If you picked your League of Legends summoner name back when you were 14 and thought "xXShadowSlayerXx" was the coolest thing ever, you're not alone. Thousands of players every month search how do you change your name on league of legends as they outgrow old usernames, rebrand for content creation, or join a competitive team that requires matching tags. Riot rolled out a handful of small updates to the name change process in 2026, so many older guides floating around online have outdated info on costs, eligibility, and step-by-step steps. This guide covers every part of the process as it works this year, so you don't waste time or RP on mistakes you could easily avoid.
How Do You Change Your Name on League of Legends in 2026: Full Step-by-Step Walkthrough
The process is simpler than it used to be, and you can complete it either through the Riot Games website or directly in the League of Legends client, depending on what's more convenient for you. If you've been trying to figure out how do you change your name on league of legends for a while, you'll be happy to know the 2026 updates cut the process time in half compared to older versions. First, if you're using the website, head to the official Riot Games account page and log in with the credentials linked to your LoL account. Navigate to the "Account Settings" tab, then select "Summoner Name" from the side menu. Type the name you want to use in the text box, then click "Check Availability" to see if it's up for grabs. You can only change your name once every 90 days as of 2026 Riot policy, so make sure you're 100% happy with the name you pick before you confirm. If you're using the in-client method, open the LoL client, click the profile icon in the top right corner, select "Settings", then go to the "Account" tab to find the same name change tool. Once you confirm your purchase, the name will update across your account within 5 minutes in most cases. You don't need to restart your client for the change to take effect, but if it doesn't show up after 10 minutes, a quick restart will usually fix it.
2026 LoL Name Change Cost and Free Eligibility Rules
For most players, a standard name change costs 1300 RP, which works out to roughly $10 USD depending on your region's RP pricing. You can purchase RP directly through the client or third-party authorized retailers if you don't have enough in your account already. If you're looking for how do you change your name on league of legends for free, these are the only scenarios that qualify, so don't waste your time reaching out to support for other reasons. These are the only eligible cases as of 2026 Riot policy:
Riot does not grant free name changes for any other reason, even if you've had the same name for 10 years and hate it now. If you reach out to support asking for a free name change because you don't like your current one, you'll just get a generic response directing you to the paid name change tool. Free name change tokens expire 12 months after they are added to your account, so don't let them go to waste if you get one as part of an event or promotion. You can check if you have any unused tokens in the "Account Loot" tab of your Riot account settings.
Common 2026 Name Change Errors and How to Fix Them
Even if you follow the steps correctly, you might run into a few common errors when trying to change your name. The most common one is the "Name Not Available" error, which means another player already uses the name you want. You can try adding a small suffix like a number, underscore, or alternate spelling to make it unique, but avoid using characters that look identical to existing letters (like 0 instead of O) to impersonate another player, as that can lead to a permanent ban. If you've been wondering how do you change your name on league of legends without running into bans, avoiding impersonation is one of the most important rules to follow. The second most common error is the "Name Violates Policy" rejection, which happens when your chosen name has forbidden language or characters. Names with homophobic, racist, toxic, or sexually explicit language will be automatically rejected by Riot's 2026 updated content filter, even if you think it's a joke or harmless. If your payment fails mid-process, check that your payment method has enough funds, or try using a different payment option to complete the purchase. If you run into persistent errors that you can't fix on your own, you can reach out to the support team via Riot's official support page for name changes to get help from a representative. Response times are usually under 24 hours for name change related tickets in 2026, so you won't have to wait long to get your issue resolved.
Things to Consider Before Changing Your LoL Name in 2026
Before you spend your RP on a name change, there are a few small things to keep in mind to avoid frustration later. First, your friends list won't get a notification that you changed your name, so they might not recognize your new username at first. It's a good idea to send a quick message to your regular play group a day or two before you change your name, so they know to expect the new username on their friends list. If you've been researching how do you change your name on league of legends for weeks trying to find out if you'll lose your skins, you can rest easy that all your purchases stay linked to your account regardless of your username. Name changes do not affect your MMR, ranked standing, in-game loot, skins, or match history, so you won't lose any progress you've earned over the years you've played. If you're a content creator or well-known player in your regional community, make sure you announce your name change on your social media accounts, Discord servers, or stream before you make the switch, so your followers don't get confused when they see your new name in lobbies or on leaderboards. Your old summoner name will be locked for 6 months after you change it, so no one else can take it during that window if you want to switch back later. If you decide you hate your new name before the 90 day cooldown is up, you can reach out to support to request a revert, but they only approve these requests in very rare cases, so it's better to be sure of your choice before you confirm.
Changing your summoner name is a quick, simple way to refresh your account if you've outgrown your old username or want to match your team's tags for competitive play. Now that you know how do you change your name on league of legends, you can go through the process confidently in 2026 without wasting RP or running into avoidable errors. Just make sure you pick a name you'll be happy with for at least 90 days, follow Riot's content policies, and give your friends a heads up before you make the switch. If you run into any issues along the way, Riot's support team is available to help you get it sorted out quickly.