How to change a Skype username

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Many people sign up for Skype without ever expecting to use it for work-related calls. Those who signed up on a whim using silly usernames may regret that decision later. Fortunately, there are easy ways to change your username or display name on Skype. And we’ll show you how to change a Skype username for the different platforms the app is available on.

Display name vs. username

First of all, you should keep in mind that there is a difference between your display name and your Skype username. Your display name is the title that other people see when they talk to you on Skype. This is easily modified through the Skype app and their website.

Your Skype username or ID, on the other hand, is a completely different matter. If you signed up for the service before Microsoft acquired the company, you may have had the opportunity to create your own username.

After purchase, if you sign in to Skype with an email address, Microsoft assigns you a random username. Technically, this is not a Skype username but a Microsoft account. Whether you have an old or new Skype username or ID, it cannot be changed. Microsoft itself does not allow you to edit your ID.

Other users won’t be able to see your Skype ID, and it doesn’t even show up in the app unless you specifically search for it. To find your Skype ID so you can share it with others, you can do the following:

On the website

1. Go to the Skype website and click Sign in in the upper right corner of the screen.
   
2. From the drop-down menu, click My Account.
   
3. In the tab that contains both your profile photo and username, click on your profile photo or Edit Profile in the menu below.
   
4. Your username will be to the right of the Skype ID label.
   

In the desktop app

1. Open your Skype app and sign in.
   
2. Click your profile icon in the upper left corner of the Skype window.
   
3. In the Manage tab of the drop-down menu, choose and click Skype Profile.
   
4. Your Skype ID will be next to the titular Skype name.
   

On mobile

1. Open the Skype Mobile app and sign in.
   
2. On the Skype home screen, tap your profile icon in the top menu.
   
3. Under Manage, tap Skype Profile.
   
4. Your Skype ID should be next to the Skype Name label.
   

How to change your Skype username from a Windows device

If you want to change the name that is displayed to other people in your contact list, you can do so by editing your Skype display name. This can be done on the Windows platform by doing one of the following:

Using the Skype website

1. Using the web browser of your choice, go to the Skype website and log in.
   
2. Click Sign in in the upper right corner of the screen.
   
3. From the drop-down menu, click My Account.
   
4. In the tab containing your profile photo and display name, click on your profile photo or Edit Profile in the menu below.
   
5. While on the Profile page, click the Edit Profile button.
   
6. Type the display name you want in the Name text box.
   
7. Once you are done, scroll down the page and click the Save button.
   
8. You will be notified that your display name has been changed. You can now exit this window.

In the desktop app

1. Open the Skype desktop app and sign in.
   
2. While on the home screen, click on your profile icon in the top left corner of the Skype window.
   
3. From the drop-down menu, click Skype Profile.
   
4. Click your display name or the Edit Text icon to the right of your display name.
   
5. Change your name according to your preference.
   
6. Press the Enter key or click a blank part of the pop-up window. Your changes will be saved automatically.

How to change your Skype username from a Mac

Both the Skype desktop app and the website are platform-agnostic and therefore the process to change your display name on Mac is the same as on Windows. If you are using Skype on a Mac, you can refer to the instructions provided above on Windows.

How to change your Skype username from an Android device

If you’re using Skype on a mobile device, you can change your display name through the app or by editing it through the website. The process to do so is as follows:

Using the mobile application

1. Open the Skype mobile app and then sign in.
   
2. Tap your profile icon at the top of the screen.
   
3. Under Manage, tap Skype Profile.
   
4. Tap your display name or the edit name button to the right of your display name.
   
5. Enter the display name that you want to use.
   
6. Tap the check mark to the right of the name text box or tap the return key on your virtual keyboard.
7. Scroll down and click “Save Changes” to complete the process.
   

Using a web browser

1. Open the web browser of your choice on your mobile phone.
2. Proceed to Skype website.
3. Follow the instructions in the Windows platform portion above.

How to change your Skype username from an iPhone

The Skype mobile app, similar to the desktop app, is platform-agnostic. As such, if you want to change your display name on an iPhone, you can use the same method as on Android. Please refer to the instructions above for the Android platform.

How to change your Skype username from a Chromebook

Unlike most computers, the Chromebook doesn’t allow you to install apps unless they have been approved by Google or are in the Google Play Store. Because of this, you can access Skype on a Chromebook through the Chrome extension or through the Android app.

If you want to change your Skype display name on your Chromebook, see the website instructions above for the Windows platform, assuming you’re using the Chrome extension. If you are using the Android app, please refer to the mobile app instructions provided above for Android devices.

How to change your Skype profile picture

Another important part of your profile that other users will see is your profile photo. Your profile icon will appear to people in your contact list and is usually the easiest way for your contacts to identify you. If you want to modify your profile photo, you can do one of the following:

Change your profile photo via the desktop app

1. Open the Skype desktop app and sign in.
   
2. Click your profile photo in the upper left corner of the Skype window.
   
3. Click on your profile photo again to open the image upload window.
   
4. Choose the image you want to use and then click Open.
   

Using the mobile application

1. Open the Skype mobile app and sign in.
   
2. Tap your profile icon at the top of the screen.
   
3. Tap your profile icon again.
   
4. The Camera app should now open and you can choose to take a photo if you wish.
   
5. If you want to use a saved image from your gallery, tap the image icon in the bottom left corner of the screen.
   
6. Tap the top menu to switch from Gallery to Albums. You can tap the arrow button in the upper left corner to return to the Gallery.
   
7. Choose the image you want to use.
   
8. The Skype mobile app offers several editing templates in the upper right corner of the image selection screen.
   
9. Once you’re done editing, tap the check mark in the bottom right corner of the screen.
   
10. Your profile picture should now be changed.

Additional FAQs

The following are the most frequently asked questions whenever discussions arise about changing Skype usernames.

Is my Skype username different from my Skype display name?

Yes. As mentioned above, your Skype username or Skype ID cannot be changed. It is the name that Microsoft uses to identify your account and, as such, the company does not allow you to edit it. Early Skype users had the option of specifying their own names. Now, if you sign up for the service using an email address or phone number, you and all other users will be assigned random names. Other users can connect to you using your Skype username or ID.u003cbru003eu003cbru003eDisplay names or Skype names are what other users see when they call you and are what appear in your friends’ contact list. Your display name, unlike your username, can be edited.

Are there any limitations on what I can change my username to?

Since Microsoft now assigns names directly to users and does not allow editing, Skype usernames or IDs are quite restricted. Display names, on the other hand, do not have this limitation. You can use a single character as the display name or enter up to 50 characters if you want. However, names are truncated to 26 characters, so it’s best to keep your name below that number.u003cbru003eu003cbru003e You can also use spaces and symbols, and there is no alphanumeric requirement regarding your display name. You can even use just numbers if that’s what you want. However, it is good practice to try to keep the naming convention formal if you need to connect in a professional environment.

How often can I change my Skype username?

Skype usernames or IDs cannot be changed once they have been assigned. The only technical way to change a username would be to create a new Skype account, but this will mean losing all your contact information and account credits.u003cbru003eu003cbru003eDisplay names can be changed as many times as you like. There are no time limitations on when you can change your display name.

Address the problems

Having a silly username during what is supposed to be a professional Skype call can be quite embarrassing. It’s quite helpful that Skype has a way to address the problem quite easily, as long as you know what to do.

So, have you ever had problems regarding how to change a Skype username? Share your experiences in the comments section below.