In early May 2023, Discord released a blog post announcing that the old usernames, which has been in use for a long time, will be completely replaced with a new version. This news sparked a lot of confusion and responses online, but despite the opposition voiced on the internet, Discord seems determined and stated that users will gradually be able to change their usernames to the new version.
The official Discord statement mentioned that the transition period between the old and new usernames will last for several months. The first wave of users to have their usernames protected will be the official partners of Discord’s collaboration program and owners of certified servers. Following that, the priority for modifying usernames will be given based on the order of Discord account registrations. If you had a Discord Nitro subscription prior to March 2023, your account will also be included in the sequence for having priority in modifying usernames.
Further reading: What are Nitro、Nitro Basic and Nitro Classic
What Are the Differences Between the New Usernames and the Old Usernames?
The main difference between the two is that the old usernames has a 4-digit discriminator at the end, while the new usernames does not have any additional discriminator. For more detailed information, you can refer to the article provided in the “Further reading” below.
Further reading: Understanding Discord’s Various Names – Usernames, Display Names, Server Nicknames, Friend Nicknames
How Can I Know if My Account Is Eligible for a Change to the New Usernames?
Currently, we are in a transitional period between the old and new versions of usernames. In order to give earlier Discord users a higher chance of using their original usernames (since once a new username is taken by another account, others cannot use the same name, unlike the old version where only the last 4-digit discriminator needed to be different to be considered a different username), the new usernames has not been fully implemented yet.
Once your Discord account is granted the ability to modify to the new usernames, you will see the following prompt when logging into your Discord account:
update your username
Accounts that have been granted the ability to modify to the new usernames can freely change their username in the “My Account” section. Users who have not been granted this ability can only modify their old usernames.
Further reading: Discord User Settings Guide – Showcase Your Personal Style
Editing the new version of usernames
Steps to Modify the New Usernames
First, enter the desired display name, which is different from the username.
Further reading: Understanding Discord’s Various Names – Usernames, Display Names, Server Nicknames, Friend Nicknames
Enter the display name
The system will then check if your display name can be used as a username. If it is available, a green prompt will appear on the screen, and you can proceed with the submission directly.
If the system detects that the name you want to use is already taken, a red prompt will appear on the screen, and it will suggest modifying it to a different username.
Confirm the availability of the username
Obtaining the New Profile Badge
If you have previously owned the old username, after successfully modifying it to the new username, you will receive the “New Profile Badge” displayed below the banner in your profile.
Further reading: Introduction to the 14 Types of Discord Badges
The left side shows the new username, while the right side shows the old username displayed in the new profile badge
