Spotify Username is Random Numbers & Letters? (Explained)

Spotify is one of the biggest music streaming platforms in the world and has given its users an enormous library of musical experiences, as well as the ability to have a profile page that can represent each user’s musical tastes.

However, there is a lot of confusion around usernames and Spotify, but in this article, we take a look at why Spotify usernames are so random and explain why your username won’t define your Spotify profile.

Here’s why Default Usernames on Spotify have Random Letters and Numbers:

After a 2018 system update, Spotify usernames now consist of a string of random letters and numbers. Logging into Spotify does not require you to remember your username. Your username should not be confused with your ‘Display’ name, which can be modified to help your friends find you on Spotify. 

Can you Choose your Own Username on Spotify?

Unfortunately, it is not possible to change your username on Spotify. Spotify usernames are generated by the server as random letters and numbers that are then used to identify your account in their system.

The intention was to improve the user experience. Whether it has improved the Spotify experience remains to be seen. This is due to the fact that Spotify usernames are pretty much impossible to remember, and it is one of the features that subscribers hate the most.

Those lucky few that had an account before 2018, however, would have been able to choose their own username.

If you did not have an account prior to the new 2018 implementation, then don’t fret. It’s perfectly possible to use the email that you originally signed up to Spotify with as your login instead of remembering the username.

You can also use Facebook or Apple, or your phone number, to log in if you originally signed up for Spotify using this method.

Check out our article about why Spotify asks for your personal information.

Can my Friends See my Spotify Username or my Real Name?

It’s nice to be able to add a personal touch to your online accounts, whether it’s your Instagram bio or your Facebook username, so having a username that’s just a random string of nonsense can feel rather impersonal.

It’s certainly not how most of us want to be identified online.

Don’t worry though, because all of your friends and followers on Spotify will not be able to see your randomly generated username.

This mix of numbers and letters is only used by Spotify as a form of identification and also aids against your account becoming compromised.

If your friends navigate to your profile page, they’ll see something called your ‘display name’ – alongside your profile picture. The only people who can see your username are yourself, and Spotify’s servers.

As for your real name, this will only be visible if your Spotify is linked to your Facebook account.

To some, this may be great news as it means they are easily identifiable for their friends, but if you find this an intrusion of your privacy simply follow these steps:

1. Launch Spotify either using the desktop app or your web browser.
2. From your profile page click on ‘Settings’
3. Next, click on ‘Preferences’.
4. Finally, select ‘Disconnect from Facebook’

If this doesn’t work, try clearing your Spotify cache or reinstalling the Spotify app.

How do Friends Find you on Spotify When the Username is Random?

A randomly generated mix of numbers and letters is not what you want to have to send to your friends in order for them to follow you.

However, what your friends can do to find your account on Spotify is type in your unique ‘display name’ and click search.

Also, as mentioned above, if your Spotify account is linked to your Facebook account, then your real name or the name you use on Facebook will also be visible and easy to locate for your friends.

Your display name isn’t to be confused with your username, as your display name is something that you can choose for yourself and is the name that is visible on your Spotify account’s profile page.

So, even though you have an impossible username to remember, the good news is that you don’t have to share it with your friends.

Can you Update your Username once the Account is Created?

Sadly it is not possible to choose or update a username that is randomly generated by Spotify.

Once you have created an account and been allocated a random username by the Spotify servers, this will always be linked to your account.

If your account was made before 2018, you would have had the choice of what your username would have been, but there would still be no way to update this username once the account has been created.

The great news is that you can, however, change your display name.

Your display name is the only name that is actually visible on your profile to the public and your friends, so changing this is much more useful than changing your username.

How to change your display name is covered in more detail later on in this article. Another thing you can do is link your account to your Facebook account so that your friends and family can identify you with your Facebook name instead.

Why does Spotify have Usernames with Random Numbers and Letters?

In 2018 Spotify decided to look to improve the overall user experience by starting to generate automatic alphanumeric usernames.

These random usernames are generated when creating a new Spotify account and will be displayed as a mix of letters and numbers.

Spotify was unclear as to why this change occurred, but have highlighted the fact that there is now a customizable option for each member’s display name.

There is no limit to how many times your display name can be changed, and you do not need either your username or display name to log into your account.

This makes the login process incredibly straightforward for all Spotify users.

Please also read our article about why Spotify has so many ads.

Why did my Spotify Name Change to Numbers?

To start with, it’s worth being aware that there is a difference between your username and your display name; your username is an unchangeable string of randomly generated letters and numbers, and the other is your chosen display name visible to the public.

If you mix these two up, you can be led to believe that your display name has been altered without your knowledge.

However, if you’re certain you haven’t mixed these two up, and your display name seems to have bizarrely changed overnight, then there may be some privacy or cache-related issues.

There have been several reports by Spotify users that their display names suddenly change to a load of numbers instead of their chosen display name, but luckily there is a simple explanation.

The most common reason for usernames changing is that it is an unfortunate result of having your Spotify and Facebook accounts linked.

If you have signed up to Spotify through Facebook, when you then choose to remove Spotify’s ability to share Facebook information the following things can or will occur:

• Your display name will no longer be your Facebook name, it will default to the original username that Spotify allocated you. This will be seen as a mix of letters and numbers.
• Your Facebook friends will no longer be able to find you on Spotify.
• You will no longer have your Facebook profile picture as your Spotify picture.

It’s worth noting that this also doesn’t happen straight away, as it can take up to 2 days for Facebook to synchronize and for these changes to take place.

However, if this has happened to you, there is no cause for alarm – you can easily change your display name to a name of your choice by following the instructions below.

Why Can’t I Edit my Spotify Username?

As we know, Spotify’s servers automatically allocate new users with a randomly generated username upon the creation of a new account. This username is how Spotify can identify you, and for this reason, it simply cannot be edited by the user.

You can, however, edit your display name. This is a name that you may want to change because it is the only name visible to your followers.

To do so, all you have to do is read the instructions below, and you’ll find out how to update your display name to one that really suits you.

How to Update your Spotify Display Name on your Mobile

1. Begin by opening up the Spotify app on your Android or iOS mobile.
2. Ensure you are logged into the correct account in which you want to edit the display name.
3. Tap on the ‘Home’ button, then tap on the small gear icon (settings) in the top right.
4. Once you have opened settings, simply tap on ‘View Profile’
5. From here, you can tap ‘Edit Profile’
6. Now, once you’ve clicked on your display name, you will see the option to change it to something else.
   • You’ll also be able to change your profile picture here too.
7. Once you’re satisfied with your edit then tap ‘Save,’ and your profile will be updated with your new name.

How to Update your Display Name on Spotify Desktop

1. Begin by launching the Spotify desktop app on your desktop computer.
2. Click on the downward arrow at the top of your screen.
3. Click on ‘Profile’.=
4. Next, simply click on your current display name to change it.
5. Once complete, click ‘Save’ to update your display name on your profile page.

Sources

How to Change Spotify Username: The Only Guide You’ll Ever Need

Username and Display name