The username system on Twitch makes it possible for people to recognize each other by their virtual nicknames, making it one of the platform’s most important features.
Millions of Twitch users sign in daily to enjoy content from their favorite broadcasters, communicate in chat rooms and meet other users with similar interests.
Unfortunately, the Twitch 403 Error prevents that. This is one of the most annoying Twitch bugs and prevents users from changing their usernames. Fortunately, this guide will give you the solution.
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The Twitch 403 Error Explained
Before we look at the possible fixes for this error, it’s important to familiarize yourself with Twitch’s username policy.
If you don’t feel like reading the whole thing, this is the crucial part.
Twitch allows username changes only once every sixty days.
If you accidentally changed your username or mistyped a character, you will need to wait two months before you can change it again, only to be greeted by the Twitch 403 Error.
The error message that users come across is as follows:
Error (403): You may not change your display name, only the capitalization of it.
What’s the workaround for this problem? Can users change their display names, or are they doomed to live with a mistyped character?
Don’t worry; we have the answers. Fortunately, there are a few easy solutions to this problem.
Before we look at those solutions, it’s important to know that changing your display name should only be done from the Settings ➞ Profile panel, as indicated in the image below.
If this doesn’t work, apply one or all of the techniques listed below.
Fix 1: Clear Your Browser’s Cache And Cookies
Many bugs on Twitch are caused by an accumulation of corrupted data and cookies. This is more common if you have used your browser for a long time and rarely clean this data.
Reddit users have reported that this fix helped them overcome the problem, so follow the steps below to complete the process quickly.
- Open Chrome on your PC and click on the three vertical dots in the top-right corner.
- From the dropdown menu, choose Settings to open the configuration panel.
- Scroll down until you see the Privacy and Security section. Choose Clear Browsing Data to access the final window where you will do the cleanup.
- Tick the boxes next to the three available options, as shown in the image below. Finish by clicking Clear Data in the bottom-right corner. Make sure to select All time in the time range field.
Restart your browser and try modifying your display name. You should no longer see the “You may not change your display name” message when trying to confirm the change.
Fix 2: Log Out And Back In Into Your Twitch Account
Some Twitch users confirmed that logging out and back into their accounts somehow solved the 403 Error.
This is one of the quickest fixes you can try, so it’s worth attempting as it can help you get rid of the problem without wasting any unnecessary time.
Fix 3: Use A Different Browser
According to some user reports, switching to a different browser helped with the 403 Error on Twitch.
If you have a different browser installed on your computer, it’s a good idea to make use of it, even if it’s just temporarily until you’ve successfully changed your name.
You can use another popular browser, such as Firefox or Chrome, or, if you have already tried those and want a different alternative, we have a guide exploring the browsers that are compatible with Twitch.
Conclusion
Now you know which methods to apply if you encounter an error while trying to change your display name. However, there are a few other important things to remember.
- Your display name must match your username. If you want to use something completely different, you will need to change your username instead.
- The display name tab is only for capitalization purposes. For example, if your name is PC Strike, and you want it to be “pC sTrIkE” you can do that via the display name section.
- Do not use invisible characters because these will cause errors.
If you encounter other unknown errors, you should consider contacting Twitch’s Support Team for additional help and information.
