How to Change Your Microsoft Account Display Name

Your Microsoft account display name is the name friends, family, and coworkers see across services like Outlook and Windows. You can change it in less than 5 minutes on your online Microsoft account page. Updates usually show up across all your apps within 24 hours.

This display name is separate from your local computer login name, though you can make both match if you want. You only need a browser. Sign in to your Microsoft account profile and update your first and last name to change how you appear to others online.

These steps are written for the current Microsoft account website. Microsoft changes the layout from time to time, so a label may differ slightly from what you see. I point out where that is likely.

How to Change Your Microsoft Account Display Name

The whole change happens on the Microsoft account website, not in Windows Settings. The steps below run in order and are numbered 1 to 13 straight through, even where a screenshot or heading breaks them up. After the steps that change the screen, I describe what you should see so you can confirm you are in the right place.

Step 1Go to the Microsoft Account Website

These steps change your Microsoft account name, the display name other people see, from start to finish.

1. Open any browser. Microsoft Edge, Chrome, and Firefox all work.
2. Go to https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/accounts-billing/manage/how-to-change-your-microsoft-account-name-or-address. You can also type account.microsoft.com into the address bar.

You should see either the Microsoft account sign-in page or, if you are already signed in, your account home page. This is the portal for managing your account details.

Step 2Sign In to Your Account

3. Enter the email address, phone number, or Skype name for your account. Use the one tied to the Microsoft account you want to change.
4. Select Next. The page asks for your password.
5. Enter your password.
6. Select Sign in. If the account has extra protection, a verification prompt follows.
7. Complete two-step verification if prompted. This might be a code sent to your phone, an approval in the Microsoft Authenticator app, or a security key.

After sign-in you should land on your account dashboard with your name or picture near the top. Make sure you signed in with the account you want to change. If you have more than one, use the account picture at the top right to check which one is active. If it is the wrong one, sign out and start again with the right account.

Step 3Find Your Profile Information

Your Microsoft account name lives in the profile information section. Once you are signed in, look for the personal details area. It usually sits in the menu on the left side of the screen or appears as a tab across the top. It is labeled Your info, Personal info, or Profile, depending on your screen size and the current page design. On a narrow window the menu may be collapsed behind a menu icon, so widen the window or open that icon if you do not see it.

8. Select Your info. If your page uses a different label, such as Personal info or Profile, select that instead.

You should now see your profile page, with your current name, your picture, and other details such as your date of birth and contact information.

Step 4Find the “Edit Name” Option

The profile page shows the name currently attached to your account, usually under a Full name heading. Beside it you will see an Edit name or Change name link. On some layouts this is a pencil icon instead of text.

9. Select Edit name. If you see a pencil icon instead, select that icon next to your current name.

A name editor opens, either as a pop-up or as a new page, with boxes for your first and last name.

If you cannot find the link, check that you are on the correct account and refresh the page. If it is still missing, the account is probably managed by an organization or a family group, as described above. In that case, ask your administrator or the family organizer to make the change.

Step 5Enter Your New Display Name

10. Type the new first name in the First name box. Clear the old name first if it is still there.
11. Type the new last name in the Last name box. You can change just one of the two or both.

Think about how your contacts will see the new name. It appears in emails you send from Outlook, in shared documents, and in other Microsoft services. A name people recognize is better than a nickname that confuses coworkers. Check the spelling before you move on.

Step 6Save Your Changes

12. Complete the verification box if Microsoft shows one. This is usually a set of characters you type in.
13. Select Save. The button sits below the text fields.

You should return to your profile page, and the new name should appear in place of the old one. Services start reflecting the new name soon after you save, but it can take up to 24 hours to show everywhere.

The Windows sign-in screen and the Settings app may keep showing the old name for a while. Signing out of Windows and back in, or restarting the PC, usually refreshes it. If that does not help, wait for the sync to finish and check again. This does not change your local account folder name, such as the folder under 📁C:\Userscopy. That stays the same.

Reference:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/accounts-billing/manage/how-to-change-your-microsoft-account-name-or-address

Summary

Your Microsoft account name controls how other people see you across Windows, Outlook, and other Microsoft services. You can change it at any time by signing in to your online Microsoft account dashboard and editing your profile information. Changes usually appear everywhere within 24 hours, though some apps update right away.

Services begin reflecting the new name soon after you save, but full synchronization across Microsoft’s services can take up to 24 hours. If an app still shows the old name after a day, sign out of the app and sign back in. The Microsoft account dashboard is the central place for managing this and all your other account details.