How to Change Your Name in Zelle

Zelle is one of the leading online payment apps in the US. When you register on Zelle, you need to connect it to a bank account, provide a phone number, and an email address too.

Zelle lets you generate a username as well, which can be anything, including your full name. Most people, however, use Zelle as a feature in their banks’ mobile or online banking.

When you’re ready to change your profile name and other details, you can do that within the Zelle app and also your bank’s app or online banking portal.

How Zelle Setup Process Works

The Zelle app has a very basic UI on purpose. It’s meant to keep things simple and let you send and receive payments without any hassle.

When you sign up for Zelle for the first time, you’ll quickly learn that the two most important pieces of information to provide are a US phone number (county code 1) and an email address.

Keep in mind that to register, you need to use your carrier’s data and not Wi-Fi. To complete the registration, you also have to enter your bank account number.

Here’s the thing, if your bank is one of Zelle’s partner banks, it will recognize that right away. You’ll then be redirected to your bank’s page to sign in using the username and password you already have set up.

That’s how Zelle makes everything run a little faster and relieves you from having to go through too many steps. However, you will have to use a different password for the Zelle app after that as an extra security measure.

Updating Your Zelle Profile

Let’s see first what you need to do to change your profile in the Zelle app. When you want to change your display name, these are the steps to follow:

1. Open the Zelle app on your smartphone
   
   
   
2. Select “Zelle Preferences” near the bottom of the screen.
   
   
   
3. Select “Manage Payment Profiles.”
   
   
   
4. Update any relevant information, including your display name.
   
   
   

That’s all you need to do. Now when someone sends you money, they will see the name you’ve chosen. You can also update your Account information. If your debit card expired, you could remove it. You can also change the email associated with the app, as well as other contact information.

Changing Your Name in Your Mobile Banking App

You can also change your Zelle profile, including your name, on your bank’s account management app. Most banks and credit unions are partnered with Zelle and offer this feature as a part of their apps.

And while most of these apps operate similarly, there’s no single step-by-step explanation on how to update your profile. You’ll likely have to access the Zelle option inside of the portal – just look for the Zelle transfer logo or tab.

Some banks might make this process more straightforward than others, and some might not support it at all. If you’re not sure what to do, the best course of action is to contact your bank directly and ask.

What to Do If Your Profile Is Locked?

If you haven’t used your Zelle for a long time, there’s a chance that it might become locked. This could happen for other reasons, too, such as security breaches.

When this happens, the only thing you can do is to enroll with Zelle again. You don’t have to start completely over, so there’s no need to use another email address, phone number, and username. All you need to do is:

1. Click on “Profile has been locked” message
   
   
   
2. Select the “Re-enroll” option.
   
   

Zelle will send you an SMS with a one-time password, and you’ll be able to verify your account. If this happens in your mobile banking app, you’ll need to contact the bank directly for further instructions.

Choose the Zelle Name That You Want

Your Zelle display name is much less relevant information than things like your email and phone number. In fact, Zelle doesn’t need your name at all. It’s already provided alongside your bank account info. But still, you can’t change your name if you choose to.

Would you change your Zelle name? Let us know in the comments section below.