How to Change Your Name on Zoom (Before and During a Call)
A step-by-step guide for desktop, web, and mobile, including how to rename yourself mid-call and stop your name from reverting.

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Changing your name on Zoom means updating the display name that other participants see, either permanently in your account profile or just for a single meeting. You can do it on the Zoom web portal, the desktop app, or the mobile app, before you join or while a call is already running.
The display name matters more than it looks. It is how colleagues, clients, and classmates identify you on a call, and Zoom keeps it in two separate places: your account profile, which is permanent, and the in-meeting rename option, which lasts only for that meeting. Knowing which one you are editing is the difference between a name that sticks and a name that resets the next time you join.
Quick Answer: How to Change Your Name on Zoom
To change your name on Zoom permanently, sign in to the Zoom web portal, open Profile, click Edit next to your name, update the Display Name field, and click Save. To change it for one meeting only, open the Participants panel during the call, hover over your name, click More, and choose Rename.
The permanent method updates your name everywhere you are signed in. The in-meeting method changes it only for the current call, which is why a name set that way reverts afterward.
How to Change Your Zoom Name Before a Meeting
Editing your profile is the permanent option. It updates your display name across every device where you are signed in to the same Zoom account.
On the Zoom Web Portal
- Sign in to the Zoom web portal at zoom.us.
- Click Profile in the left-hand menu.
- Click Edit next to your name at the top of the page.
- Update the First Name, Last Name, and Display Name fields.
- Click Save.
Your Display Name is what other participants see, so set it to whatever you want on screen, such as your first name, full name, or a nickname.

On the Zoom Desktop App
The desktop app, now part of Zoom Workplace, does not let you edit the name inline. It sends you to the web portal.
- Open the Zoom desktop app and sign in.
- Click your profile picture in the top-right corner.
- Select Settings, then Profile, and click Edit My Profile.
- Your browser opens the web portal. Follow the web steps above to update the Display Name and Save.

On the Zoom Mobile App
- Open the Zoom app on your phone or tablet and sign in.
- Tap your profile picture in the top-left corner.
- Tap My Profile, then, under Personal, tap Display Name.
- Edit the First Name, Last Name, and Display Name fields.
- Tap Save.

How to Change Your Name During a Zoom Meeting
If you are already in a call and only need the new name for this meeting, use the rename option instead. This is the fastest way to fix a name, and it works even when you joined through a link without signing in, as long as the host allows renaming.
On Desktop or Web
- Click Participants in the meeting toolbar.
- Hover over your own name in the list.
- Click More, then Rename.
- Type your new display name and click Change.

On Mobile
- Tap the screen, then tap Participants.
- Tap your own name in the list.
- Tap Rename.
- Enter your new name and tap Done.

Can You Change Your Name in the Zoom Waiting Room?
Usually not. While you are held in the waiting room, the rename option is not available yet. It appears once the host admits you into the meeting, and from there you can rename yourself using the steps above.
If you want the right name to show before you are admitted, set it in your profile ahead of the call, or rename yourself in the meeting the moment you are let in.
Why Does My Zoom Name Keep Reverting?
Because the in-meeting rename is temporary by design. It applies only to the current meeting, so the next time you join, Zoom shows the name stored in your account profile again.
To make a name permanent, change the Display Name in the Zoom web portal, as shown above. Two other cases cause a name to revert: joining as a guest without signing in, which falls back to whatever you typed last time, and accounts managed through single sign-on (SSO/SAML), where your organization's identity provider can control the name and reset it to the directory value. If your name keeps resetting on a work account, ask your Zoom admin which field they manage.
Host Controls: Renaming Participants and Locking Names
Hosts and co-hosts can rename anyone in the meeting, and they can also stop participants from renaming themselves.
To rename a participant as the host, open Participants, hover over the person's name, click More, then Rename. To control whether attendees can rename themselves, use the Security icon in the meeting toolbar and toggle Allow participants to rename themselves. When that setting is off, the rename option disappears for everyone except the host.
Admins can set the same permission account-wide or per group under Settings, in the In Meeting (Basic) section, so it applies to every meeting by default.
Profile Name vs Display Name on Zoom
Your profile name and your in-meeting display name are related but not the same. The profile Display Name is stored on your account and follows you into every meeting you join while signed in. The in-meeting name is a one-time override that lasts until the call ends.
For a name you want everywhere, edit the profile. For a name you need just once, for example adding your pronouns, your team, or a client-facing title for a single call, use the in-meeting rename and let it reset afterward.
Keep Every Zoom Meeting on the Record
Once your name is set, the next thing most people want is a record of what was actually said. MeetGeek is an AI notetaker that can record and transcribe your Zoom meetings automatically, turning each call into a searchable Zoom meeting transcript with a summary and action items, so you are not stuck taking notes during the call. If that sounds useful for the meetings you run, you can try MeetGeek for free.
Key Takeaways
- To change your name on Zoom permanently, edit the Display Name in your account profile on the web portal; it then syncs to every signed-in device.
- To change it for one meeting only, use Participants, More, Rename during the call.
- A name set mid-meeting reverts afterward, which is why permanent changes have to go through the profile.
- The waiting room does not offer renaming; the option appears once you are admitted.
- Hosts can rename participants and can turn off self-renaming from the Security menu.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I change my name on Zoom on my phone?
Open the Zoom app, tap your profile picture in the top-left, tap My Profile, then Display Name, edit the fields, and tap Save. To change it only for the current call, tap Participants, tap your name, and choose Rename.
Why does my Zoom name change back after every meeting?
Because renaming yourself during a meeting is temporary. It only applies to that call. Set the Display Name in the Zoom web portal to make the change permanent.
Can I change my name on Zoom without an account?
Yes, if you joined a meeting through a link, you can still rename yourself from the Participants panel, as long as the host has left self-renaming enabled. The name will not be saved for your next meeting.
Can the host see my real name if I rename myself?
Hosts see the display name you are using in the meeting. On accounts that require sign-in or SSO, your underlying account name may still be visible to the host or admin.
Will changing my display name update it across all my devices?
Yes, when you change the Display Name in your profile while signed in, Zoom applies it on the web, desktop, and mobile app for that account.
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