Discord is removing the four-digit identifier appended to its users’ usernames in an effort to make it “easier to connect” with others. According to a post on the Discord blog, this change will require the majority of users to alter their usernames, as Discord will no longer have the four-number tag that differentiates users with the same username.
In place of a four-digit identifier affixed to your username, you will now have a unique alphanumeric username preceded by the “@” symbol.
You’ll also be able to select a non-unique display name that can contain special characters, spaces, emoji, and non-Latin characters, making the platform much more similar to Twitter and Instagram. With suffixes similar to those used by Steam, Battle.net, and Xbox, it also becomes less resemblant of the gaming platform from which it originated.
This procedure will require all Discord users to choose a new username.
According to Discord, you will be able to progressively change your username “in the coming weeks,” and the platform will notify you when this is possible. According to the company, it will prioritize longtime Discord users, so the longer you’ve been on the platform, the sooner you’ll be able to choose a new moniker.
In addition, Discord notes that your previous username and discriminator will continue to function as an alias after the numerical identifier is removed. This indicates that your peers can still locate you using your previous username.
While Discord initially launched with the intention of allowing users to choose any username, the four-number tags ultimately “became technical debt” that it didn’t “address adequately,” citing the fact that usernames are often “too complicated or obscure” to remember and share with friends.
Stanislav Vishnevskiy, co-founder of Discord, writes in the blog post, “We recognize that this is a significant change.” “There may be difficulties in this process, and you may find it difficult to let go of the ‘#0001’ that has meant so much to you over the years. We will do everything possible to manage the situation as efficiently as possible.”