Can You Change Your Twitch Username Without Waiting?

Twitch seemed to take forever to implement name changes. Something any gamer would have included in an app they designed would have been there from the very beginning. Although the implementation isn’t perfect, it does get the job done. One common question we hear around this subject is about the name waiting period. Can you change your Twitch username without waiting?

If you just changed your username recently, you can only update it again after two months. There is no publicized way of changing your Twitch username without waiting for the restrictions to end.

The time delay runs behind the scenes at Twitch, and there’s no way around it unless you set up a new account. For a regular user, that’s fine, but for streamers, that isn’t such an easy option.

When Twitch introduced the ability to change your username, it also introduced an arbitrary 60-day wait between changes. This rule makes kind of sense, to prevent users from changing their name every five minutes and overloading the database, but a two month wait?

Having a mandatory delay between name changes does make sense. With millions of users, even having some of them change their name regularly would put extra strain on databases. Not only do those databases have to change the username, but they also have to modify any relational links to that user name within the Twitch infrastructure.

A single change could require several database changes behind the scenes. No company would want to give users carte blanche to run their databases into the ground or risk data corruption.

How to change your Twitch username

When you do come to change your Twitch username, the process is very straightforward. However, consider your decision very carefully as you can’t change it again for at least 60 days, so don’t rush into anything!

Here’s how to change your username using your favorite browser:

1. Visit the Twitch website and sign-in to your account.
2. At the top right corner of your screen, click your icon and select Settings.
3. Under Profile Settings, click on the edit icon beside your username.
   
   
4. Enter your new username in the box and hope for the green checkmark.
   
   
5. Select Update to save the changes and verify by entering your Twitch password.
   
   

Once verified, your username and your channel URL will change immediately. If you’re a streamer, your followers and subscribers remain. You won’t lose revenue, fame, or your fortune.

What’s in a username?

Even if you’re not a pro gamer or streamer, having a cool username is all part of online communities. Some of us put a lot of thought into choosing our aliases, while others have favorites they use in every game. Whatever side of the fence you’re on, a username tells someone a lot about you, so it requires some thought before hitting Update to change it in Twitch.

If you’re the type of person that uses one username for all accounts, there is a good reason to change that habit. Having the same name across games and social networks can mean that you are very easy to trace and follow online.

It’s a matter of minutes for a troll or savvy cybercriminal to check Facebook or Twitter for the same name, find your friends, your home city, perhaps address. Marketers use this kind of behavioral targeting, so we know it works.

Choosing a good username

You may have some good ideas already about how to choose a username, and that’s great. If you don’t, here are five top tips for coming up with a good one.

1. Think about what the name says about you and what people who don’t know you will think when they see it. Does it create the right impression?
2. Avoid racist words, swearwords, anything sexual, and anything that makes you sound pre-pubescent. If you want to be known as that guy, go ahead. Everyone else should avoid these words like the plague.
3. Never use a username that can lead back to your real identity. Avoid anything to do with your real name, address, town, city, or job since people can use it to trace you.
4. Don’t rush in. Take some time and think about your username before jumping in. Keep a notepad by your computer or keep a phone list of cool names you come across in daily life. Having them on hand could generate a seriously cool username with minimal effort.

You cannot change your Twitch username without waiting, and that’s okay as long as you know. It stops people changing names quickly after a ban and stops people being toxic and then quickly changing usernames so others can’t trace them. Sixty days is an eternity for some, so whatever username you choose, make sure you’re happy with it!