Discord is set to overhaul its username system by removing the four-digit code at the end of each handle. Users will be required to choose a new, unique username. The chat platform announced these changes in an official blog post on May 3, stating that they will be implemented “over the coming weeks.”
Currently, Discord allows users to select any username and appends a random four-digit code to it, enabling multiple users to have the same name without conflicts. With the new system, usernames will be lowercase, alphanumeric, and limited to certain special characters, making them easier to remember, read, type, and share.
In the coming weeks, Discord users will be required to select unique usernames without the four-digit discriminator code. Discord’s co-founder and CTO, Stanislav Vishnevskiy, acknowledged that this change might be difficult for some users. However, he pointed out that the discriminator codes were often confusing, with over 40% of users not knowing their discriminator number, resulting in almost half of all friend requests failing to connect people to the intended recipient.
Discord will still allow users to set a separate, non-unique display name, which will be the most prominent form of identity on the platform. Usernames will have a 32-character limit and cannot impersonate or imitate Discord staff, server messages, or other individuals, groups, or organizations. The process of selecting a new username will involve an in-app prompt when it is the user’s turn, with priority given to users based on their Discord registration dates.
While some users welcome the move towards mainstream social network conventions, others feel that Discord’s unique username style contributed to a different kind of social network that valued anonymity. The upcoming changes represent a significant shift in Discord’s culture and identity, sparking a race for users to secure their preferred usernames as the platform evolves.