InterviewUC&C29 Mar 2022 · 5 min read

How to Change Your Name on Zoom

Learn how Zoom name changes help meetings, webinars and telephony users update display names, profiles and screen names.

UC Today Team

Zoom is a 2011 launched video conferencing platform that has seen an exponential rise in adoption in these last two years. Zoom is among the most popular tools for video meetings, either for personal or work purposes. It also includes unified communication features like telephony, events, webinars, chat, and messaging.

Users on Zoom can customize their profile at any point and edit details like their first and last names, preferred pronouns, profile pictures, etc. This article explains the steps you need to follow to change your screen name so that meeting participants view the information you want to show them.

Profile Names on the Zoom Platform

Zoom users have to specify two types of names when creating an account – their user name and display name. When creating an organizational account, the former refers to a person’s full name, comprising first and last names, which could be an IT admin’s name.

The display name appears to other meeting participants when users host or join a meeting from that account. A display name could be the name of a company, a department, a nickname, or anything else that you desire. First-time Zoom users who do not have an account and join a meeting through a copy-pasted link can assign a temporary name that will be linked with their meeting device.

It is possible to change all of these profile characteristics from the Zoom platform.

How to Change Your Name on Zoom Before a Meeting

The platform allows users to change their onscreen name, even if a meeting is not currently ongoing. On the mobile app, follow these steps to change your name on Zoom:

1. Open the Zoom iOS or Android app. Download the app if you do not have it already installed.

2. Sign in to your account if not currently logged in.

3. Go to Settings. This option will be on the bottom-right corner of the app’s home screen.

4. Click on the top banner with your name and email address. This will display your existing profile details.

5. Click on Display Name. The third option will be below the profile picture and account ID.

6. The app will allow you to configure the first name, last name, and display name. Change your Zoom name and tap on safe.

This new name will appear the next time you join a Zoom meeting from any device. If you do not have access to a mobile phone, it is possible to change one’s name from the Zoom web client. Visit the web portal for your region, zoom.us/signin, or an equivalent. Click on the edit button on the right side of the name from the profile section. Edit the display name, scroll down, and save.

A similar process applies when changing one’s name from the Zoom desktop application for Mac OS, Linux, or Windows. Here are the detailed steps:

1. Open the Zoom app on your desktop.

2. Log into the account.

3. Find the profile icon in the top-right corner of the app window and click it.

4. This will display a dropdown menu containing your basic account details and availability status.

5. Select My Profile from the dropdown menu. A pop-up window will appear.

7. Enter a new name and click on save.

Once again, the change will be universal and will apply whenever you join or host your next meeting on Zoom. But in case you did not remember to update your profile details before the meeting, Zoom also lets you change the screen name during an ongoing session.

How to Change Your Name on Zoom During a Meeting

Often the first time we get to see our name, after having created the account initially, is during a meeting itself. Zoom ensures that it is never too late to change your profile details and present the correct information to the other meeting participants. You may change your Zoom name during an ongoing meeting, and the process is essentially the same across mobile, desktop, and web clients.

1. Let us assume that a Zoom meeting is ongoing. It could be a pre-scheduled meeting hosted by you or a meeting that started after clicking on a link.

2. Find the participants option on the bottom pane of your meeting window. The desktop app and web clients will be towards the left-hand side, and on mobile, it will be towards your right. Look for an icon representing two individuals, with “Participants” written below.

3. Click or tap on the participants button. This will display a list of everyone in the meeting, including yourself and others. You can do several things from this list, such as raising your hand, going on mute, muting someone else if you are a host, or changing your name.

4. If using the mobile app, tap on your current name, which will typically appear at the top of the list. On the desktop or web client, click on the More button on the right side of your name.

5. Select rename from the dropdown list that appears.

6. Enter your new profile details and click on OK to return to your meeting.

The meeting window will now reappear, and you will see your onscreen name changed, right above your video feed.

Zoom makes it incredibly simple to change your name and other profile details. However, in some organizations, the company bars employees from changing their screen name without IT approval due to security and compliance reasons. If the option appears grayed out, contact the organizational administrator and ask them to make the change on your behalf.

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