You’re tired of it. Honestly, we’ve all been there. Maybe you picked a username back in 2018 when "DefaultSlayer" sounded cool, or perhaps you’re just trying to match a new clan tag with your friends. Whatever the reason, you need to know how to change your name in Fortnite, and you need to do it without losing your skins or locking yourself out of your account for weeks.
It's actually pretty simple. But people trip up on the cross-platform stuff constantly. If you’re playing on a PC, it’s one process. If you’re a console player on PlayStation or Xbox, it’s a completely different beast because Epic Games doesn't actually control your "name" on those platforms—Sony and Microsoft do.
The Epic Games Method: For PC, Mobile, and Switch
If you primarily play on PC or use the Epic Games Launcher, your in-game name is tied directly to your Epic Games display name. This is the "true" version of how to change your name in Fortnite because it updates across the most systems simultaneously.
First, you have to head over to the official Epic Games website. Don't try to do this through some third-party app or a sketchy "name generator" site. Log in. Go to your account settings. Right there under "Account Info," you'll see your Display Name. There is a little blue edit button—click that.
Here is the catch: you can only change it once every two weeks. If you make a typo and hit "confirm," you are stuck with "FortniteProoo222" for 14 days. No exceptions. Epic support rarely, if ever, grants a manual reset for typos. They’ve seen every excuse in the book.
What if the name is taken?
This is where it gets annoying. Epic has millions of users. If you want "Ninja," you aren't getting it. You’ll see an error message saying the name is already in use. A lot of people try to bypass this using "Special Characters." You know the ones—the weird Greek letters or symbols that look like an 'a' or an 'e' but aren't.
Be careful with those. While they might look cool in the lobby, some platforms don't render them correctly. You might end up looking like a string of boxes (the "tofu" effect) to half the players in your match. Stick to standard alphanumeric characters if you want to be searchable by your friends.
📖 Related: Stuck on 4 Pics 1 Word 6 Letters? Why These Puzzles Feel So Hard
The Console Headache: PlayStation and Xbox
This is where the confusion starts. If you play on a PS5 or an Xbox Series X, your name in the lobby isn't your Epic Games name. It's your PSN ID or your Xbox Gamertag.
If you follow the steps above for how to change your name in Fortnite on an Epic account, but you play on a PlayStation, your name in the match will not change. It will still show your PSN. To change what people see in Fortnite on a console, you have to change your actual console identity.
- On PlayStation: Go to Settings > Account Management > Account Information > Profile > Online ID. Note that Sony gives you the first change for free, but they charge you about ten bucks for every change after that.
- On Xbox: Press the Xbox button, go to Profile & System, select your profile, and choose "My Profile" > "Customize Profile." Like Sony, Microsoft charges for subsequent changes after your initial freebie.
It’s a bit of a scam, right? Paying to change a name. But that’s the console ecosystem for you. Interestingly, Nintendo Switch players are the lucky ones here. The Switch usually defaults to the Epic Games display name or allows for easier syncing, though it can sometimes pull from your local "Nickname" set in the console's user profile.
🔗 Read more: Kingdom Come Deliverance 2: Why Realism Is Finally Getting Fun
Why Your Name Isn't Changing (The Sync Issue)
Sometimes you do everything right. You go to the site, you change the name, you get the confirmation email, and you log in... only to see the old name staring back at you.
Don't panic.
The servers aren't instantaneous. It’s not like a light switch. Epic’s database has to propagate that change across multiple regional servers. Usually, logging out of the Epic Games Launcher entirely and logging back in forces a refresh. If you're on a console, try "Unlinking" and "Relinking" your account—but be incredibly careful. If you unlink the wrong account, you can lose access to your locker items temporarily. Always ensure you have your login credentials handy before messing with account links.
Rules You Can't Break
Epic has a fairly strict Code of Conduct. If you try to change your name to something offensive, hateful, or something that impersonates a staff member, you’re asking for a ban.
They use automated filters for the obvious stuff. But players can also report you. If you get reported for an offensive name, Epic might force a name change on you, usually resetting it to something generic like "User-492042," and they might even lock your ability to change it again for a long time. It’s just not worth the "joke."
Verification and "OG" Names
You might see players with super short, three-letter names or names of famous brands. These are often called "OG names." There is a massive underground market for these, but stay away from it. Buying an account just to get a specific name is a violation of the Terms of Service. Epic is known for "purging" inactive accounts or reclaiming names that were clearly sold. You'll spend $200 on a name only to have the account banned a week later.
Final Steps for a Smooth Transition
Once you’ve successfully figured out how to change your name in Fortnite and executed the plan, there are a few housecleaning items.
👉 See also: How to start GTA 5 heist missions without losing your mind or your money
- Notify your duo or squad. They’re going to see a "new" person on their friends list and might delete you thinking you're a random add.
- Check your connected apps. If you use tracking sites like Fortnite Tracker, it might take a day or two for your stats to migrate to the new name.
- Update your social presence. If you’re a streamer or trying to grow a brand, make sure your Epic name matches your Twitch or X (Twitter) handle. Consistency is key for growth.
The process is actually a great way to refresh your gaming experience. Just remember that 14-day lockout rule. Double-check your spelling. Then double-check it again. There is nothing worse than being stuck as "ForniteGuy" because you forgot the 't'.
To wrap this up, simply decide which platform is your "main." If you're a PC player, stick to the Epic Games website. If you're on console, prepare to navigate your system settings and potentially pay a small fee to Sony or Microsoft. Once the change is confirmed, restart your game client completely to ensure the data pulls from the server correctly. Stay within the community guidelines to avoid any "forced" resets by the moderation team, and you'll be back in the Battle Bus with your new identity in no time.