Changing the Reddit username of an old account can be fool’s gold. However, if you’re hyper-aware of Reddit’s provisions regarding usernames and their concreteness before your account is 30-days old, you can, indeed, change your username if you jump on it while this window is still alive.
Even then, like all things tech, there are additional caveats that make sure you can change your Reddit username at the point of account creation or later.
This article will guide you through all the conditions and restrictions that prohibit you from changing your Reddit username and how you can bypass them in the way Reddit allows you to do, in a time-sensitive way.
Can I change my Reddit username?
Yes and No. According to Reddit, you can change your username only if your account was created using an Apple ID or a Gmail account. Upon creation, Reddit will automatically assign you a stock username and give you an option to change this username right away.
However, users must use this option within 30 days of creating their account, as the window for doing so starts as soon as the account is created and expires after that period.
After the 30-day window has expired, you cannot make any further changes to your username. However, even during the 30-day window, you can only change your username once.
Related: How to unhide posts on Reddit and what happens when you do it?
Why you can’t change your Reddit username after 30 days?
The main challenge for Reddit in allowing users to change usernames is the massive number of database fields that need to be updated. Comments, submissions, and posts you have interacted with or created require updating with the new usernames. This would apply to you, and Reddit would have to do the same for millions of accounts.
While other social media platforms are equipped for this task, Reddit is not due to its use of the NoSQL database for data storage.
NOTE: NoSQL is a database platform that provides a structure for storing data into tables and suitable methods for retrieving the data. JOIN clauses are queries that combine and link two or more tables using common entries, but NoSQL does not have JOIN clauses. Therefore, every table in NoSQL includes a username section. This eliminates the need for Reddit to perform additional lookups for retrieving data linked with a particular username but stored in another table. However, if a username is changed, it must be changed from all such tables that contain instances of this username. Reddit would have to do the same for millions of accounts.
How to change your Reddit username
To be able to change your Reddit username, your account needs to satisfy the following conditions:
- The account should be less than 30-days old
- There should not be another instance in the past where the Reddit username was changed by the user
However, it should be noted that despite the concrete conditions, Reddit does allow you to create multiple accounts linked with the same email address. For the purpose of this guide, we will begin by creating a new Reddit account. We will then top it off by using Reddit’s ‘Change username’ pop-up to finalize the one-time username change. So, let’s get to it.
On phone
Here’s how to change your username for a new account when using the Reddit mobile app.
Open the Reddit app. Tap on the profile icon near the top-left corner of your Reddit home page.
On the left side of your screen, tap on the ‘My Profile’ option.
Tap on the ‘Change Username’ option.
Tap on the typing area and replace the auto-assigned username with the username you want.
Tap NEXT.
Tap on the ‘Save Username’ option.
Tap ‘OK’.
Your Reddit username has now been changed.
On computer
Here’s how to change your username for a new Reddit account on desktop devices.
You will see the following pop-up on your profile homepage. From here, click on the ‘Change Username’ option.
Note: You can also find this pop-up by visiting your profile settings.
Click on the typing area and replace the auto-assigned username with the username you want.
Click on ‘Continue’.
Click on the ‘Save Username’ option.
Make sure you see a notification on your screen, confirming that your Reddit username has been changed.
How to change your Reddit display name
The display name of a Reddit profile is another name used to identify a Reddit user. This name is visible only when you search for a user using their username and look up their profile. The display name does not appear in the posts you created as the username does.
A display name can be edited anytime and as many times as you want. Let’s see how you can do it from Reddit’s website on PC and the Reddit app from your phone.
1. On phone (using Reddit app)
Open the Reddit app from your phone’s home screen.
Click on the Profile icon near the top-left corner of your Reddit home page.
Tap on the My Profile” option.
Tap on the ‘Edit’ button.
Tap on the ‘Display name’ option and enter the display name you want.
Tap on the ‘Save’ icon.
You can see the new display name right under your profile picture/profile avatar.
2. On computer (on reddit.com)
Open a web browser on your PC and log into your Reddit account from Reddit’s website at: www.reddit.com.
Click on the downwards pointing arrow icon.
In the drop-down list, click on the ‘Profile’ option.
In the Profile section, tap on the ‘Display name’ option and enter the new display name.
Wait for a few seconds after entering the new display name and make sure you see a ‘Changes saved’ notification.
Now, click on the downwards pointing arrow icon.
In the drop-down list, click on the ‘Profile’ option.
You can see the new display name under your profile picture.
How to change your Reddit username while retaining your email ID
While you can’t change your username without losing the karma on your current account, this workaround can help you at least retain the email address used by your original account. This can help your contacts that have your email ID find you again on Reddit and your new username. Here’s how you can change your Reddit username while retaining your email ID.
What to know
- Your karma will not be carried over from your old account.
- Your old reddit account will be permanently deleted.
- You won’t be able to choose the same username in the future.
- Accounts once deleted cannot be recovered.
On phone
To retain your email address, you simply have to deactivate your account and create a new account using the same email address. This will allow you to choose a new username during the sign-up process. Let’s get started.
Step 1: Delete your account
Let’s start by first deactivating your Reddit account. Follow the steps below to help you along with the process.
Open the Reddit app and tap your profile avatar in the top right corner.
Now scroll down and tap Settings.
Scroll down again and tap Delete account.
Tap Yes Delete to confirm your choice.
Now type in your username and password to confirm your identity.
Tap Continue once you’re done.
Reddit will now ask you to divulge the region why you choose to delete your account. You can skip this step and tap Continue.
Tap Delete again.
Tap OK.
And that’s it! Your account will now be deleted. You can now use the next step to create a new account and choose your preferred username.
Step 2: Create a new account with the same email address and choose your username
We can now create a new account using the same email address. Follow the steps below to help you along with the process.
Open the Reddit app and tap the generic profile avatar in the top right corner.
Tap Sign up / Log in at the top.
Tap and select Continue with email.
Type in your email at the top.
Now type in your preferred username in the dedicated text box.
If the username is available, you will see a green checkmark beside it.
Type in your preferred password in the next text box.
Tap Continue once you’re done.
And that’s it! You will now have created a new account with the same email address. You can now follow the on-screen instructions to set up and use your new account.
On computer
You can also delete and create a new account with the same email ID, so you get to choose your username again. Follow the steps below to help you along with the process.
Step 1: Delete your account
Let’s first delete your account so we can create a new one using the same email address with your preferred username. Follow the steps below to help you along with the process.
Open Reddit.com in your browser and click your profile avatar in the top right corner.
Click User settings.
Now scroll down and click DELETE ACCOUNT.
Reddit will now ask your opinion on why you’re choosing to leave the platform. You can skip this step and type in your username and password under VERIFY YOUR IDENTITY instead.
Once typed in, check the box for I understand that deleted accounts aren’t recoverable.
Click DELETE.
Click DELETE again to confirm your choice.
And that’s it! Your Reddit account will now be deleted. You can now use the next step to create a new account with your preferred username using the same email ID
Step 2: Create a new account with the same email address and choose your username
Let’s create your new Reddit account now. You will get the option to choose your new username during the sign-up process.
Open Reddit.com and click Log In in the top right corner.
Now click Sign Up at the bottom.
Type in your email ID in the Email text box.
Click Continue.
Reddit will automatically suggest a username for you at the top. Delete the suggested username and type in your preferred username.
If the username is available, you will be shown a message “Nice! Username available”.
Once you have chosen your preferred new username, type in your preferred password.
Once chosen, check the box for I’m not a robot and complete the CAPTCHA.
Click Continue.
And that’s it! Your new Reddit account will now be created with your preferred username while retaining your original email address. You can now follow the on-screen instructions to set up your new account according to your preferences.
How to check your Reddit username
Reddit Username is a unique name given to users by Reddit at the moment of creation of their account in order to identify them. All posts you make on Reddit will display this username. Typically, a Reddit username is indicated with a “u/” prefix and can be used to identify users from around the world.
Note: In Reddit, “u/” indicates a user while “r/” is used to indicate a subreddit. When entered in a Reddit post, these phrases transform into links to the specific user or the subreddit respectively.
When a new account is created, Reddit automatically assigns a stock username to this account and presents its owner with an option to change this username in a 30-day window.
Before learning how you can change your Reddit username, let’s see how you can check your Reddit username from both a PC and a phone.
1. On computer
Open a web browser on your PC, visit Reddit’s website at: www.reddit.com and enter your log-in credentials.
Click on the drop-down icon located near the upper-right corner of your browser window.
In the drop-down list, click on Profile.
Your Reddit username will be displayed in the following spaces (refer to the picture below).
2. On phone
Open the Reddit app from your phone’s home screen.
Tap on your profile icon near the upper-left corner of your Reddit home page.
Note: In some cases, this icon can be present in the upper-right corner too.
Your Reddit username will be displayed in the left plane.
How to check your Reddit account’s age
You can check the age of your Reddit account using either of the two methods mentioned below. Follow either one based on your current needs and requirements.
Method 1: Check in profile beside Karma
You can also check your Reddit account’s age by visiting your profile page, whether on mobile or desktop devices. Visit the ‘My Profile’ page, and you should find your age beside your username and karma. For mobile devices, it should show up like the example below.
Desktop users should find a tag similar to the one shown below on their profile page.
Method 2: Check if you’re prompted
You can check if your account is 30 days old or not and hence eligible for changing your username by tapping on the profile option. If you receive a pop-up asking whether you want to change your username, your account is less than 30 days old.
FAQs
Here are a few commonly asked questions about changing your username on Reddit that should help you get up to speed with the latest available information.
Can I create multiple Reddit accounts with the same Gmail account?
Yes. Reddit allows you to create multiple accounts using the same Gmail account. However, in some cases, while trying to sign up for a new account on the Reddit mobile app, we found that occasionally the Reddit app automatically logs you into your previous account.
In that case, you can create a new Reddit account by visiting Reddit’s website from a web browser on your phone and then follow the steps mentioned in this article itself.
Is changing Reddit username a one-time action?
Yes. You cannot change your Reddit username more than once. In fact, Reddit will inform you about the same while you’re changing your username.
Additionally, if you’ve made an account using the ‘Continue with Email’ option on the Reddit app, Reddit will ask you to manually enter a username. This will count as the one time you’re allowed to enter a username of your choice and you will not see a ‘change username’ pop-up separately.
Can I change my Reddit username sometime later after creating an account?
You can only change your Reddit username only if your account is less than 30-days old and you’re still using the username auto-assigned to you by Reddit.
Can I browse Reddit anonymously?
Yes. You can use Reddit anonymously. Follow the following steps to do so.
Open the Reddit app from your phone’s home screen.
Click on the Profile icon near the top-left corner of your Reddit home page.
Tap on the downwards pointing arrow icon.
Tap on the ‘Anonymous browsing’ option.
Tap on ‘OK’.
You can now begin using Reddit anonymously.
Are my Reddit username and Reddit display name the same?
No. The username and display name on Reddit are entirely different. Your Reddit username is the name that appears above all the posts and comments you make from your account, while the display name is visible only when someone visits your profile.
Your Reddit username must also be unique, while your display name need not be.
How can I tell if my Reddit account is 30-days old or not
You can check if your account is 30 days old and hence eligible for changing your username under your profile info — tap the profile image to check your profile info. If you receive a pop-up asking you whether you want to change your username, it means your account is less than 30 days old.
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