Spotify appears to be preparing the return of a feature many users have missed for years: editable usernames. Evidence found in a recent version of the app suggests the company is working on a way to let users customize their public identifiers, a change that aligns with Spotify’s gradual shift toward a more socially driven platform.
The potential update comes as Spotify quietly expands its social features. Messaging within the app has evolved to support group conversations, increasing the importance of being able to easily find and identify other users. Under the current system, discovering people on Spotify remains difficult, often requiring prior interactions or invitation links, a limitation previously highlighted by The Verge.
Spotify’s transition into a more interactive service has been incremental. Alongside features such as Jams, Blends, and collaborative playlists, the company has introduced its own built-in messaging tool. Despite these additions, user discovery has lagged behind, largely because profiles lack simple, recognizable names that function like usernames on traditional social platforms.
Clues in version 9.1.20.1132 of the Spotify app for Android indicate the development of a dedicated section for editing a “social handle,” the internal term Spotify appears to use for usernames. The terminology suggests that the company may be repositioning user profiles as social identities rather than just accounts for music consumption.
Currently, Spotify does assign usernames, but they differ significantly from those used on most social networks. Since 2018, new accounts have been given automatically generated alphanumeric identifiers. Earlier users were allowed to choose custom usernames during sign-up, but those names became permanent and could not be changed later.
This approach worked when Spotify was primarily focused on private music listening. However, as messaging, groups, and other social interactions become more central to the experience, the lack of editable and easily searchable usernames has become a barrier to connection and discovery.
If implemented, customizable usernames could make it easier to find friends and start conversations without relying on invitations. Spotify has not yet confirmed when—or if—the feature will be released, nor how existing alphanumeric IDs would coexist with new public names.
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