Change Username
by Danny van Kooten · Login & Users
Also makes 8 other plugins · 1.1M+ installs across the portfolio →
Change WordPress usernames from the user edit screen, with validation for existing users, illegal logins, and Multisite admins.
Try it live opens a temporary test site in your browser, which can take about 20 seconds to load. Plugins that rely on outside services or a full server may not work completely there.
Health
A 85/100
Few reviews
Active installs
4K+
≈4.5K estimated
Momentum
+11%
downloads vs prior 30d
Biggest opportunity: Swap “login”, “multisite” and “user management” for “change”, “usernames” and “change wp login”. “login” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “change” sits at #6 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “multisite” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “usernames” sits at #7 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “user management” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “change wp login” sits at #24 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. All five slots are taken, so one has to go.
85 health vs 61 average across 2,203 Login & Users plugins
Install conversion
How it's measured →12%
of downloads still active
At least 4K of 34.6K lifetime downloads are still running, above its category: the median Login & Users plugin keeps 0.7%, across 1,476 plugins.
Downloads count every update, not just first installs, so older and more frequently released plugins read lower. Compare against other Login & Users plugins, not across the directory. wp.org reports active installs as the bottom of a band, so the real rate is this or higher.
This plugin shipped 2 releases in the last 12 months, and every existing install that updated counted as another download. wp.org publishes no split between first installs and updates, so we show the raw rate rather than guess at one.
Details
Directory ranking optimization
How it's scored →How well this listing is tuned to rank in WordPress.org search, on the factors an owner controls. Not popularity, optimization.
Excellent listing optimization
Most to gain: Rating quality
Updated 72 days ago
Tested up to WordPress 7.1.4, the current branch or newer
4.6★ over 7 reviews, smoothed to 4.16★ and held back under 25 reviews
5 of 5 tags set · short description in place
To rank higher: Too few reviews to rank on quality — nudge happy users to leave one.
Get the full rank-higher report →Search visibility
How it's tracked →Directory searches this plugin turns up in, and which way each one is moving. WordPress.org publishes no history of search positions, so this starts the day we first tracked a keyword and never backfills.
33
Momentum
Losing ground
-0.3
Velocity
places per keyword, 28d
5%
Breadth
of keywords climbing, 28d
-0.1
Acceleration
recent half vs earlier
wp.org is where the directory puts the plugin for that search. On merit is where it would sit if results were ranked on rating, support and updates, without the install boost. The last column is how far the wp.org position moved, from our first reading in the last 90 days to the latest.
| Keyword | wp.org | On merit | wp.org move, 90 days |
|---|---|---|---|
| change username | #1 | #4 | 0 |
| illegal | #1 | #2 | 0 |
| username your tag | #2 | #7 | 0 |
| edit username | #2 | #7 | 0 |
| change | #6 | #14 | down 1 |
| usernames | #7 | #20 | down 1 |
| change admin login | #13 | #23 | 0 |
| change wp login | #24 | #24 | 0 |
| change default login page | #16 | #23 | 0 |
| change login page | #19 | #23 | — |
| login your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
| multisite your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
| user management your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
| users your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
26 searches this plugin appeared in over the last 90 days, 10 listed. 16 left out as unrelated or noise (years, numbers, stray words). 4 of its tags aren't in the top 24 for their own search.
What to do about it
- Swap “login”, “multisite” and “user management” for “change”, “usernames” and “change wp login”. “login” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “change” sits at #6 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “multisite” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “usernames” sits at #7 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “user management” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “change wp login” sits at #24 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. All five slots are taken, so one has to go.
Daily downloads
Since 5 Oct 2022 · 1,488 days · wp.org + Plugin Pulse archive
30-day downloads
Rolling 30-day volume · peak 2.6K · peaks are release surges
Directory rank vs rivals
wp.org popularity rank over time · higher is better · when a rival's line climbs above yours, they've overtaken you
Rating trend
Star average over time · dips mark rough releases
Health trend
Composite health score, snapshotted daily
Update activity
How busy the existing users are, measured as downloads in the last 30 days for every 1,000 active sites. A spike means a new release everyone's pulling; a long, slow decline means an aging user base that updates less.
Release cadence
Occasionally updatedHow often this plugin actually ships. A steady rhythm is the maintenance signal a single "last updated" date can't show.
2
releases in the last 12 months
4mo ago
latest release · v1.0.3 · 19 Jun 2026
4
tagged releases on record
Recent releases
What its installed base runs
via wordpress.orgShare of active installs on each version of this plugin · 100% run the current release. Green is the current release; a big slice on older versions is a user base that has stopped updating.
Estimated active installs
The public count shows “4K+”. Our estimate pins where the real number sits.
Crossed into this band 9 months ago; a band this size takes about a year or more to cross, which places it about 50% of the way through.
Install history since 1 May 2021
Recent reviews
All reviews on wp.org ↗- ★★★★★ Anh Tran4mo ago
This plugin is simple, lightweight and does one thing and it does very well. Nothing fancy, bloated or unneeded. I use it on all the sites whenever I need to change username. Thank you very much for creating this plugin!
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Daan van den Bergh4mo ago
I’ve been using this plugin for years, not knowing that the one and only Danny van Kooten was behind it. Now I do, so it was about time to place this well-deserved 5 star review. Bij deze!
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ pawelboc1.0y ago
Super!
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ clip14921.3y ago
The plugin does exactly what it promises — and it does it well, without any issues. Some might point out the lack of frequent updates, but in my opinion, that’s actually a good sign: when a plugin this simple works reliably, it means there’s nothing that needs fixing.It also integrates perfectly into the user page, with no bloat or unnecessary overhead — clean, simple and efficient. This topic was modified 1 year ago by clip1492.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ default-design3.2y ago
It still works well but it hasn’t been updated in a long time, so I recommend another one: WP Edit Username
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ ofihsdfoi3.8y ago
I typed in the new username, but nothing happened. It does not work. This topic was modified 3 years, 6 months ago by ofihsdfoi.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ recons9.6y ago
Great idea, as sometimes emails can become usernames, which is not desirable. Or generally changing other undesirable instances.
Read on wp.org ↗
Latest updates
via wp.org changelogRecent releases and news for this plugin
- — Version 1.0.3 Bump required PHP version to 7.4 or higher. Bump required WordPress version to 6.0 or higher. Bump tested WordPress version to 7.0. Fix retaining Multisite super admin rights when the user is first in the super admin lis 1.0.3
- — Version 1.0.2 Show message when new username is less than 3 characters long. Show message when new username is more than 60 characters long. Improved request validation in general. Remove ES6 code from JS file to support a wider range 1.0.2
- — Version 1.0.1 Always load minified JS asset by default 1.0.1
- — Version 1.0 Initial release. 1.0
Behavioral tests
via WP HiveAutomated install-time checks, tested on PHP 8.1.12 · WP 7.0
AI assistants
How it's measured →Whether ChatGPT and Claude name this plugin when asked the category question, and whether the readme gives them something to quote.
Not measured yet for this plugin’s topics. Its tracked searches are not among the measured topics. See the topics measured so far.
Readme readiness
7 of 8 pass · checked 27 Oct 2026Can an assistant quote this readme? Eight deterministic checks over the wp.org listing, no model involved.
- ✓ Says what it does "Change WordPress usernames from the user edit screen, with validation for existing users, illegal logins, a..."
- ✓ Has a FAQ 6 questions in the FAQ.
- ✓ FAQ asks real questions 5 of 6 read like questions a user would type.
- ! Names who it is for One audience phrase ("use it"); say who the plugin is for and what they use it for.
- ✓ Names what it works with Mentions Mailchimp, Multisite.
- ✓ Headings and lists 4 headings and 2 lists.
- ✓ Enough to quote 1,133 characters of description.
- ✓ Tags match the text 4 of 5 tags appear in the text; "user management" does not.
Growth timeline
Install-tier crossings we have observed, and how long each tier took to outgrow
- 2026-02-18 5K+ → 4K+ down after 162 days in tier
- 2025-09-09 4K+ → 5K+ up after 2 days in tier
- 2025-09-07 5K+ → 4K+ down after 1 days in tier
- 2025-09-06 4K+ → 5K+ up after 156 days in tier
- 2025-04-03 3K+ → 4K+ up after 139 days in tier
- 2024-11-15 2K+ → 3K+ up after 164 days in tier
- 2024-06-04 1K+ → 2K+ up after 235 days in tier
- 2023-10-13 900+ → 1K+ up after 48 days in tier
Competes with
The plugins that solve the same job, ranked by shared tags then reach, closest match first. The letter on the right is each plugin's health grade (A best, F worst).
-
User Switching 200K+ installs · 4.9★ · 2 shared tags A -
Username Changer 40K+ installs · 4.2★ · 2 shared tags A -
New User Approve 20K+ installs · 4.3★ · 2 shared tags A -
Delete Me 7K+ installs · 4.6★ · 2 shared tags C -
Disable User Login 6K+ installs · 4.3★ · 2 shared tags B -
Simple Login Log 5K+ installs · 4.3★ · 2 shared tags A
Embed this report card
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<iframe src="https://plugins.wpmayor.com/embed/change-username" width="480" height="300" style="border:0" loading="lazy" title="Change Username — Plugin Pulse"></iframe> Change Username: 4K+ active installs, 4.6★ (7 reviews). Plugin Pulse (WP Mayor), as of 2026-10-31. https://plugins.wpmayor.com/plugin/change-username
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