WhatsApp lets you customize your display name that appears to other users. This is different from your phone number, which stays the same. Your display name shows up for people who don't have your number saved in their contacts.
When someone has your phone number saved in their address book, they'll see the name they've stored for you instead of your WhatsApp display name. This makes it easy to update how you appear to new contacts without affecting existing ones.
Change Your Name on Mobile App
You can update your WhatsApp display name directly from your smartphone or tablet. The process is similar on both iPhone and Android devices.
- 1.Open WhatsApp on your device
- 2.Tap the Settings tab (usually at the bottom on iPhone or three-dot menu on Android)
- 3.Tap your profile photo where your name appears
- 4.Select the "Name" field
- 5.Enter your new display name
- 6.Tap Save to confirm the change
Your profile will update immediately with the new name. Anyone who doesn't have your number saved will see this name when you message them.
Change Your Name on WhatsApp Web
If you prefer using WhatsApp on your computer, you can also update your display name through WhatsApp Web.
- 1.Go to web.whatsapp.com and log in
- 2.Click the three-dot menu in the top-left corner
- 3.Select Settings from the dropdown
- 4.Click your profile photo with your name next to it
- 5.Click the "Your name" field
- 6.Enter your new display name
- 7.Click Save to apply the changes
The name change syncs across all your devices, so you'll see the updated name on both mobile and web versions.
Important Things to Know
You can change your WhatsApp display name as many times as you want. Since WhatsApp uses your phone number for account verification, your display name is just how you appear to others.
Remember that people who already have your number saved in their contacts will continue to see the name they've stored for you. The display name only affects how you appear to new contacts or people who haven't saved your number.
Choose a name that represents you well, as this is what people will see when you message them or appear in group chats.
