How to Change Your Skype Username

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.

So how do you change your Skype username? Is it even possible? To answer this, we should first define what the username is, because there's also something called the display name that might be what you really want to change.

This guide explains how to change your Skype name on all Skype platforms, including Skype for Windows and Mac, Skype on the web, and the Skype mobile app.

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.

In cases where you signed up for a Skype account before Microsoft acquired Skype, you'll likely use 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

Here's how to change your Skype display name:

Launch the Skype app.
Select your Skype profile image or display name, both of which are in the top-left corner of the screen.
Select Skype Profile.
Select the Edit Pencil icon and type a new name.
Press Enter/Return, or select the checkmark on the right-hand side of the text box.

How to Change Your Skype Display Name on Mobile

Changing your Skype name on smartphones is straightforward.

These directions are for the Skype app only, not Skype Lite.

Open the Skype app.
Tap your Skype profile image at the top.
Tap Skype profile. Tap the pencil icon next to your display name.
Make the necessary changes and then tap the checkmark to save.

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 after it's added to their contacts.

How to Change Your Skype Username on the Web

Change your Skype username on the web in a similar way.

Login to Skype.com.
Select your name in the top-right corner of the screen.
From the drop-down menu that appears, select My Account.
Scroll down to Settings and preferences and click Edit profile.
Click Edit Profile again and then input your new username.
Select Save, near the top-right corner of the page.

This method doesn't work for Skype usernames created before Microsoft acquired Skype and started linking Microsoft and Skype accounts. However, these usernames don't have to be displayed, meaning they're not necessarily something to worry about.

How to Change Your Name With Skype for Business

With Skype for Business, people are typically unable to change their usernames or display names themselves, because 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.