Do you want to change a Twitch username? Despite the fact that this process seems very easy, many usernames from the pool of the platform have been already taken by other broadcasters and it is not a rarity to see the information that Twitch username is not available.
You will agree that there are billions of usernames to be invented, but it often happens that the one you like is already used by another streamer.
Look: this article will tell you more about redirected and recycled usernames and why they are not available even if not used by others.
Why Twitch Not Letting You Change Username
Active users of the Twitch platform are allowed to change their usernames following a certain procedure in the Settings section. It can be performed every 60 days, but there is one point to remember: abandoned usernames are not added to the pool of other names for 6 months on average. Consequently, even if a person refused to use a certain name on the platform, it may be used by others only in 6 months when it is added to the pool of usernames available. However, the platform may refuse to add it to the pool even after this time period and a username checker will not show it as an available one too.
At the same time, there are situations when Twitch may make a username free for re-registration and not working for a current user. It may happen in three cases:
- The username violates a specific registered trademark.
- The name is involved in the active process of impersonation.
- The name and the account are not active for over 12 months.
In these cases, the platform reserves the right to delete the information contained in the profile as well as any content posted. Even if a new user will get one of these names in future, he or she will not be able to access content posted by this account previously.
Twitch Username Recycling Policies
According to the information provided by the official website, Twitch features a username recycling policy. It means that any usernames abandoned by users or freed up by the platform can be used again by new or existing users in 6 months after they are added to the pool of usernames. The only exception is made for Partners, whose usernames are not recycled except for special circumstances.
If a person wants to get his username back, the only way left is to wait for 6 months for it to be recycled and try to catch it again from the pool until anyone else has not done the same thing. Otherwise, you will be informed ‘username not found’.
How to Check Username Availability
Whether you are going to register on Twitch or change your username for a new one, it is reasonable to use a name checker before you update information in your account. In fact, there are two ways to do that.
Twitch settings
One of the ways to check the username availability is to open your account settings and select the ‘Profile’ section. There you will see your username which can be edited if you press a button with a pen on. You will be redirected to the page where you can change your username. To check its availability, it is enough to enter the new name. You will see a green tick next to it if it is free and can be used by you. If you want to change the username, click the ‘Update’ button. If not, press ‘Cancel’. The name will be changed immediately after you verify your password.
Use twitch name change checker
Twitch has an extension (Twitch Username and User ID Translator) which can not only convert usernames into ids and vice versa but also check if the Name you like can be used at the moment. Moreover, there are even online tools which allow checking this data too.
Unfortunately, the platform does not allow users to get notifications when necessary usernames get free, so they should do that regularly themselves using the first or the second method.
Read also: How to change username on Twitch
Conclusion
Changing Twitch names can be very easy if you do not stick to a certain name. However, when you face the situation that Twitch username is not available but does not exist too, probably, it has been subjected to the recycling procedure and might be added to the pool of usernames in several months. The only thing you can do is to check the pool for a desirable username on a regular basis and who knows, maybe your efforts will be crowned with success.
Meanwhile, we recommend you to read our twitch setup guide.
