When you start playing League of Legends, you are required to choose a summoner name and a username. Over time, your chosen username may no longer work for you as trends change. Luckily, League of Legends lets you change your summoner name (the name displayed in-game) quite easily.
In this article, we will explain the intricacies of names in League of Legends and how to change one.
How to change your name in League of Legends
If you haven't been active for a while in LoL, all summoner names were disassociated from usernames and regions, requiring an automatic username change. RIOT has emailed affected users to change their usernames accordingly. This process did not affect summoner names.
If you're wondering what the difference is between the two, it's pretty simple. Username shows part of your login credentials used to access your LoL account, while your Summoner Name is displayed to your friends and enemies in battlegrounds (and chat).
If you received an email to change your username, you can go to this page to update your account with a new username and enjoy the game again. Your summoner name will not be not affected by this change. There is no way to easily change your username beyond this initial update.
However, changing a summoner name, on the other hand, can be done from the game client. Here's what you need to do:
- Log in to League of Legends with your account credentials.
- Click on the " Shop " button at the top right. It's the icon in the top right that looks like a few stacks of coins.
- Select the "Account" top right, below your current RP and BE balance.
- Click on "Summoner Name Change" in the menu. This is usually the only option you can see.
- Changing your summoner name costs 1300 RP ($10 if you buy the RP with the appropriate option) or 13900 BE.
How to change your name in League of Legends for free
If you only wish to make small changes to your name that include different spacing or capitalization, RIOT Support will make a one-time exception and waive the summoner name change fee. For example, you can change your name from "lovelyperson" to "Lovely Person" this way. You will need to open a RIOT Support Ticket and use the title line “SUJECT: Summoner Name Change” when doing so.
How to change your name in League of Legends Wild Rift
Unlike League of Legends, Wild Rift uses a different profile update system and links your accounts using Riot ID. This Riot ID serves as your username when playing Wild Rift, Legends of Runeterra, and Valorant.
If you want to change your Riot ID, here's what you need to do:
- Access the official RIOT login page here.
- Use your username (the one you set up when creating the account) and your password to log in.
- Click on the "Riot ID" tab on the left side of the menu.
- Click on the small "Edit" on the right to change your Riot ID.
- Enter the username and tag combination you want, then tap " TP submit ".
Your Riot ID (the combination of a username and a tag) must be unique across all players and regions, so some names may not be available. Choosing a different tag usually solves a problem with a taken username.
How to change your account name in League of Legends
If you haven't played League of Legends in a while, you've probably received an email from RIOT Support asking you to change or verify your RIOT username. This change coincided with an overall change in how RIOT handles usernames, allowing a single account to log into other RIOT games. If you have not received such an email, you can go to this page to update it. The Account Name you update will be used to log into all RIOT games and does not need to be the same as your Summoner Name or Riot ID.
Unfortunately, if you've already gone through the update process, your options become limited. You can reload the page and see if you can get another name update. Alternatively, you can contact RIOT Support with an account name change request here.
How to check your name history in League of Legends
RIOT does not track changes to your account information beyond the previous three months. You can ask them for your user data by submitting a ticket to verify your account information. Once you do (and wait for the mandatory 30-day processing time), RIOT will send you a series of (mostly boring) data, including recent changes to your account.
However, there is no way to find your username history beyond the three months that RIOT records data.
There is also no way to find out another player's old usernames without asking them directly.
Additional FAQ
What's a good name for League of Legends?
There is no clear answer to this, as everyone will have different opinions and tastes. Choose the name you prefer and use that one.
Don't forget to follow a few basic username rules:
• You cannot put the word “Riot” in the name (regardless of case.)
• Your name cannot be offensive. A filter is in place to detect most insults and refuse the name.
• The name must be between three and 16 characters.
• Some regions allow the use of special characters, but most do not.
• Under no circumstances may you impersonate an e-sports player.
• If your name is found to contain personally identifying information (such as an address), RIOT may ask you to change your name (at no cost).
Can I change my Valorant name?
Yes you can! Valorant uses Riot ID instead of a summoner name. This ID is used to connect your RIOT account across multiple games. Here's what you need to do to change it:
1. Access the official RIOT login page here.
2. Use your account username and password to log in.
3. Click on the "Riot ID" left tab.
4. Click on the small »Edit » button on the right.
5. Enter the username and label combination you want, then press "TP submit ".
A Riot ID name and tag combination must be unique across all players and regions, and you will be notified if the desired combination is taken. Changing the tag will usually allow you to keep the name part intact.
How long does it take for a name to become available in League of Legends?
If a player hasn't played in a long time, their summoner name will be marked as unused, and another player can claim it when they purchase a summoner name change. The period of inactivity before a summoner name can be claimed depends on the user's summoner level but varies between six and 30 months. Note that inactivity is tracked while playing the games so a person cannot extend this period by simply logging into the client.
RIOT will not notify you if a name becomes available for security reasons.
Account usernames never expire. However, since these names are not visible to other players, there is less reason to need to change them.
If your summoner name was claimed this way, you will be prompted to create a new one the next time you log into the game.
How much does it cost to change your name in League of Legends?
Purchasing a “Summoner Name Change” will cost you 1 RP or 300 BE. You can purchase the required amount of RP with $13 using one of the many payment options available in your region. On the other hand, getting the amount of BE needed to pay for a name change means playing enough games and disenchanting unused loot.
Name change for a game changer
If you ever get bored of your current League of Legends summoner name, now you know how easy it is to change it. A name should always be something you're proud of or love, but it can be helpful to change an old name once in a while as your personality changes over the years. Changing your name will not delete your friends' list, although you may need to notify them of the update.
Why did you change your League of Legends summoner name? Let us know in the comments section below.
