How to Change Your Reddit Username

Short answer: you can't. Reddit usernames are permanently locked after account creation. Here's what you can do instead.

Reddit does NOT allow username changes.

Your only option is to create a new account with your desired username. Your post history, karma, and subreddit subscriptions stay with the old account.

Your Options

Create a new account - Register a new account with your preferred username. Post/comment karma starts at zero.
Use your display name - Reddit profiles have a display name field that shows next to your username. It doesn't change your u/ handle, but it helps.
Wait for a desirable handle - Use monitoring to watch for inactive usernames that might become available. Reddit occasionally purges spam accounts.

Monitor Your Ideal Reddit Handle

Get alerted when your desired username becomes available.

Check Reddit Handles

Reddit Username FAQ

Why doesn't Reddit allow username changes?▼

Reddit's architecture ties usernames to account IDs, post history, and moderation actions. Changing a username would break these links across the entire site.

What happens to my karma when I create a new account?▼

Karma does not transfer. Your new account starts at 1 karma. Some subreddits require minimum karma to post, so you may need to build up karma again.