TikTok is one of the most popular social media platforms, with over 1 billion monthly active users, so your username on this platform plays a huge role in how you present yourself and connect with others. However, users often experience challenges in changing their usernames, whether due to unavailability or some restrictions on their accounts.
Regardless of the reason, if you ever wonder why you can’t change your TikTok username, this article seeks to answer the common reasons and solutions to guide you.
Understanding TikTok’s Username Policy
There are specific guidelines and restrictions for username changes on TikTok, some of which include:
- Each username must be unique. If it’s already in use by someone else, you can’t claim the username.
- You can only change your username once in 30 days.
- Usernames must be between 2 and 24 characters long.
- Usernames can only contain letters, numbers, underscores, and periods. Special characters or spaces are restricted, and periods can’t be at the end of the username.
- Avoid offensive or inappropriate language in your username, impersonating others, or violating TikTok’s community guidelines.
7 Common Reasons You Can’t Change Your TikTok Username
Here are some common reasons why you can’t change your username on TikTok and how to fix them:
Username Changing Frequency
According to the TikTok guidelines, you can change your username only once in 30 days to help prevent confusion and maintain consistency. This means you will be restricted and unable to affect that change until the period has elapsed.
If you notice you’re unable to change your username, first confirm how recently you changed it. If it’s less than 30 days, you have to wait until the period has passed. However, for a more urgent situation, you can set a reminder for when the 30 days will be completed so you can make the change immediately.
Username Already Taken
One of the downsides of the popularity of TikTok, with over 1 billion users, is the unavailability of regular usernames that frequently occur. If you get the prompt that your desired username is already taken, it could be because it’s already used by someone else, reserved, or inactive.
Solution
If your desired username is already taken or unavailable, monitoring it is the best option to check for username availability. This way, you can’t miss your desired handle. Our Handle Monitor Tool can help you track the username and alert you once it’s available. Once you enter your desired username and your email, you will be notified so you can get the username you want.
Use of Restricted Characters or Formats
There are specific TikTok guidelines that you must follow when creating or changing your username. For example, you cannot use punctuations (except periods and underscores), symbols like @, #, or $ and spaces in your username. It must also not be more than 24 characters long.
Solution
Review the TikTok username guidelines and understand what is required and what’s restricted. Understand that usernames can only contain letters, numbers, underscores, and periods, and ensure you comply and adjust. Tweak your username as necessary until it perfectly fits into the guidelines.
Technical Glitches or Bugs
Sometimes, the only thing that stops you from changing your username is technical glitches or bugs in the TikTok app. If you keep trying and have met all the requirements but are still unable to change your username, check for app glitches, browser problems, or account malfunctions.
Solution
If you encounter this issue, try restarting the app or updating it to the latest version, as most app updates already fix some bugs. You can also try clearing your TikTok cache or accessing TikTok from a different browser or device. If problems persist, contact TikTok support for further assistance.
Account Verification Not Completed
Account verification can pose an issue with correcting your username. If you’ve already started the process to verify your TikTok account, this may not be the best time to start making key changes, like a username change. It’s a critical time when everything in your profile is being assessed.
Solution
Ensure you complete the verification process before attempting to change your username. This process helps confirm the identity of the account owner, of which your username plays an integral part and is also being reviewed. Once you’ve completed the process, you can try updating your username again.
Account Violations or Restrictions
You might face some restrictions if your account has been found to violate TikTok‘s community guidelines, and this includes username change restrictions. Some key guidelines to note are to ensure you are at least 13 years old and also do not use hate speech or discriminatory terms or promote harmful content.
Solution
If you’re having trouble changing your username or accessing other features on the app, check your notifications for any update on your account being under review. You can then follow the prompts to answer any questions and appeal for the restriction on your account to be lifted. You can also review TikTok’s guidelines and ensure you aren’t violating any.
Pending Username Change Requests
One commonly overlooked issue is unresolved changes to other settings on TikTok. If your account isn’t fully updated, you may encounter issues with your username change. It could be pending username change requests, an incomplete profile, or pending updates to your email address and linked accounts.
Solution
Check your profile for any pending requests and settle them immediately. If your email address or phone number is not verified, sort that out. You can also check for any old username change requests and complete the process before attempting another.
Troubleshooting Common Issues in Changing TikTok Username
Here are some other troubleshooting tips for when you can’t change your TikTok username:
Update Your TikTok App
TikTok app updates help clear some bugs and glitches, and you can only have a smoother experience when you update to the latest version of the app. Some of these bugs may prevent username changes, so go to your device’s app store, check for updates, and install the latest version to resolve potential issues.
Clear Cache and Cookies
Clearing cache and cookies on either the app or your browser can help fix loading or formatting issues that might have impacted your inability to change your username. Go to your browser privacy settings and click on “Delete browsing data”, then clear cache and cookies.
Contact TikTok Support
Sometimes, your best bet to resolving issues is to reach out to TikTok support, whether via email or the help center. Give full details about what you’re experiencing, including any prompts or notifications you got. You can also add screenshots for a better explanation, and the team will guide you on the next steps.
Try a Different Device or Browser
If you keep experiencing issues with making updates on your TikTok account, try using a different device or browser. If you’re using the mobile app, try a browser and vice versa. Also, if you’re using a browser, try using another browser entirely. This helps identify if the issue is device or browser-specific.
Check for Error Messages
More often than not, TikTok will send an error message to let you know what might be causing the inability to change your username. For example, you might get a message that shows “username already taken” or “restricted username”, so you know you have to choose a different one.
Conclusion
The process of changing your username on TikTok should be straightforward, but it is sometimes met by certain challenges. The key, however, to correcting this is knowing what’s causing the restrictions and how to fix them. This article highlights some of the common reasons why you may be unable to make changes to your TikTok username and the solutions to fix each of these issues.
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