In the coming weeks, Discord users will be required to abandon the four-digit identifiers affixed to their usernames, a 2015 system. This feature allowed users to share the same username so long as they had four-digit discriminators or case-sensitive letters.
Users will now be required to select a new, unique username devoid of discriminators (#0000). The user identifiers must be lowercase, alphanumeric, and limited to a specific set of special characters. According to Discord’s blog post, users will also be required to provide a display name, which is how they will predominantly appear on the platform. You will be able to modify the display name at any time.
When you choose a new username, your display name will automatically change to your old username to make it simpler for your peers to recognize you.
However, you can change this through your profile settings. In a blog post, Discord’s co-founder Stanislav Vishnevskiy explained that the adjustments are intended to “make it much easier for you and all new Discord users to connect and hang out with friends.”
Discord’s new usernames and display names make connecting simpler.
Vishnevskiy explained that as Discord has grown over the years, minor issues that initially affected only a few individuals now affect millions. “Our current usernames are frequently too complicated or obscure for people to easily remember and share,” he said. For example, if you meet someone outside of Discord, you may forget the discriminator or need to explain which characters are capital and which are lowercase.
Moreover, according to Vishnevskiy, over forty percent of users either cannot recall their discriminator or are unaware of its existence. According to the post, nearly half of all friend requests fail to connect due to an incorrect or illegitimate username due to the absence of a discriminator and incorrect casing.
Discord will implement the adjustments within the next few weeks to resolve these gaps and make it simpler for people to connect. According to Vishnevskiy, all Discord users will be required to select a new alias, and the change will be implemented over the course of several months.
Priority to select a new Discord username is determined by the date of registration. According to the post, owners of partner and verified servers will receive access first, and then it will be handed out to users based on the age of their account in the following months, beginning in 2015. Current Nitro subscribers who paid for customization of their discriminator and enrolled for Nitro prior to March 1, 2023 will also be granted early access.