You can change your PSN name once every 30 days through your account settings

To change your PlayStation Network username, go to your PS5 or PS4 console, open Settings, select Account, then Users and Accounts, and choose your profile. From there, select Profile, then Edit Profile, and you'll find the option to change your Online ID. You can also make the change through the PlayStation website or the PlayStation mobile app if you prefer not to use the console.

The first name change is free. After that, each subsequent change costs $9.99 USD (or the equivalent in your region's currency). Sony allows you to change your PSN name once every 30 days, so you cannot make multiple changes in quick succession.

Key Takeaways

  • Your first PSN name change is free, but each change after that costs $9.99 and you must wait 30 days between changes.
  • You can change your name through your PS5 or PS4 console settings, the PlayStation website, or the PlayStation mobile app.
  • Your new username must be 3 to 16 characters and can include letters, numbers, and hyphens, but not spaces.
  • Some games and apps may not recognize your new name immediately, and a small number of older titles may not display it at all.

How to change your name on PS5

On a PS5, press the PS button on your controller to open the Control Center. Select your profile icon in the top right corner, then choose Profile. Select Edit Profile, and you'll see the Online ID field. Click on it, enter your new username, and confirm the change. The system will check whether the name is available and whether it meets PlayStation's content rules.

If you see an error message saying the name is unavailable or violates the code of conduct, you'll need to choose a different one. PlayStation does not provide a list of why a name was rejected beyond "violates code of conduct," so if you're unsure, try removing numbers or special characters and resubmit.

How to change your name on PS4

On PS4, go to Settings from the home screen. Select Account, then Users and Accounts. Choose your user profile, then select Profile. Select Edit Profile, and look for the Online ID field. Click it, type your new name, and confirm. The process is nearly identical to PS5, and the same 3-to-16-character rules and content restrictions apply.

The change takes effect immediately on your console and across all your devices once you confirm it. Your friends will see the new name right away in their friends list.

Changing your name through the website or app

You can also change your PSN name without using your console. Visit the PlayStation website, sign into your account, go to Account Settings, and select Profile. From there, you can edit your Online ID the same way you would on a console.

The PlayStation mobile app (available on iOS and Android) offers the same feature. Open the app, tap your profile icon, select Account Settings, and choose to edit your Online ID. The change takes effect immediately across all devices once you confirm it.

What happens to your old name and game progress

When you change your PSN name, your old username becomes available for someone else to claim after a short period. Your game progress, trophies, friends list, and purchase history all stay attached to your account — they do not disappear or reset.

However, some older games and apps may not recognize your new name right away. A very small number of games released before 2018 may not display your new username at all and will continue to show your old one in-game. This is a technical limitation on those titles' end, not something you can fix. Most modern games update within a few hours of your name change.

Reasons your name change might be rejected

PlayStation rejects names that contain profanity, slurs, sexual content, or anything that impersonates a real person, celebrity, or brand. The system also blocks names that are too similar to existing PlayStation or Sony trademarks.

If your chosen name is rejected and you're not sure why, try a completely different name rather than minor variations. If the same type of name keeps getting rejected, it may contain a word or phrase that PlayStation's filter flags automatically. Using numbers or hyphens in place of letters (like "P@ssw0rd" instead of "Password") does not bypass the filter and will still be rejected if the underlying word violates the rules.

The 30-day waiting period between changes

After you change your PSN name, you must wait 30 days before you can change it again. This applies whether your first change was free or paid. If you change your name on day one, you cannot change it again until day 31 at the earliest.

There is no way to bypass this waiting period, and PlayStation support cannot override it even if you contact them. If you're unhappy with your new name, you'll need to wait the full month before you can try something different.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does changing my PSN name affect my PlayStation Plus subscription?

No. Your subscription, games, and all account data remain tied to your account regardless of your username. Changing your name does not interrupt your service or require you to renew anything.

Can I change my PSN name back to my old one?

Yes, but you'll have to pay $9.99 to do so (unless it's your first change). You can change back to any previous name you've used, but you must wait 30 days after your last change before you can make a new one.

What if someone else takes my old PSN name?

Once you change your name, your old username enters a cooldown period before it becomes available to others. During this time, no one else can claim it. If you want to keep your old name reserved, you can change back to it within that window, though you'll pay the $9.99 fee.

Will my friends see my new name right away?

Yes. Your friends list and anyone on your friends list will see your new name immediately across all PlayStation devices and the mobile app. The change is instant on PlayStation's end.

Can I use special characters or emojis in my PSN name?

No. PSN names can only contain letters (A-Z), numbers (0-9), and hyphens (-). Spaces, underscores, periods, and emojis are not allowed. PlayStation will reject any name containing these characters.