Your GitHub username is your identity on the world’s most popular code hosting platform. Whether you’re rebranding, switching to a more professional handle, or just want a fresh start, changing your GitHub username is easy—but it comes with some important considerations.
In this guide, you’ll learn how to change your GitHub username safely and what to watch out for.
✨ What Changes When You Update Your Username?
When you change your username:
- Your old profile URL (e.g.,
github.com/old-username) will redirect to the new one. - Your repositories, stars, gists, and followers remain intact.
- However, some links, especially in third-party tools or scripts, may break.
⚠️ Username changes can affect:
- Git remotes in local repositories
- GitHub Pages URLs
- Third-party integrations (e.g., CI/CD tools, badges)
👣 Step-by-Step: Change Your GitHub Username
✅ Step 1: Sign In to GitHub
Log in to your GitHub account at https://github.com.
⚙️ Step 2: Go to Profile Settings
- Click your profile icon (top right).
- Select “Settings”.
- In the left sidebar, click “Account”.
✏️ Step 3: Change Your Username
- Find the Username field.
- Click “Change username”.
- GitHub will check if your desired name is available.
- Confirm the change when prompted.
GitHub will automatically set up redirects from your old username to the new one.
🔧 Step 4: Update Your Git Remote URLs (Locally)
After changing your username, update your Git remote URLs to match the new username:
git remote set-url origin https://github.com/new-username/repo-name.git
Or, if you’re using SSH:
git remote set-url origin gi*@gi****.com:new-username/repo-name.git
You can confirm the update with:
git remote -v
🛡️ Best Practices
- Let your team or followers know about the change if you’re working collaboratively.
- Update any personal websites, project READMEs, or documentation with your new GitHub profile link.
- Review integrations (e.g., Travis CI, Netlify, badges) that use your old GitHub username.
✅ Summary
| Task | Action |
|---|---|
| Access account settings | Profile icon > Settings > Account |
| Change the username | Click “Change username” and confirm |
| Update local remotes | Use git remote set-url |
| Review integrations | Check CI/CD, badges, and personal sites |
📌 Final Thoughts
Changing your GitHub username is a straightforward process, but it’s important to review and update any systems or tools that rely on your GitHub identity. With a few proactive steps, you can ensure a smooth transition without breaking your workflow.
