Discord is changing usernames to make it easier to connect: what it means

Discord is changing how its usernames and identities work on the platform – starting this month. The company claims that this is done to make it easier for people to connect – both new and old users. As part of the change, users will need to change their username, as Discord does not use a four-digit suffix (also known as a delimiter, moving forward. All users must choose a new, unique username without a delimiter. The old username will still serve as an alias, making it easier to add old friends.

Discord claims that the current username model “can often be too complex or unclear for people to easily remember and share.” And in its blog post, the company states that the most common problems caused by the old username system are remembering the separator, explaining upper and lower case letters, and defining special characters. Also, there can be confusion if multiple users share the same username, and changing usernames too often can result in speed throttling.

Discord commented on how the usernames now look, “in the coming weeks, every user will be eligible to change their username from their old username (#0000) to their new username (@username) without discrimination. All users will eventually have to choose a new, unique username to use Discord.”

The company added: “By default, your new screen name will be your old username with no separator, so your friends will still recognize you. So if you were previously ‘PhiBi#8936’, your new default screen name will be ‘PhiBi.’

To smooth things over and continue to support old usernames for identification purposes, Discord said that “your previous username and separator will still act as an alias” after the transfer process, making it easier for old friends who aren’t aware of your new username to add you.

Discord will begin rolling out the username update over the next few weeks, and users will receive an in-app prompt when the feature is ready for them.

Additionally, the company admits that moving away from unique usernames like “#0001” can be difficult, but says it’s “the right thing to do.”

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