How To › Email & Messaging Make a Custom Skype Username Sometimes, you just need a change Share Pin Email Print Email & Messaging VoIP Basics Guides & Tutorials Installing & Upgrading Tips & Tricks Key Concepts By Simon Chandler Writer Simon Chandler is a former Lifewire writer who covered cryptocurrency, social media, AI and other topics. His work has appeared in Wired, TechCrunch, and The Verge. our editorial process Twitter LinkedIn Simon Chandler Updated January 15, 2020 It's a surprisingly common experience: you sign up for Skype with a clever username, only to regret your stroke of genius the moment you're invited to use the app for a job interview. This guide explains how to change your Skype name on all Skype platforms, including Skype for Windows and Mac, Skype on the web, the Skype mobile app, and Skype for Business. What's My Skype Username? What's My Skype Display Name? Your Skype display name is different from your Skype username. You're allowed to change the display name whenever you like, and it's what other Skype users see when they communicate with you. Your Skype username is the email address used to create your Microsoft account; a result of Microsoft acquiring Skype in 2011 and requiring a Microsoft account to sign up for Skype. Consequently, you can change your Skype username/ID only by changing the email address associated with it and your Microsoft account. Lifewire / Alex Dos Diaz In cases where you signed up for a Skype account before Microsoft acquired Skype, you'll likely have a non-email-based username that can't be changed at all; unless you create a new account altogether, which means losing your existing contacts. How to Change Your Skype Display Name on Windows and Mac For those using Skype on their Windows PC or Mac, here's how to change your Skype name: Launch the Skype app. Click your Skype profile image or display name, both of which are in the top-left corner of the screen. Screenshot Click Skype Profile. Screenshot Click the Edit Pencil icon and type a new name. Screenshot Press Enter/Return, or click the checkmark on the right-hand side of the text box. How to Change Your Skype Display Name on Mobile Change your Skype name on smartphones is fairly straightforward: Launch the Skype app. Tap your Skype profile image at the top of the page. Tap your Skype display name (or the Edit icon next to the display name). Screenshot Type a new name. Tap Done, or click the checkmark icon on the right-hand side of the name. It's worth underlining once again this process changes only your Skype display name; not your Skype username/Skype ID. While changing your Skype display name alters what other users see when they first connect with you, they can still change how they see your display name once it's added to their contacts. How to Change Your Skype Username on the Web You can change your Skype Username on the web in a similar way. Login to Skype.com. Click your name in the top-right corner of the screen. From the drop-down menu that appears, click My Account. Screenshot Scroll down to Contact details and click Edit profile. Screenshot Click Edit Profile and then type in your new username. Screenshot Click Save, near the top-right corner of the page. Screenshot Click OK to confirm the change. This method doesn't work for Skype usernames created before Microsoft acquired Skype and started linking Microsoft and Skype accounts together. However, these usernames don't have to be displayed, meaning they're not necessarily an issue. How to Change Your Name With Skype for Business Skype for Business users can't change their usernames or display names. Screenshot With Skype for Business, users are typically unable to change their usernames or display names themselves, since they're accounts are created for them by their employer, who assigns them an email address (usually their work email address) and name. If you ever want to change your Skype for Business ID, you'll need to reach out to the relevant member of your IT department (or your boss). Continue Reading