You're staring at that cringey username you picked in 2014. Maybe it involves an ex's name, a long-forgotten band, or a string of random numbers that seemed "cool" at the time but now just looks like a bot wrote it. Naturally, you head into the settings to fix it. You look under "Account," you tap "Your Profile," and... nothing. You can't find the button.
Honestly? That's because it isn't there.
If you came here looking for a secret toggle or a hidden menu to change a Kik username, I have to be the bearer of bad news: Kik does not allow it. Period. It's one of the most frustrating quirks of the platform, and despite years of user complaints on Reddit and Twitter, the developers haven't budged. Your Kik username is your permanent identifier in their database. It is the "primary key" that ties your chats, friends, and data together.
But don't toss your phone across the room just yet. While you can't technically swap the username itself, there are two distinct workarounds that solve 99% of the problems people have with their identity on the app.
The Display Name Loophole
Most people confuse their "Username" with their "Display Name." This is a huge distinction. Your username is what people use to search for you (e.g., SkaterBoy92), but your Display Name is what actually appears in their chat list (e.g., Alex Smith).
Kik lets you change your Display Name as many times as you want. If your goal is just to stop appearing as "Xx_DarkLord_xX" in your best friend’s inbox, this is the fix.
To do this, open the app and tap the gear icon. Go to your "Your Account." Tap on "Name." From there, you can type in literally whatever you want. You could be "John Doe" today and "Pizza Enthusiast" tomorrow. It changes instantly.
The catch? If someone searches for your old, embarrassing username, they’ll still find you. The username remains the "handle," even if the "label" is different. It's kinda like a car—you can paint it a new color (Display Name), but the VIN number (Username) stays the same forever.
Starting Over: The Nuclear Option
If you absolutely must change a Kik username because of privacy concerns, or because you're rebranding your digital life, there is only one real path: you have to deactivate your account and start a new one.
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I know. It sucks.
Before you pull the trigger, you need to understand the logistics. Kik accounts are tied to email addresses. You cannot have two accounts registered to the same email at the exact same time. If you want to use your current email for a new username, you have to kill the old account first.
How to Deactivate Properly
Don't just delete the app. Deleting the app does nothing to your data; it just removes the gateway. You have to go to the official Kik deactivation page. They offer two types:
- Temporary Deactivation: This just "hides" you. You won't get notifications, and you won't show up in search results. But the account still exists. You can't reuse the email here.
- Permanent Deactivation: This is the big one. Once you do this, the account is gone. You won't be able to log back in to get your photos or chat history.
Once the account is permanently deleted, that email address is "freed up." You can then go back into the Kik app and sign up for a brand-new account with the shiny, new username you've been dreaming of. Just make sure you pick something you can live with for the next decade, because you'll be right back in this same boat if you pick another stinker.
Why Kik is So Rigid About This
You might wonder why apps like Twitter or Instagram let you change handles like socks, while Kik acts like it's carving your name into granite. It mostly comes down to their legacy infrastructure.
Back when Kik was built (around 2010), many messaging apps used the username as the unique identifier in their SQL databases. Changing a username isn't just a text swap; it requires the database to update every single message, every group chat participation, and every contact link associated with that ID. For a company that has faced its share of financial and legal hurdles—remember when the SEC went after them over their "Kin" cryptocurrency?—overhauling the entire backend architecture just to let people change "BieberFan1" to "AdultMan30" isn't a high priority.
There is also a safety element. Kik has long been a "wild west" of anonymity. By locking usernames, it makes it slightly harder for bad actors to "chameleon" their way through the platform, constantly changing names to avoid being tracked by other users. It’s a thin layer of accountability in an otherwise anonymous space.
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Things That Don't Work (Don't Get Scammed)
If you spend enough time searching for how to change a Kik username, you will inevitably stumble upon "Kik Mods" or third-party websites claiming they can do it for a fee.
Run away.
These are almost universally scams. These sites usually want your login credentials or ask you to download "injected" versions of the Kik APK. Not only can they not change your username, but they will also likely steal your account, scrape your private photos, or infect your device with malware. No "hacker" has a back door into Kik’s main servers just to change a string of text in a database for $10.
Similarly, don't bother emailing Kik support asking for a manual change. You will get an automated response telling you exactly what I just told you. They don't do manual overrides for anyone, not even for verified users or influencers.
Managing the Transition to a New Account
If you've decided to go the "New Account" route, do it systematically so you don't lose your social circle.
- Export your data first. Kik doesn't have a "download my data" button like Facebook. You’ll have to manually screenshot important conversations or save photos to your camera roll.
- Tell your groups. If you're in a big group chat, drop your new username in the chat and ask the admin to invite your new account once it's live.
- Update your socials. If you have your Kik link in your Instagram or TikTok bio, remember to swap that out immediately.
Actionable Steps for a Fresh Start
If you're ready to move on from your current identity, follow this sequence:
- Back up your media. Save every photo or video from your chats that you want to keep. They will disappear forever once you delete.
- Note your friends' usernames. Write down the exact usernames of the people you actually want to keep talking to.
- Visit the deactivation portal. Go to the Kik Deactivation Page and enter your email.
- Confirm via email. Check your inbox and click the link to finalize the deletion.
- Wait 15 minutes. Give the servers a moment to process the deletion.
- Register fresh. Open the app, hit "Sign Up," and use your desired username.
While it's a hassle that Kik hasn't modernized this feature, taking twenty minutes to reset your account is a lot better than cringing every time you give your handle to a new acquaintance.