle. Your handle is like your digital first impression, so you want to get it right. Here are some best practices:
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Keep it concise. Twitter handles can only be 15 characters max, but the shorter the better. Aim for under 11 characters if possible. Long handles take up precious real estate in tweets and are harder to remember.
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Make it memorable and easy to spell. Avoid easy-to-mistake characters like uppercase I/lowercase L, and skip numbers and underscores if you can. You want users to be able to easily recall and type out your handle. Using your name or business name is usually a safe bet.
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Align with your brand. Your handle should be an extension of your personal/professional brand identity. Choose something that authentically represents you and the kind of content you post.
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Incorporate keywords. If your Twitter presence centers around a specific niche or industry, consider including a relevant keyword that helps users find you. For example, if you‘re a marketing consultant, a handle like @JaneDoesMarketing can be effective.
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Check for availability. Before getting too attached to a handle idea, do a quick search to make sure it‘s not already claimed. Twitter will also automatically check availability as you‘re editing your handle in settings. Have a few backup options ready to go.
Here are a few examples of strong Twitter handles that check these boxes:
- @HubSpot
- @MindBodyGreen
- @TechCrunch
- @NatGeo
- @NASAJPL
How to Change Your Handle on Desktop
Alright, now for the easy part! Here‘s how to actually make the switch on desktop:
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Log into your Twitter account and click the More button (three dots icon) in the left sidebar navigation.
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From the popup menu, select Settings and privacy.
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In the Settings menu, click on Your account in the left sidebar. Then select the Account information tab.
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Next to Username, click the Edit button.
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Type your new handle into the text field. Twitter will check availability as you type and display a green checkmark if it‘s available.
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Click Save at the bottom to lock in the change.
That‘s it! Your new handle will take effect immediately across the platform.
How to Change Your Handle on Mobile
If you‘re more of a mobile tweeter, you can also easily change your Twitter handle in the app for iOS and Android:
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Open the Twitter app and tap on your profile icon in the top left corner.
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On your profile page, tap the Edit profile button.
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In the editing view, tap on your current username.
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Delete your old handle and type in your new one. You‘ll see a green checkmark if it‘s available.
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Tap Done in the top right to save your change.
Your profile will refresh with your new handle in place. It‘s really that simple!
What Happens When You Change Your Handle
The good news is that changing your Twitter handle doesn‘t disrupt your existing presence on the platform. Here‘s what you can expect:
- Your followers, tweets, likes, and other account information stay the same – they just transfer over to your new handle.
- People who visit your old handle url will be automatically redirected to your new profile url, so you won‘t lose any traffic.
- Tweets that tagged your old handle will still point to your account, but they won‘t update to show your new handle unless the tweet author manually edits them.
- Your old handle will become available for someone else to claim as soon as you change it, so make sure you‘re committed to the switch.
Notifying Your Followers
Whenever you change your handle, it‘s best practice to notify your followers to avoid any confusion. Send out a tweet announcing your new handle and pin it to your profile for a while so it‘s easy to find. Use your display name and bio to indicate that you recently changed handles (Ex: Jane Smith | formerly @janesmith).
If you have a substantial following, you may want to enlist the help of influencers or mutuals to help spread the word by retweeting your announcement. The more touch points, the better. Don‘t forget to update your handle on your website, email signatures, and any other platforms as well. Consistency is key for maintaining a cohesive online brand.
When to Change Your Twitter Handle
There‘s no hard and fast rule for how often you can or should change your Twitter handle. However, it‘s generally best to avoid changing it too frequently, as it can confuse your followers and make it harder to build brand recognition over time. HubSpot recommends only changing your handle once every 6 months at most.
The exception is if you‘re going through a major rebrand or name change – in that case, it‘s important to update all of your social media handles at once to maintain consistency and avoid losing your audience.
You‘ll also want to avoid changing handles too close to a big campaign, product launch, or event that you‘re promoting heavily on Twitter. The last thing you want is to lose momentum with a last-minute handle switch. If possible, plan your handle change a month or two in advance so you have time to update assets and inform your audience.
Final Thoughts
In today‘s digital age, our online identities hold a lot of weight – and our social media handles are a key part of how we express ourselves and connect with others. While it may seem like a small detail, your Twitter handle can have a big impact on how people perceive and interact with you on the platform.
By following the steps and best practices outlined in this guide, you can set yourself up for a smooth and successful transition to a new Twitter handle. Remember, your handle is an extension of your personal or professional brand, so choose wisely and be intentional about how you present yourself.
Changing your Twitter handle may feel like a big decision, but it doesn‘t have to be a daunting process. With a little planning and care, you can refresh your Twitter presence and start connecting with your audience in a whole new way. Good luck and happy tweeting!
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