You cannot change your PayPal @username or PayPal.Me link once it has been created, so if you want to change your PayPal username, you need to understand what alternatives exist. PayPal permanently locks this identifier, meaning the only way to address an unwanted or outdated @username is to turn off the link or update your account’s legal name instead.
Can you change your PayPal @username?
No. A PayPal.Me link, often referred to as a PayPal @username, cannot be changed, deleted, or edited once it has been created. This is PayPal’s permanent policy. If you have already set up your link, you are stuck with that specific @username for the life of your account. There is no way to swap it for a different one, and you cannot delete it to free it up for reuse.
What is a PayPal.Me link?
A PayPal.Me link is a personalized web address that lets people send you money directly. Your @username is the unique part of that link (for example, PayPal.Me/YourName). You can only have one PayPal.Me link per PayPal account. Once you create it, that @username is permanently tied to your account and cannot be reassigned.
How to turn off your PayPal.Me link
If you no longer want to use your existing @username, the only action available is to turn off your PayPal.Me link. This stops people from sending you money through that link. However, turning it off does not delete it, the link remains inactive but still linked to your account, and it will not become available for anyone else to claim. To do this, go to your PayPal.Me settings and toggle the link off.
How to change your legal name on PayPal
While your @username is permanent, you can change the legal name associated with your PayPal account. This is a separate process from altering your PayPal.Me link. You can change your legal name for minor misspellings (up to 2 characters) or for legal name changes due to marriage, divorce, or court order. A legal name change on your account can only be done once after account creation for minor corrections. To start, go to “Settings” on the PayPal website, click “Change name,” select the type of name change, and follow the on-screen instructions. For legal or major name changes, PayPal may require you to upload supporting documentation, such as a government-issued ID. If asked for documentation, ensure photos of both the front and back of your valid, unexpired ID are clear, show the whole document, and have no blur, glare, or shadows. It is not possible to change the name on your account to another person’s name.
What to do after a legal name change
After you update your legal name, PayPal will verify that your PayPal account name and linked bank account name still match. You may need to update your bank account details to reflect the new name. Note that the one-time limit for minor name changes means you cannot repeatedly tweak your name for small errors. Also, remember that transferring your entire PayPal account to another person is not allowed, so a name change cannot be used to hand over ownership.
If you are dealing with a similar situation where an online identifier cannot be changed, like when you need to change Roku email, the same principle applies: you must work within the platform’s fixed rules rather than expecting a simple edit.
