fs_changing_usernames - [If Someone Else Changes Their Username]

As of April 2020, Second Life premium account holders are able to change their usernames for a fee. For more information, see

• SL's blog post: Now Available: Last Names in Second Life
• The SLFAQ.

If you decide to change your username, there are steps you may have to take to restore your normal viewer operation. This is due to the fact that the viewer identifies you by username, not by UUID.

• Preferences—If you want to keep the user settings from your previous name, you will need to copy your per-account settings from your old username folder to your new username folder. See instructions here.
• Chat Transcripts—If you save IMs or local chat or both, AND if you keep them in a custom location, you will need to rename the folder containing your chat transcripts. See instructions here. (If you do not keep them in a custom location, you don't need to do this, since the name will have been fixed by renaming your username folder in the step just above.)
• Settings backup—Once you have renamed your settings folder, make a new settings backup so that it too will have the new name. See How to Make a Settings Backup.

• Scripted objects that use usernames may no longer function as before. Rezzing a new copy, or taking the item into inventory and re-rezzing it, may fix this. If not, contact the maker of the item. This is not a viewer problem.
• You may be unable to log in to the Beta grid. (You may still be able to log in with your old username.) If you have trouble with this, contact LL support. This is not a viewer problem. See How to Contact SL Customer Support.

If someone you have chatted with changes their username, your viewer will be unable to find their chat history. To fix this, you will need to do two things.

First, rename their chat file:

1. Go to Preferences → Network & Files → Directories → Conversation Logs and Transcripts Location → Open.
2. Open the folder named for your account.
3. Find the person's file under their previous name, and rename it to their new name.
4. (Alternate method: If you have already spoken to the person under their new name, copy the chat text from their old chat file into their new chat file, save it, and delete the old file. This should be done while logged out.)

Second, remove the person's old name from your chat log:

1. Top menu bar, Comm → Conversation log.
2. Find the old user name, and click the 'x' on the right.