Everyone who wants to use the Kik Messenger app needs to start of by creating a user profile. Well, before creating your Kik user profile, you will need to head over your official app (application) store and download Kik Messenger. But, once you have downloaded and installed the Kik Messenger app, you will be ready to create your Kik profile.
So, What Is A Kik User Profile?
profile (noun)- your account online
When you download the Kik Messenger app on your smart phone and mobile device, you will be asked to sign up to the app. Whether you have downloaded the Kik Messenger app from the Google Play app store (if you use an Android mobile device), or from the Apple app store (if you use an iOS device like an iPod or an iPhone).
A Kik User profile contains the username and the display name chosen by the person behind it.
What is the difference between a username and a display name? Usernames and display names may be one and the same thing depending on the preferences of the person using Kik Messenger. Both the user name and the display name are chosen by the Kik Messenger user whose profile it is. So, they are totally free to choose the same name as both the user name and their display name but they can also pick totally different name.
So, what is the difference, anyhow? Well, the user name is what will identify you on Kik Messenger. This has to be a unique name (and by “unique”, we truly mean “unique”). No two Kik Messenger users can share the same user name because Kik Messenger would not allow that. Otherwise, just imagine how confusing it would be to have more than one people with the exact same user name on Kik Messenger. Imagine if somebody gave you their Kik Messenger user name and once you tried looking for them, using the search bar on the app, you would come across potentially dozens users with the exact same user name. That would be, at the very least, headache inducing.
It is true that people could use similar user names but if you are given someone’s exact user name you would find the easily enough.
Names, Names, Names
If, however, you are new to Kik Messenger trying to sign up you will be asked to come up with a unique user name. Every user name you come up with could potentially be rejected until you come up with one that nobody else is using. The frustrating thing about that is that, sometimes, the user name you want has been taken by someone who does not even use Kik Messenger anymore. This happens because Kik Messenger keeps its users’ profile details intact even if they have not used the Kik Messenger app in a long time. Even when a Kik Messenger user deletes the profile, even when they delete the instant messaging app from their smart phone or mobile device, Kik Messenger will keep their profile details in place. So, if a Kik Messenger member deletes their account at some point but, after awhile (and this could be anything for hours, days, weeks, months, or even years), they will be able to log back in using their same account details they used when they first signed up to Kik Messenger.
So, once a profile has been created it cannot be destroyed. Therefore, the user name cannot be used by someone else creating a new account. If you pick a user name that has already been taken by someone else, you will not be able to use it but you could try modifying it slightly until you get to something unique you will be able to use.
There is considerably more flexibility when it comes to choosing a display name. After all, display names are not used when logging in to the Kik Messenger app so they do not need to be unique in the same way user names inevitably are. Your display name will not be used when other users search for you. It is simply the name they will see on their contact lists or when they are chatting with you. There is no reason why you could not use the same name as your user name and your display name. However, since you have the chance to use different names, why not be a bit more playful or adventurous? Another advantage of your display name is that you can change it as often as you would like. You are not stuck with a display name in the same way that you are inevitably stuck with your user name. Just make sure you pick out a display name that is catchy and appealing. Your display names does not necessarily need to reflect your personality (that would be too much to ask of a name), but make sure that it is not something that does not identify you at all (in the sense that it might not really reflect what you are interested in chatting about), and that people are not going to be put off by it.
What Else Is Involved In A Kik User Profile?
User names and display names are not the only things involved in creating Kik Messenger user profiles.
When you first sign up to the Kik Messenger app and complete your user profile you will also be asked to provide all kinds of different information. Some of this is for your security, while other information is necessary to allow you to use the instant massaging platform.
This is the full list of pieces of information that you will be asked to provide Kik Messenger with when you are creating your Kik user profile:
- User name: this has to be unique. Your user name will be used both as part of your login and also is what would allow other Kik Messenger users to find you.
- Display name: this is composed of a first and a last name. It does not need to be your real name (in fact, it is advisable that you use a different name to your own). You can be as imaginative as you would like and you can change it subsequently as often as you feel like it.
- A password: this is secret and you should not, under any circumstances, tell other Kik Messenger users (or anybody else, really), what your password is. You should always pick a strong password (i.e., one that has no obvious connection to you and one that includes different letters and symbols in different cases).
- An email address: make sure that the email address you use is valid and current. You need to have access to the email address you pick because, as part of the sign up process, Kik Messenger will send you an email containing a link that you will have to click on to complete the registration process. Also, if you ever forget your password, you can request Kik Messenger to send it to you (or to give you instructions on how to set up a new one) to your email address. You will be able to change your email address as often as necessary. So if you stop suing the email address you used when you originally signed up to the Kik Messenger app, you should log in as soon as possible and replace your old email address with the new one on your profile. It would only take a few seconds and it could save you a lot of time and grief further down the line if you ever need to reset your password or if you decide to delete your profile.
- Finally, Kik Messenger users will be asked to provide their date of birth as part of their profile information. Kik Messenger only accepts members over the age of 13. If you introduced a date of birth that shows an age lower than 13, your profile will not be set up as you will not be able to complete registration. If you are between 13 and 16, you will need permission for one of your parents or a legal guardian.
- There is also the possibility of introducing a telephone number to complete your registration. This is purely optional and its purpose to increase your security as a Kik Messenger user. Entering a valid telephone number will not only make it a bit harder for others to hack into your account, but also it will give you an extra way of accessing your account if you forget some of your login details in the future.
Just to summarize, the most important things to remember about setting up a Kik user profile are to use a valid email address, and a unique user name. The importance of the email address cannot be emphasized enough. Apart from that, make sure that you are downloading and installing the official version of the Kik Messenger app.
The only way of ensuring you are not getting other unofficial versions of the app is to always use an official app store and not any unofficial app stores or websites.