Changing Your WordPress Username: A Beginner’s Guide

Looking to change your WordPress username? There are several reasons you need to update it after creation. Unfortunately, WordPress doesn’t allow username changes by default. But don’t worry! In this guide, I’ll walk you through various safe methods to change your WordPress username effortlessly.

Whether transferring your site ownership to someone else or fixing a typo, changing your WordPress username is straightforward and hassle-free. If you haven’t started your WordPress journey yet, consider using Template Toaster. It’s a robust platform featuring a drag-and-drop editor and a wide range of free WordPress themes. Register your domain, choose one of the best WordPress hosting providers, and launch your WordPress site today!

Why Should You Change Your WordPress Username?

There are various reasons why you should change your WordPress username. When you set up a username like Strawberry Unicorn when you were younger, it felt fun. Now, as a professional, it seems unfit or unprofessional. While this is one example, there are several other scenarios where updating your WordPress username becomes necessary. Here are a few common reasons:

1. Security Concerns:

If your username is too generic, such as admin, it poses a security risk. Generic usernames are easy to guess, making them a target for hackers. Changing such usernames is a simple yet effective way to enhance your WordPress security.

2. Transferring Ownership or Adding a New User:

You should change your username if you’ve added a new user to your WordPress site or are transferring the site to someone else.

3. Correcting Typographical Errors:

If you made a typo while setting up your username, please update it for accuracy and professionalism.

4. Aligning with Your Site’s Style or Purpose:

You might prefer a username that better reflects the theme or style of your WordPress site.

A username is an essential part of your identity on your website, so it should be chosen thoughtfully. If you’ve made a less-than-ideal choice, there’s no need to worry—it can be fixed. In this article, I’ll explain various methods to change your WordPress username effortlessly. 

How to Change Your WordPress Username: 3 Different Methods

You can’t simply log in to your site and select a new username for your account. Changing your WordPress username requires following a specific set of steps. In this guide, I’ll walk you through three different methods, explained in a detailed, step-by-step manner. To clarify things, I’ll include screenshots to help you easily understand each step.

Method 1: Update Your WordPress Username Through the Dashboard

   The first method to change your WordPress username involves deleting the old username and creating a new one through the WordPress Dashboard. To begin, ensure you have access to an admin account. Log in to your WordPress admin panel, then go to Users > Add New and create a new user account.  
You will now see a Username field. Enter your preferred username in the input box and set the role to Administrator. If you create a new username for another user, assign the appropriate user role for their account.
Note: You won’t be able to use the same email address as your existing account at this stage. However, you can update or change the email address once the old account associated with it is deleted. This is why you must delete the old username before creating a new one, as WordPress does not allow the same email to be used for two accounts. Next, log out of your WordPress account and log in again using the new username you just created. After logging in, go to the Users tab in the WordPress admin area and delete your old username.
You will be redirected to the next page, where you need to use the attribute all content drop-down menu to select your new username. This will assign your new username as the author of all the existing posts and pages.
Next, click the Confirm Deletion button to finalize the process. That’s it! You will receive a confirmation message saying the user has been deleted. Your new username will function exactly like your old one, and you will have the desired username. To verify that everything is working correctly, go to the Posts section in the Users area, and you’ll see the number of posts assigned to your new username.

Method 2: Changing Your WordPress Username via phpMyAdmin

To use this method, you must access and edit your WordPress database directly. This approach is recommended only for users with intermediate to expert-level experience. If you’re a beginner, consider using a different method. Additionally, it’s highly recommended that you create a site backup before making any changes to your database. If you’re using a web hosting service like Bluehost, you can easily create a full backup with just a few clicks. Alternatively, you can use WordPress backup plugins to back up your site. Here’s a list of some of the best WordPress backup plugins for this purpose.

Now, let’s explore changing your WordPress username using phpMyAdmin. For this method, we’ll assume that you have access to your WordPress database. You can also access your database using the cPanel of your hosting account.

Step 1: Access phpMyAdmin

Log in to your cPanel and scroll down to the Database section. You’ll find the phpMyAdmin option there—click on it to proceed.

Step 2: Access the wp_users Table. On the next page, choose the database where your site is hosted. Then, navigate through your site’s database and find the wp_users table. Step 3: Edit the Username Find the username you want to modify and click on the Edit option. This will take you to a new page where you can enter your desired username in the user_login field. After making the change, click the Go button at the bottom to confirm and save your updates.
Keep in mind that your password and email address will stay the same. That’s it! You’ve successfully accessed your WordPress database and updated the username using phpMyAdmin.

Method 3: Changing Your WordPress Username with a Plugin

Another way to change your WordPress username is to use a plugin. This is the easiest method and is ideal for beginners. It is highly recommended if you’re new to WordPress and want to avoid making mistakes. The plugin will handle everything for you, simplifying the process.

However, if you’re comfortable with some technical work, we suggest using the previous methods. It’s better to avoid loading your WordPress site with unnecessary plugins, as this can slow down your site and impact its overall performance. Additionally, premium plugins may require a paid license, and opting for low-quality or untrustworthy plugins can compromise your site’s security.

Recommended Plugin: Username Changer

Several plugins can change your WordPress username, but we recommend the Username Changer plugin. As the name suggests, it is a dedicated plugin designed to change your WordPress username quickly and easily. Before we dive into the steps, here’s a brief overview of this plugin.

The Username Changer plugin is free, so you don’t need to buy a license.

However, it has not received updates for some time. While we typically advise against using outdated plugins, we make an exception here due to the plugin’s simplicity. It only slightly modifies your database, so it’s unlikely to cause conflicts with other plugins or your WordPress site’s functionality. To proceed with this method, install and activate the plugin. You can refer to this article if you’re unfamiliar with installing and activating a WordPress plugin.

Steps to Change Your WordPress Username Using the Username Changer Plugin

Let’s begin by installing and activating the plugin. Once activated, go to Settings > Username Changer in your WordPress admin area.

Here, you can set user roles and grant permission to change usernames. The Allowed Roles section does not include the Administrator role by default, as administrators automatically have permission to change usernames. As a result, there’s no need to enable this role again. You can also set a minimum username length using this plugin. We recommend setting it to at least 5 characters to encourage more unique usernames. Additionally, you can enable email confirmations to alert users when their username is changed. This is useful for informing users and preventing confusion if they think an unauthorized change occurred.

Now, follow these steps to change your WordPress username:

Navigate to Users > Your Profile and scroll down to the Username field.

Click the Change Username link beside the field.

Enter your chosen username and click the Save Username button to apply the change.

That’s it! You’ve successfully changed your username using the Username Changer plugin.

How to Change Your WordPress Username: Conclusion

There are several valid reasons to change your WordPress username. While it may not seem significant, WordPress doesn’t offer a straightforward way to change your username by default. However, that doesn’t mean it’s impossible to make this change. Though it may require effort, multiple methods are available to update your WordPress username. I’ve outlined three different approaches to changing your username in this article. The first method involves creating a new username and deleting the old one through your WordPress dashboard. This option is only viable if you can access your WordPress admin area and hold an administrator role. The second method requires directly editing your WordPress site’s database using phpMyAdmin, which is most easily accessed through your hosting provider’s cPanel. Although this method is slightly more technical, following the instructions carefully will make it manageable.  The third method is the most straightforward and suitable for beginners: using a plugin to change your WordPress username. Select the method that aligns with your comfort and expertise level. If you have any questions or need more clarification, please comment below. We also welcome any recommendations or experiences you’d like to share!
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