Outgrown your old Twitch handle? Good news: you don't have to start a new account. Twitch lets you rename your channel from your settings, and this guide walks through the whole process — plus the rules that trip people up.

Username vs. display name

Twitch has two names. Your username (login name) is the one in your URL, like twitch.tv/yourname, and it must be unique. Your display name is what viewers see in chat and on your profile; it can only differ from your username by capitalisation. Changing the username changes your link; changing capitalisation is cosmetic.

How to change your Twitch name step by step

Open Twitch on desktop and click your profile picture, then Settings.
On the Profile tab, find the Username field.
Type the new name. Twitch instantly shows whether it's available.
Confirm with your password and save.

The 60-day rule and name recycling

You can only change your username roughly once every 60 days, so pick carefully. When you rename, your old name is held for six months before it's released back into the pool — during that window nobody else can grab it, which protects your old links.

Before you commit

Check the name is free on Twitch (and ideally on other platforms too, for a consistent brand).
Keep it short, easy to spell and easy to say on stream.
Avoid trademark issues and confusing lookalikes.

Once you've settled on something you love, generate a few final candidates, check their availability, and rename with confidence.