Have you ever tried to change your TikTok username only to find that it doesn’t update or the one you want is unavailable? This common problem can be frustrating, but don’t worry – it can usually be fixed with a few simple troubleshooting steps.
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll cover all the reasons your TikTok username might not be working or changing when you want it to.
We’ll also provide detailed, easy-to-follow solutions to help you successfully update your profile name.
Why Your TikTok Username Isn’t Working
Before jumping into solutions, it helps to understand what causes TikTok user names to get stuck in the first place. Here are some of the most common explanations:
Typos or Misspellings
One obvious issue that could be preventing your desired TikTok handle from working is that it’s misspelled. Carefully check that you’ve entered the exact username you want without any typos.
Violating Character Limits
TikTok usernames have restrictions for allowed characters. Usernames must be between 5-20 characters, use only numbers, letters, underscores, or periods, and can’t start with a number.
Username Already Taken
Every TikTok name must be unique to a specific account. If someone else is already using the handle you want, TikTok will not allow you to update it. Always double-check that the name you desire is available.
Poor Internet Connection
You’ll need a stable, high-speed internet connection for TikTok to successfully update your profile username. Connection errors could interfere with the process.
App Issues on Device
Glitches, update failures, storage clearing problems, or app crashes on your specific device could make changing your TikTok username difficult or impossible.
Account Restrictions
If your account is restricted or banned from TikTok for violations of community guidelines, you may lose the ability to alter your username temporarily or permanently.
Now let’s explore all the different troubleshooting tips and solutions that you can use to fix your problematic TikTok username once and for all.
How to Fix TikTok Username Not Working or Changing
If your TikTok username gets stuck or the one you want won’t update properly, don’t panic. Just systematically work through the following troubleshooting methodology to resolve the issue:
Carefully Check for Typos
As simple as it sounds, double and triple-check that your desired TikTok username matches exactly what you’re entering without any spelling errors. It’s easy to accidentally mistype something when updating your small profile name.
Copy and paste the name if helpful to avoid typos. If there are underscores, periods, or unique spellings, take extra care to meticulously match how it looks. Typos are one of the most common reasons a TikTok username won’t properly update.
Ensure Username Meets All Character Requirements
TikTok places certain rules around what you can use in your profile name. As referenced above, make sure your desired username:
- Has between 5-20 characters
- Uses only numbers, letters, underscores, or periods
- Doesn’t start with a number
If your desired name violates any of these standard limitations, TikTok will not allow you to update it. Consider modifying it to meet the rules if the handle you want isn’t working.
Check Username Availability
Every TikTok username must be entirely unique to one account. You cannot choose a profile name that another user already has.
Before attempting to update, verify that the exact username you want is available and not taken by anyone else already. You can check availability by:
- Trying to create a brand new account with that name
- Using third-party username search tools.
One effective tool to check the availability of a TikTok username is Brand Snag.
If it’s taken, you unfortunately cannot use it. Consider alternative names that are just as good and uniquely identify your brand.
Connect to Reliable High-Speed Internet
A slow, unstable internet connection could definitely interfere with seamlessly updating your critical account details. Before changing your TikTok username, be sure that you have:
- A strong WiFi signal
- Cellular LTE data enabled
- Consistent bandwidth speed of at least 10-15 Mbps
Power cycling your routers and modems can also optimize connectivity strength. Proper internet infrastructure is key!
Force Close and Restart the TikTok App
An easy first step when troubleshooting is to completely force close the TikTok app on your device – whether iOS or Android – via your recent apps or task manager menu.
Then reopen TikTok and let it fully reload. This essentially refreshes the entire app and clears any stuck processes that could prevent successful username changing.
Clear App Cache and Data
Over time, corrupted temporary app files called “caches” can accumulate and cause functional problems like sticking usernames. Clearing this data forces the app to create fresh caches.
Here’s how to clear the TikTok app cache:
- Launch the TikTok app and navigate to your profile.
- Tap the three-line menu icon located in the top right corner of the screen.
- Select the “Settings and privacy” option from the menu.
- Scroll down until you find the “Cache & Cellular” section.
- Within this section, tap on “Free up space.”
- You’ll see “Cache” listed with an indication of how much storage it’s using. Tap the “Clear” button next to it.
- A confirmation prompt will appear. Tap “Clear” again to proceed.
Reopen the freshly installed or cleared app – you’ll have to log in again. Try updating your username now.
Update to the Latest TikTok Version
TikTok frequently rolls out patches, enhancements, and renovations with each new app version release. Updating ensures you have the latest code with bug fixes that may resolve username-changing problems.
On iOS or Android devices, open your App Store, search for TikTok, and tap Update or Install to get the newest variant. Then retry editing your profile name.
See If TikTok Reports Any Known Issues
Sometimes issues with changing your username may actually be due to broader problems with the TikTok platform itself rather than anything wrong on your end. TikTok may experience occasional service outages or glitches that cause features like editing usernames to temporarily malfunction.
You can visit downdetector sites like Downdetector.com which provide real-time outage maps and user reports for TikTok. Monitor these sites to see if other users are experiencing login problems, feed loading errors, or problems with changing account details.
Major spikes in outage reports on these sites usually correlate with platform-wide issues at TikTok’s side. You may also want to search Twitter for the hashtag #tiktokdown to see if others are complaining about any TikTok problems happening globally.
If TikTok has confirmed on their status site that they are investigating bug issues or suffering a service outage, you unfortunately will likely have to wait until TikTok’s engineers fully resolve the situation. Once the platform is back up and stable, you should be able to successfully change your username again.
Be patient during officially reported interruptions, as the TikTok team works hard to ensure any downtime that impacts users is minimized as much as possible. Keep trying later once services are fully restored.
Log Out Then Log Back Into Your Account
Logging out and then back in essentially refreshes your authentication token and all connected account permissions.
To sign out, go to your profile icon > Settings and Privacy > tap Log out. Then re-enter your username and password. Looping through this cycle might realign stuck settings.
Try Changing the Username on a Different Device
The problems updating your TikTok username may be isolated to device-specific app errors versus your account itself.
As a test, attempt to change your profile name by downloading and accessing TikTok on another phone or tablet you own. If successful, the issues are local to your original gadget.
Reinstall the TikTok Mobile App
If you continue having username difficulties across devices, completely uninstall then reinstall the TikTok app. This wipe device-locked caches, corrupts config files, and framework issues blocking name changes.
On iOS, long press the TikTok icon > Delete app > Redownload. On Android, tap Settings > Apps > TikTok > Uninstall. Fetch it from app stores again.
Disable VPN or Proxy Connections
For security or geo-restriction bypass reasons, some users connect to TikTok via virtual private networks (VPN) or proxy server setups that conceal identities and locations.
However, these services can occasionally cause account functionality problems. Temporarily disable any active VPN or proxy then retry updating your username.
Review Community Guidelines for Username Restrictions
All TikTok usernames must align with published community guidelines, or moderators may revoke your ability to alter it. Carefully review the rules to ensure your desired handle doesn’t violate any policies.
Most commonly prohibited names involve hate speech, vulgarity, impersonation, or copyrighted brands. Adjust accordingly.
Wait Patiently as Temporary Outages Resolve
Despite best efforts by TikTok engineers, sporadic platform-wide incidents can take entire features like changing user names temporarily offline.
Rather than frustrations over a glitch, just exhibit patience for a few hours until they deploy fixes to restore proper operability. These are rare occurrences.
Check for Account Bans or Restrictions
If your TikTok account has been outright banned or placed under restrictions like limited commenting abilities due to violations, one punishment enacted might include revoking username alteration capacities.
You’ll need to appeal ban decisions or demonstrate good behavior for set periods before privileges are restored. Avoid further policy breaches.
Alternative Username Suggestions
If you simply cannot seem to make your exact desired TikTok username work successfully despite exhausting the troubleshooting checklist above, consider adapting it slightly into something new and available instead.
Here are tips for brainstorming alternate profile names:
- Add extra characters – Example: @johnson92
- Include middle name or initial – Example: @franklinbhood
- Modify spelling – Example: @sarajoss
- Use name nicknames – Example: @bobsmithyt
- Append location names – Example: @marychicago
- Use random words that describe you – Example: @techiefemaleengineer
The goal is staying true to the identity, branding, and handle you want while also ensuring you pick something that meets guidelines, sounds great, and is successfully updateable within TikTok systems.
Don’t feel defeated if your #1 choice of a TikTok username refuses to cooperate. Get creative with suitable alternatives, and you can settle on something even better aligned to how you want to present yourself on the platform.
When All Else Fails, Contact TikTok Support
Despite your best efforts troubleshooting on your own, if you still cannot get your TikTok username to properly change or update, it’s time to escalate directly to the company’s customer support team for additional assistance.
You can get help from TikTok support using the in-app support option:
- Open the TikTok app and visit your Profile
- Tap the three Lines menu icon (☰).
- Tap on “Settings and Privacy.”
- Choose Report a Problem from the menu.
- Look for the “Submit a report” link at the bottom of the TikTok help page and tap on it.
- Complete the support request form with details on the problem.
Provide as many specifics as possible – your desired username, troubleshooting attempts, verbatim error messages, etc. Support reps can investigate backend technical issues and resolve account restrictions that may be interfering with updates.
Stand by patiently for an email response from the analysts addressing next steps based on the complexity of your reported problem. Rest assured they have internal tools to properly fix eligible issues.
And there you have it – the complete guide to troubleshooting and resolving problems with getting your TikTok username to successfully change or update when desired. Just apply the tips above, and your profile name editing woes will be fixed in no time!
