It depends which edition you play: Java renames are free at minecraft.net, while Bedrock's name is actually your Xbox gamertag. Steps for both, plus what changing it does (and doesn't) affect.
Java Edition: go to minecraft.net's Edit Profile page, sign in, and choose Change Profile Name. It's completely free and you can do it once every 30 days.
Bedrock Edition (Windows, Xbox, mobile, PlayStation, Switch) has no separate in-game name field at all: the name other players see is your Xbox/Microsoft account gamertag. You change it at xbox.com or in the Xbox app, not inside Minecraft. Your first gamertag change is free; every change after that is paid ($9.99 in the US, and the price varies by region). Microsoft publishes no waiting period between gamertag changes. On Nintendo Switch the name is different again: it's your Nintendo account nickname.
If you've seen a different-looking name on someone's profile on a multiplayer server, that's most likely a server-only nickname plugin, not a real account rename. More on that below.
| Edition | What it actually changes | Cost | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Java Edition | Your minecraft.net profile name — shown everywhere in Java multiplayer | Free | Once every 30 days |
| Bedrock Edition | Your Xbox/Microsoft account gamertag — Minecraft has no name field of its own | First change free, then paid | No published waiting period |
Practical rule: if the "Minecraft" logo is what you double-click to launch the game and it's the Bedrock version (default on Windows via Microsoft Store, all consoles, and mobile), you're changing an Xbox gamertag, not a Minecraft-specific name. Only the standalone Java Edition launcher has its own separate rename page.
It's free and usually applies within a few minutes, though it can occasionally take a few hours to propagate. If the launcher still shows your old name, sign out and back in.
Your new name must be 3–16 characters (letters, numbers, and underscores only, no spaces or symbols) and can't already belong to another active account.
Bedrock doesn't have its own rename screen: you're changing your Xbox gamertag, which every Bedrock platform displays as your in-game name.
Your first gamertag change is free. Every change after that is a paid change, charged through your Microsoft account: $9.99 in the US, and the price varies by region. Unlike Java, Microsoft publishes no waiting period between gamertag changes.
Not in vanilla Minecraft. Whatever your Java profile name or Bedrock gamertag is, that's exactly what every other player sees. There's no built-in /nick command or nickname setting on the official Mojang/Microsoft-hosted experience, including Realms.
Where a separate nickname does show up is on custom Java servers running plugins like NickNames, SimpleNicks, or EssentialsX. Those let a server admin (or you, with permission) set a different display name, chat name, and tab-list name, but only on that one server. It never changes your real account username, and it has zero effect anywhere else, including other servers or your own single-player worlds.
If that's what you're actually after (a stylish display name for chat, a bio, or a server that supports nicknames) the account rename steps above won't get you there. See the nickname generator for style ideas, or the Minecraft symbols library for character ideas a nickname plugin might accept.
Usually. Minecraft's help center says that if you change your mind after renaming, you can go back to your old Java profile name after waiting 30 days, the same cooldown as any rename. It doesn't say how long the old name is held for you after that, so a short or popular name is a risk to give up.
No official public record exists anymore. Mojang shut down the public Username History API on September 13, 2022 for privacy reasons, so there's no longer an official way for third-party sites to look up your past names.
No, it's a purely cosmetic change to how your name displays. Your skins, capes, purchases, single-player worlds, and Realms subscription are all tied to your account, not the name string, and stay exactly as they were.
No. Friend connections are keyed to your account, not your current name, so they carry over automatically. Friends will just see your new name the next time their client refreshes.
The usual culprits: you're still inside the 30-day cooldown from your last change, the name you want is already taken by another active account, or, on Bedrock specifically, you're trying to edit it from inside the Minecraft app instead of through Xbox account settings, which is the only place it actually lives.
Your Minecraft account name can't take fancy Unicode, but your Discord, TikTok, or Instagram name can.
Open the Nickname Generator →That Bedrock uses your gamertag, that Java profile names can be up to 16 characters and changed once every 30 days, that you can go back to an old Java name after 30 days, and that the Switch name is your Nintendo account nickname come from the Minecraft Help Center article View or Change Your In-Game Profile Name in Minecraft. The free first gamertag change and the $9.99 price after it come from Microsoft's Xbox gamertag FAQ, and the regional pricing from How to change your Xbox gamertag. The September 13, 2022 removal of the name-history endpoint is recorded in the Minecraft Wiki's Mojang API history.
It depends on your edition. Java Edition: minecraft.net/en-us/msaprofile/mygames/editprofile → sign in → Change Profile Name, free, once every 30 days. Bedrock Edition: there's no in-game name field: your name is your Xbox/Microsoft gamertag, changed at xbox.com or in the Xbox app.
Go to minecraft.net/en-us/msaprofile/mygames/editprofile and sign in with your Microsoft account. Under Minecraft: Java Edition, select Change Profile Name, type your new username, and confirm. It's free, and you can do it once every 30 days. Your new name must be 3-16 characters (letters, numbers, and underscores only) and not already taken by another active account.
Bedrock (Windows, Xbox, mobile, PlayStation, Switch) has no separate in-game name: your display name is your Xbox/Microsoft account gamertag. Go to xbox.com or the Xbox app, open your profile, select the edit icon next to your gamertag, and confirm the new name. Your first gamertag change is free; each one after that is paid ($9.99 in the US). On Switch your name is your Nintendo account nickname instead. Sign out and back into Minecraft afterward if the new name doesn't show up right away.
On Java Edition, yes: every rename is free, limited to once every 30 days. On Bedrock, only your first gamertag change is free; every change after that costs money, because you're actually paying to change your underlying Xbox gamertag, not a Minecraft-specific field.
Often, yes. Minecraft's help center says you can go back to your old Java profile name after waiting 30 days, the same cooldown as any rename. It doesn't say how long the name is held for you after that, so don't give up a rare name you want to keep.
No. A username or gamertag change is purely cosmetic: it doesn't touch your skins, capes, purchases, single-player worlds, or Realms subscription, and it doesn't break your friends list either. Friends are linked to your account, not the text string of your name, so the connection carries over automatically.
The most common reasons: you're still inside the 30-day cooldown from your last change, the name you want is already taken by another active account, or, on Bedrock, you're trying to change it from inside the Minecraft app instead of through your Xbox/Microsoft account settings, which is the only place it actually lives.