Spotify is the preferred choice for streaming music and listening to podcasts. It boasts 150 million paid subscribers and over 350 million monthly users.
And, what do they all have in common? A username. Now that’s a lot of usernames.
Our Spotify account is a reflection of the music and the moods we go through. That’s why we love adding a touch of personality to our user profile.
But first-time users often get confused with the setup process, and the first hurdle is invariably the naming process:
The Spotify “what should we call you” prompt a. k. a. your username.
We hear from many new Spotify users, who have questions regarding the username – both setting it up and changing it. But there is one more nuance that can confuse people – the difference between a user name and a display name.
In this post, we help you understand the difference and how you can change your Spotify name across different platforms. Follow the simple tips to change your name – to whatever you want – in a matter of minutes.
Spotify Profile: Username and Display name
While we adore the intelligent algorithm and user experience, users often find it challenging to figure out how to change their Spotify username. Generally, people get confused between the two types of identification Spotify uses – namely the ‘Username’ and ‘Display name.’
A Spotify username and display name are two separate things.
A username is generally the default alphanumeric name – a combination of letters and numbers – automatically generated by Spotify when you sign up. Spotify uses your username to identify your account.
It is permanent and cannot be changed. You can use it to log into your account.
The ‘Display name’ refers to a name (chosen by you) that will show up on your app, playlist, and when other Spotify users visit your public profile. You can change your display name easily and at any point.
But you cannot use a display name to log into your Spotify account.
What does Spotify “what should we call you” mean?
The Spotify “what should we call you” field is a part of the signup form and process to create an account. It refers to your username or profile name – the one that other Spotify uses to identify you. Enter your preferred name in this field. It will show up on your profile in the App.
A username is permanently assigned to your profile when you sign up. It can also be something Spotify reverts to an alphanumerical name if you create an account using Facebook and later delete that profile. But you don’t need to memorize it if it is a bunch of letters and words.
You can use the email address you used during the sign-up process to log into your account.
Can you change your Spotify username?
Spotify assigns a username to an account during the signup process. You cannot change your username once the setup is complete.
It’s the name Spotify uses to identify you and your account. Once assigned, it is permanently associated with your account.
You don’t need to memorize a username.
You don’t need it to log in to your Spotify account. As mentioned earlier, you can log in with the email address you used to create your account and generate a password.
Note that the username is not the same as a display name – the one you can change to customize your Spotify profile. We discuss how to change your Spotify display name in a later section.
Why is my Spotify name random?
Your Spotify name might be random because it was automatically generated name while signing up for an account. Or, you connected Spotify to Facebook while signing up and deactivated or deleted your Facebook account at a later stage.
In both cases, your Spotify name will be alpha-numerical – a random bunch of numbers and letters.
Nevertheless, the auto-generated display name is merely a tool to simplify and improve the user experience. Spotify doesn’t want to halt your services if you change access to your Facebook profile.
So, they assign a random username to allow you to continue using the services.
You can change the username back if it happened after you deleted or deactivated your Facebook account. Let’s look at this “connect to Facebook” scenario in detail to understand how:
Signing up or Connecting Facebook to Spotify?
Some users create a Spotify account via Facebook to skip a few steps while signing up. Spotify, in turn, pulls up information from your Facebook profile to auto-fill the info.
It includes your Facebook profile picture, display name, and your contacts (or friends).
Two possible scenarios can lead to a random Spotify name – a) you have deleted or deactivated your Facebook account or b) you opted out from sharing your Facebook info with Spotify via the “Privacy Settings.”
Either way, Spotify is no longer connected to your Facebook and loses access to those details, including your name. Since Spotify cannot process the data, your account reflects some changes within 24 to 48 hours.
Your Spotify user name will turn into a bunch of letters and numbers and your profile picture will revert to the default blank image. You can simply change your Spotify display name manually if you deleted your Facebook profile (and plan to keep it that way).
Alternatively, you can allow Spotify to process your Facebook data once again. Doing this will restore your Spotify name and profile picture to sync with your Facebook data.
The process can take up to 48 hours, so wait for two days to see the changes on your Spotify profile.
How to change Spotify username?
Create a New Spotify Account:
Does none of the above work for you? Perhaps, it might be easier to start from scratch and create a new Spotify account and get it right the second time around. Ensure that you choose a desired username.
Note two things about closing an existing Spotify account:
a) you will lose followers, music libraries and playlists, and
b) Spotify will cancel your existing subscription.
If there is too much at stake to give up for your desired username, contact Spotify’s Support Team. They can help you transfer data from an old account to a new one.
Change your Spotify Display Name:
All Spotify users have a profile with a display name. You can update it by logging into your account via desktop or mobile. Go to “Settings” and “View Profile.” Tap “Edit Profile” to see your current name. Click on it, change it, and tap “Save” to change your Spotify display name.
For more information about changing usernames take a look at this YouTube video.
How do I give Spotify a name?
Spotify, starting in 2020, allows you to customize your profile by adding or updating your profile picture and display name via desktop and mobile. You can even create a customized music page that reflects your tastes and interests.
A display name is not the same as a user name. Your display name is what other users see if they search for or navigate your profile and playlists.
Manually change your Spotify name on Mobile:
- Open the Spotify App on your Smartphone or Tablet
- Tap the Home icon
- Tap the Settings icon on the top right corner
- Select View profile and tap Edit Profile
- You can see your current display name there
- Tap the display name and follow the prompts to change it
- Ensure that you tap “Save” for the changes to go through
Connect with Facebook:
You can give Spotify a name by signing up with Facebook and allowing Spotify to process the data from your Facebook profile. Spotify will use your Facebook profile/display name, profile picture, and Friends while creating your account.
In this case, your display name will be the same as the one on your Facebook profile.
Alternatively, if you do not use Facebook to sign up for Spotify, you can connect the two or change your display name. Here is how to connect your existing Spotify account with Facebook:
- Open the Spotify App and tap the Home icon
- Click the Settings icon in the top right Corner
- Tap “Connect with Facebook”
- Log in to your Facebook account
- Wait for 48 hours for the changes to reflect
Note: If your Spotify account is connected to Facebook and you added a Spotify display name, Spotify will show the one you added instead of your Facebook profile name.
Conclusion
The profile name is a big part of our profile’s persona, especially when we share it with our friends and followers. That’s why it’s important to know how to choose and control your Spotify profile, username, and display name.
We hope this article has taught you how to do that.
Now you have actionable information to control how your profile looks. Do you know other ways to change a Spotify username? Comment to share your insights with other readers.
We too will update this guide to reflect any updates or changes Spotify makes to this process.
