Most digital accounts - email, social media, Apple, Google, Microsoft and subscription services - let you change your name with a simple settings edit and no legal proof at all. The exceptions are accounts tied to money or identity verification, such as PayPal, some app-store payment profiles and any platform that has formally verified you, where you may be asked to upload a copy of your deed poll. The trick is knowing which is which, then working through them in the right order so nothing breaks along the way.
This guide focuses purely on your online world. For the official side - HMRC, the DVLA, your passport and your bank - see our companion guide on your responsibilities for notifying government and banks, and to keep everything organised, our roundup of the best tools and apps to track your name change.
Settings change vs. legal proof: the quick rule
Here is the principle that saves the most time. A digital account asks for proof of your name change only when your name is connected to identity verification or financial regulation. Everything else is just a display preference you can edit yourself.
No proof needed - just a settings change:
- Social media profiles (Facebook, Instagram, X, TikTok, LinkedIn, Snapchat)
- Your display name on Google, Apple ID and Microsoft accounts
- Streaming and entertainment (Netflix, Spotify, Disney+, Amazon Prime)
- Shopping accounts (your name and delivery details on most retailers)
- Forums, gaming profiles, newsletters and loyalty schemes
May ask for your deed poll:
- PayPal and other payment wallets
- Cryptocurrency exchanges and investment apps (these are “Know Your Customer” regulated)
- Any account with a “verified” badge tied to your real identity
- Banking apps and Buy Now, Pay Later services (covered in our banks guide above)
Where proof is requested, an unenrolled deed poll is accepted. It is the same legally valid document used by HM Passport Office, the DVLA, HMRC and the banks, and it is all you need - you do not require a court-enrolled version or a solicitor’s letter. (Enrolment at the Royal Courts of Justice is optional, costs £53.05 and adds no legal validity.) You can order a professionally printed deed poll from £14.49 with same-day dispatch if you order before 3pm.
Start with your email address
Your email is the master key to almost every other account, so it sets the order for everything that follows. First, a reassuring point: you do not have to create a new email address. Your email is just a username - it carries no legal weight and nobody checks whether it matches your name.
If you would still prefer an address that reflects your new name, the safe approach is to add rather than replace. In Gmail and Outlook you can keep your existing inbox and simply update your display name in the settings, which is the name recipients actually see. If you want a brand-new address, set it up, forward your old mail to it for several months, and migrate other accounts gradually before you let the old one lapse. Switching your primary email overnight is the single most common way people accidentally lock themselves out of services.
Gmail, Outlook and Apple Mail
In Gmail, go to Settings → See all settings → Accounts and Import → “Send mail as” to edit your display name. For Outlook.com, your sender name is tied to your Microsoft account profile (see below). None of these require proof - they are pure display settings.
The big three: Apple, Google and Microsoft
These three accounts quietly sit behind your phone, your apps and your cloud storage, so it is worth getting them right.
Apple ID
Sign in at appleid.apple.com or open Settings on your iPhone, tap your name at the top, and edit your personal details. Your Apple ID display name changes with no proof. The one thing to check is the cardholder name on any payment method stored in Wallet or used for the App Store - update that to match your card once your bank has issued a renamed one.
Google Account
Go to myaccount.google.com → Personal info → Name. This updates your name across Gmail, YouTube, Google Play and every Google service at once. It is a free settings change. Note that Google Play purchases use whatever card details you have on file, so refresh those after your bank updates your card.
Microsoft Account
At account.microsoft.com → Your info, you can edit the name shown across Outlook, Xbox, Microsoft 365 and OneDrive. Again, no documentation is required for the name itself.
Social media: handles vs. display names
Social platforms are the easiest of all - none ask for legal proof to change your name. There is, however, a useful distinction:
- Display name - the name shown on your profile. Change it freely, as often as you like.
- Handle / username (the @name) - also editable, but if you have a following, changing it can break old links and mentions. Consider keeping a redirect or announcing the switch.
LinkedIn deserves a special mention: because it is tied to your professional reputation, update it promptly so colleagues, recruiters and references find the right person. If you have a verified or business account on any platform, you may occasionally be asked to re-verify, and that is where having your deed poll to hand is helpful.
PayPal and payment wallets
PayPal is the account most likely to request your deed poll, because it is a regulated financial service. To change your name, log in → Settings → Account & Security, and look for the option to update your legal name. A minor spelling fix is usually instant; a full name change typically requires you to upload a copy of your legal name-change document. Have a clear scan or photo of your deed poll ready - for online uploads a high-quality copy is accepted, even though physical institutions like the Passport Office, the DVLA and banks require the original wet-ink signed document.
The same logic applies to investment apps, cryptocurrency exchanges and money-transfer services: they are bound by anti-money-laundering rules, so expect to verify. Do these after your bank account is updated, so your card and account names match and payments are not flagged.
Subscriptions and the “sweep” method
Streaming, software, gyms, news, deliveries - subscriptions are scattered everywhere and easy to forget. None require proof; the challenge is simply finding them all. The most reliable way to flush them out is the statement sweep: scroll through the last 12 months of your bank and card statements and note every recurring payment. That single exercise usually surfaces services you had genuinely forgotten about.
For each one, update the account name and, importantly, the cardholder name on the saved payment method once your renamed card arrives. A mismatch between your card name and the name on file is a common reason for a failed renewal.
Practical tips to get it all done
- Work outward from email. Sort your inbox first, then the big three (Apple/Google/Microsoft), then everything that logs in through them.
- Keep a checklist. Tick off accounts as you go - our name-change tracking tools guide covers apps that automate this.
- Mind your two-factor authentication. If you are also changing your phone number or email, move your 2FA and recovery options across before retiring the old ones, or you risk being locked out.
- Don’t rush the financial accounts. Update your bank first (it is free to do), then payment wallets and subscriptions, so every cardholder name lines up.
- Save a digital copy of your deed poll. Keep a clear scan on your phone for the handful of platforms that ask to see it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a deed poll to change my name on social media or email?
No. Social media, email display names and most online accounts are settings changes that require no documentation whatsoever. You only need to show a deed poll for accounts tied to identity or financial verification, such as PayPal.
Will an unenrolled deed poll be accepted by PayPal and other apps?
Yes. An unenrolled deed poll is legally valid and is the same document accepted by the Passport Office, the DVLA, HMRC and banks. Around 98% of UK name changes are unenrolled, and enrolment (an optional £53.05 court process) adds no legal validity. For online uploads a clear scan or photo is fine; only physical institutions require the original signed copy.
Do I have to get a new email address after changing my name?
No. Your email address is just a username and has no legal significance. You can keep it indefinitely and simply update your display name. If you do want a new address, set it up alongside the old one and migrate gradually rather than switching overnight.
What order should I update my digital accounts in?
Start with your email, then your Apple, Google and Microsoft accounts, then social media, and finally financial accounts and subscriptions - ideally after your bank has issued a renamed card so every cardholder name matches.
Can I change just my title (Mr to Mx, for example) on my accounts?
Yes, and you don’t need a deed poll for that. A title is not legally part of your name, so where an account lets you set a title you can simply select the one you prefer.
Ready to update everything with one document?
One legally valid deed poll unlocks every account - from PayPal to your passport. Order your professionally printed deed poll from £14.49, with same-day dispatch before 3pm and free Royal Mail Tracked delivery. Trusted by over 160,000 customers, it’s everything you need to start your digital name change today.
