To change your real name on Xbox, sign in to the Microsoft account you use for Xbox, select Your info > Edit name, update your name, and select Save. This updates your Microsoft account display name across services and leaves your Xbox gamertag unchanged. Xbox privacy settings separately control who can see your real name.
Use the account website to edit your name, then adjust sharing permissions if you also want to change its visibility. Sign in only through Microsoft’s own app or website, and never share a code, password, or remote access with someone who contacts you.
The short version
- Edit your name: Use the Microsoft account website to update the name associated with your Xbox account.
- Keep your gamertag: Changing your Microsoft account display name leaves your Xbox gamertag unchanged.
- Control visibility: Xbox privacy settings let you manage real-name sharing.
- Manage teen sharing: A family organizer must enable real-name sharing for a teen account.
| Option | Where to use it | What it changes |
|---|---|---|
| Edit your account name | Microsoft account website | Your display name across Microsoft services |
| Adjust general sharing | Xbox console privacy settings | Who can see your real name |
| Review an individual friend | The friend’s Xbox profile | That friend’s real-name sharing permission |
| Block a specific person | The person’s Xbox gamercard | Blocks the player, including access to your real name |
| Manage privacy online | Xbox website | Your account’s sharing settings |
| Manage a teen’s sharing | Family organizer controls on console or online | The member’s privacy permissions |
Change your name through your Microsoft account
Open your Microsoft account profile in a browser and sign in with the account you use for Xbox. Select Your info, then select Edit name. Update your name, complete the CAPTCHA if prompted, and select Save.
If you need another way to reach the editor, open Microsoft’s account name help and select Edit name. This takes you to the account name editor, where you can make the same change.
Choose who sees your real name on Xbox
On Xbox Series X|S or Xbox One, press the Xbox button. Select Profile & system > Settings, then open Privacy & online safety. Open Xbox privacy > View details & customize > Profile.
Scroll right to Real name and choose the sharing setting you want. To stop sharing your real name, select Block. This changes visibility while leaving the name saved in your Microsoft account intact.
Review sharing with an individual friend
On Xbox Series X|S or Xbox One, press the Xbox button and select People > Friends. Select the friend’s gamertag, open Report or block, and select Can they see my real name?. Review whether that person can see your name and change their sharing permission on this screen.
Block a specific person from seeing your name
On Xbox Series X|S or Xbox One, you can prevent a specific person from seeing your real name, including someone who is not a friend. Blocking affects the player beyond real-name visibility. Open the person’s gamercard, then under Report or block, select Block. If you only want to change a friend’s name-sharing permission, use the individual sharing control above.
Manage Xbox privacy in a browser
Sign in at Xbox’s website. Select your gamertag, then select More actions (…) > Xbox settings > Privacy & online safety. Enter your password or PIN if requested. Select Privacy, adjust the relevant sharing settings, and select Submit before leaving the tab.
These controls manage visibility rather than editing your account name. For the specific real-name control on Xbox Series X|S or Xbox One, follow the console privacy path above to Profile > Real name.
Manage real name sharing for a teen
A teen account needs a family organizer to enable real-name sharing. Young children cannot share real names on Xbox. These family controls manage sharing permissions rather than changing the member’s account name.
On Xbox Series X|S or Xbox One, add the member’s account to the console first, then sign in with the family organizer’s account. Press the Xbox button and select Profile & system > Settings > Account > Family settings > Manage family members.
Select the member, then open Privacy & online safety > Xbox privacy > View details & customize. Open Profile > Real name to manage sharing. Have the member sign out and back in afterward.
For the browser alternative, sign in to Xbox’s website as the organizer. Select your gamertag, then select More actions (…) > Xbox settings > Privacy & online safety. Select the member’s gamertag, open Privacy, adjust the applicable settings, and select Submit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you change your Xbox real name using a phone?
Microsoft documents the name change through the Microsoft account website. Open your Microsoft account profile in a browser, sign in, and follow the same Your info > Edit name steps.
Where can you see your current real name on the console?
On Xbox Series X|S or Xbox One, your current name appears under How you look in the console’s real-name sharing controls. You can review it there while managing its visibility.
Does this name change apply to Xbox apps and services?
Yes, the account website method also applies to the Microsoft account you use with Xbox apps and services. Edit the name on the account associated with those apps and services.
What type of Microsoft account do these steps apply to?
These steps apply to personal Microsoft accounts used with Xbox. Sign in with the personal account connected to your Xbox profile.