How to Change Your PSN ID: A Proven Guide(2023)

While we finally do have the freedom to change it — after 13 exhaustive years! — the idea of changing it now can feel weird or risky for some. An understandable predicament to be in.

Still, knowing the intricacies of how to change your PlayStation ID is worth your time. After all, only you’d know if you want to switch from being “XxU53RN4M3xX” to something more readable and friendly!

But if you already decided to change it, then this article will provide you with important tips on how to change your PSN ID easily!

I’ve talked about how to change PSN ID, whether it’s safe to change it, how much it can cost, and what happens after the PSN name change. Let’s dive right into it.

Changing Your PSN ID

As of April 2019, PlayStation users can officially change their PlayStation Network (PSN) ID for free! Still, there are some caveats to it.

For one, subsequent changes — after the first — will cost you by $9.99. There is also the prospect of games that won’t work well once you do change it. But, regardless of the conditions and risks involved, it’s likely you’re reading this article because you have a PSN account with an unsatisfactory name, and you want to change it — no matter what!

It’s okay; we all make mistakes, sometimes. Assuming that you do have an account, changing your PSN ID is actually a piece of cake. Here’s how you do it.

On the web browser:

• Go to Account Management and sign in with your PSN account.
• Go to your PSN profile and press Edit next to your current PSN ID.
• Enter the new PSN ID you want to use. If it’s available, then you’ll need to follow the instructions as the process goes.
• Once it’s changed, the devices using your account will log it out.
• Sign back into those devices using your new PSN ID and password, and you’re set.

On the PlayStation systems:

• Visit your settings menu and click on Account Management.
  • On PlayStation 5, it will be Users and Accounts instead.
• Go to Account Information > Profile > Online ID, and edit it from there.
• Create the new PSN ID by following the on-screen instructions.
• When you finish changing your PSN name, your account will be signed out of all devices using it.
• Log back in with the updated credentials.

PlayStation tweets with all you need to know for Changing your PSN ID.

Everything you need to know about changing your PSN online ID: https://t.co/t2v1RAbSfz Now available for all PS4 owners!

— PlayStation (@PlayStation) April 14, 2019

The process is really simple, but there are some things to keep in mind before doing this. I’ve talked about them in detail below.

The Limits of Changing Your PSN ID

To change your PSN name, there are some costs that come with it.

Now that you know how to change it, we can move on to knowing the limits of changing your PSN ID.

Essentially, it comes down to thinking carefully about the username you want before you set it. So be mindful about them when you’re renaming your PSN account to something else.

“Free” Is for First-Timers

Changing your PlayStation username is now easier than ever before: you can do it for free the first time and additional changes come at a cost of $4.99 if you’re a PlayStation Plus subscriber, or $9.99 for everyone else.

With this convenient option, you can update your name without recreating your entire account from scratch.

But the number of times you can either rewrite or revert your PSN ID is unlimited.

Getting Out of PSN Jail

Let’s say that your account was suspended before 11th April, 2019, for reasons related to your username.

The only one workaround to this is to talk to PlayStation Support. But not before you go through this comprehensive guide. You can still appeal the suspension even if it’s a permanent one.

Suspension appeals are only considered if the suspension is applied to your account, and not to your PlayStation system.

Be the Good Person

This will probably come off as obvious, but you’d be surprised as to what length some users go to adopt offensive usernames.

But, never use any offensive words in your username. I highly recommend reading the Terms and Conditions and the Community Code of Conduct to get a picture on what the boundaries are. Besides, “bad language makes for bad feelings!” RoboCop 2 (1990), anyone?

Unfortunately, there is no “PSN ID banned words” list if you were thinking of one. You’ll need to find a safer approach to setting your username.

Not All Games Support It

Considering the fact that your PSN ID was a system ID fed into their servers, it’s no wonder why this change took years to develop.

It was no easy task to achieve, and that comes with some unfortunate compromises. Most notably, how some games won’t like it.

Here are some PSN ID change issues that you might run into:

• Some games will still show your old ID.
• Some games will remove any save data associated with that ID, including game saves, leaderboards, and trophies.
• Some games will have a multiplayer component that may malfunction for you because of the change.
• Some games will take away your in-game content (free or paid), like your add-ons.

Sadly, there’s no solution to this. Your best bet would be to hope that you own games that fully support the changes that don’t project any issues. Here’s a list if you’re curious.

Games published on or after April 1, 2018 will support the change fully. So, you can ignore them from your games list, if you’re keeping count.

The reason being that these games were developed using developer kits that support the ID change. Remasters don’t count, though.

How to Check Your PSN ID

Checking your PSN ID is easy with PlayStation. Simply log in to your account from a console or the official PlayStation app, and navigate to the User Profile tab.

From there, you’ll be able to see your username and make any necessary changes. Make sure that everything is up-to-date so you can enjoy playing online with friends!

Let’s get more specific.

How to Check Your PSN ID on the PS5

At first glance, the user interface of the PS5 may seem pretty alien to you, but it’s largely easy to get around.

These days, PlayStation is embracing the practice of using our real names to present on our screens, which can be convenient for many. The only drawback?

You might forget your username as time goes by. But if you ever need a reminder, then this is how to find your PSN ID:

• When booting the PS5 for the first time, you will need to install the latest updates and firmware.
• Once that is done, you will see a login screen. Enter your email address and your password, and press Sign In.
  • As a convenient alternative, you can use the PlayStation app on your smartphone to scan the QR code and log in automatically.
• After this login procedure, booting your PS5 will automatically log you in. If there are multiple accounts, then you will be asked with which profile you are using the PS5.
• To check your PSN ID, visit the home screen, and head to the user account option (which is your profile icon) on the top-right corner of the screen. Clicking it will provide you with a number of options as well as your current username.

How to Check Your PSN ID on the PS4

I’d imagine that many people would already have a PS4 by now. So if you’re already familiar with this part, I recommend skipping it entirely.

But for those who just got a new PS4, the points below might prove convenient for you in some manner!

• Sign in to your account on the PS4 using email and password.
• Once logged in, press up, and go to your Profile option located on the rightmost part of the row.
• Once you click the Profile icon, check your PSN name below your real name and beside your profile icon.

How to Check PSN ID Availability

When figuring out how to change your PSN name, you’ll be required to set another name on the Online ID page. But, this won’t require any steps.

During the creation process, you’ll see a textbox that asks for an Online ID. Enter the desired username you’d like to go by, and see if a popup appears next to the textbox. This popup will act as a PSN name checker of sorts.

If it’s available, the “Next” or “Continue” button can be clicked. Otherwise, the popup will mention that the username is not available, and the Next/Continue button will be greyed out.

Keep in mind that your new PSN ID should be between 3-16 characters long. It can contain any alphanumeric symbol so long as the username starts with an alphabet, and not a symbol or number.

The only thing your PSN ID cannot have are spaces and offensive words.

FAQ : Changing Your PSN Online Name

Any Thoughts on the Subject?

It’s amazing to see Sony continuously supporting their customers through their business and user experience decisions.

What was once believed to never happen has shocked many to their core when it was first announced. But considering the compromises that come with it, it would seem like a half-baked job for some.

What do you think? Is the solution good enough that you’d be okay with the issues that it comes with?

Or do you believe that Sony could’ve done a better job? Post your thoughts in the comments below!