How to Change Your Minecraft Username (Java & Bedrock)

	Java Edition	Bedrock Edition
What you change	Your Minecraft: Java Edition profile name	Your Microsoft account (Xbox) gamertag
Where	minecraft.net, profile page	xbox.com, the Xbox app or an Xbox console
Cost	Free	First change usually free, later ones paid
How often	Once every 30 days	No fixed limit, but every further change is paid
Length and characters	3-16 characters: letters A-Z without accents, digits and underscore	Up to 15 characters, or up to 12 with a number after #: letters, digits and spaces
Where the new name shows	Java Edition on all servers and in Realms	Bedrock on PC, mobile, consoles, in Realms and on servers

How to change your username in Minecraft Java Edition

You can't change your profile name in the launcher or in the game, only on the Minecraft website. You need the Microsoft account that owns Java Edition.

Go to minecraft.net and sign in with your Microsoft account.
Open the account menu in the top right corner and go to your profile. You'll see your current Java profile name there.
Next to your profile name, choose the change option (a pencil icon or a change button).
Enter your new username. The site checks right away whether it's available and follows the rules.
Confirm the change. The new name works immediately.
In the Minecraft Launcher, sign out and back in (or restart the launcher) so the game and servers see your new username.

Watch out for scams: no website other than minecraft.net can change your username. Sites that promise "rare names" or a name change in exchange for your Microsoft account email and password are trying to steal your account. Our Security section explains how to protect yourself.

Java username rules

Length: 3 to 16 characters.
Characters: the letters A to Z (lowercase and uppercase), the digits 0-9 and the underscore _. Accented letters, spaces, dots and hyphens are not allowed, so instead of "José" you'd type "Jose".
Uniqueness: each username can belong to only one account. If someone already uses it, you have to pick another one.
Limit: one change every 30 days. After a change, the site shows the date from which you can change your name again.
Cost: changing your Java profile name is free.
Content: your username can't be offensive or vulgar. Mojang can force a change of such a name, as we covered in the article don't want Mojang to change your username.

Your previous username isn't released right away. According to Minecraft Help, the earliest you can switch back to your old name is after 30 days, since that's how long the lock on the next change lasts. Hosting guides and the NameMC search say the old name becomes available to other players after 37 days, but Minecraft Help doesn't confirm that period. So you probably have about a week to switch back. If you care about your old name, don't wait.

For new name ideas, try the username generator. Before you decide, also check whether the new name suits your skin, because on servers people see them together. To swap your skin, see the guide how to change your skin in Minecraft.

How to change your username in Minecraft Bedrock Edition

Bedrock shows the gamertag of your Microsoft account as your username. You see the same gamertag in Minecraft on Windows, Android, iPhone and Xbox. On PlayStation, the game shows your gamertag when you sign in with a Microsoft account, and your PSN ID otherwise. On Switch, according to Minecraft Help, your in-game name is your Nintendo Account nickname, which you change in the console settings. You can't change your gamertag in Minecraft, only through Xbox services.

On a computer or phone

Go to xbox.com and sign in with the same Microsoft account you use in Minecraft.
Open your profile and choose Customize profile, then the gamertag change. You can do the same in the Xbox app on PC or on your phone.
Enter a new gamertag and check its availability.
Review the summary, including whether the change is free, and confirm.

On an Xbox console

Press the Xbox button and open Profile & system, then your profile.
Choose My account or Customize profile and select your gamertag to change it.
Enter a new gamertag and confirm.

After the change, restart Minecraft. Your worlds, Marketplace purchases, Minecoins, Realms and friends list are tied to your account, not your gamertag, so none of them disappear.

Gamertag rules and the cost of a change

Length: up to 15 characters if your gamertag is unique and doesn't get a number after # (Xbox raised the limit from 12 characters in July 2026). A gamertag with a number or with characters outside the Latin alphabet can still have up to 12 characters.
Characters: letters, digits and spaces. A gamertag can also contain letters outside the Latin alphabet.
Suffix: if the name you pick is taken, Xbox can add a number to it, for example Player#1234. That way you don't have to come up with a completely new name.
Cost: the first change is free if your gamertag was created automatically when the account was set up. Every change after that is paid; you'll see the price in the summary before you confirm, because it depends on your country.

A child account can have gamertag changes blocked in Microsoft Family Safety settings. In that case, a parent has to approve the change from their own account.

How to check if a username is available

The most reliable way is simply to try the change: minecraft.net and the Xbox website tell you right away whether the name is available. You can also quickly check a Java username with the NameMC search. It shows whether a name is taken, who uses it and when it becomes free if the owner recently changed it.

Mojang turned off public name history in September 2022, so no official source shows a player's full list of previous names anymore. NameMC only shows the changes it managed to record itself.

What happens on servers after you change your username

Servers that verify accounts recognize players by their UUID, the permanent ID of the account, not by their username. Changing your name doesn't change your UUID, so:

your inventory, points, homes, plots and ranks stay with you,
the whitelist and the operator list still recognize you,
bans stay too, so changing your username won't get you around a ban,
other players see your new name, although some plugins only show it after you rejoin the server.

Older plugins that store usernames instead of UUIDs can cause trouble, for example in leaderboards or clan lists. If something is missing after the change, contact the server staff and give them both your old and new username. In Bedrock, including on Java servers that support Bedrock players, you are identified by your Xbox account ID, so a new gamertag doesn't wipe your progress either.

A different name on just one server

Many servers have a /nick command, often available to the VIP rank. It changes the name shown in chat and in the player list, but your account username stays the same. If you run your own server, the SimpleNicks and HexNicks plugins add this feature.

Frequently asked questions

Is changing your Minecraft username free?

In Java Edition, yes: you change your profile name on minecraft.net for free, once every 30 days. In Bedrock Edition, your name is your Xbox gamertag. The first change is free if your gamertag was assigned automatically when the account was created, and every change after that is paid according to Microsoft Store pricing in your country.

How often can you change your Minecraft Java username?

Once every 30 days. After a change, minecraft.net shows the date from which you can change your name again. The countdown starts over with every change.

Will I lose my stuff on a server after changing my username?

Not on servers that verify accounts. The server recognizes you by your UUID, which never changes, so your inventory, ranks, plots and bans stay tied to your account. Some older plugins store usernames, though, so if something goes wrong, contact the server staff.

Which characters can a Minecraft username contain?

In Java Edition, a username is 3 to 16 characters long and can contain only the letters A to Z (no accented letters), digits and the underscore. Spaces, hyphens and dots are not allowed. In Bedrock Edition, the Xbox gamertag rules apply: letters, digits and spaces, up to 15 characters for a unique gamertag and up to 12 for a gamertag with a number after #.

How do I check if a Minecraft username is available?

The most reliable way is during the change on minecraft.net, because the site tells you right away whether the name is available. Another option is the NameMC search, which shows whether a name is taken and, if someone recently gave it up, the date it becomes free.

Can I have a different name in Java and in Bedrock?

Yes. Your Java profile name and your Xbox gamertag are two separate names, even though both belong to the same Microsoft account. Changing one doesn't change the other.

Related guides

Minecraft help center - crashes, lag and connection problems
How to turn off the narrator - Ctrl+B and accessibility settings
Username generator - ideas for a new name
NameMC - username and skin search
Minecraft Premium - what a premium account is and how to buy one