From November 17, 2026, any RuneScape or Old School RuneScape account that still uses the old login system will be blocked at the door until it is upgraded to a Jagex Account. Jagex calls these older logins Legacy accounts. [1]
The important part first: nothing is deleted. Jagex says accounts and characters are kept, and a Legacy player who misses the date will simply be prompted to complete the upgrade before they can keep playing. [1] Jagex has not given a time of day for the switch, so there is little reason to wait for the last evening.
Who needs to upgrade
If you log in with a username or email and a password typed into the game client, you are probably on a Legacy account and should upgrade. [1]
Players who log in through Steam, Apple, Google or Game Center do not need a Jagex Account to log in. Jagex notes, however, that a Jagex Account is required to use the Launcher and website services such as Support. [1] Platform players can keep playing, but it is still worth creating one before you ever need help with a locked account.
How the upgrade works
Jagex describes it as a one-time move that takes a few minutes. You need your current username or login email and your password. You do not need to verify the email on the old Legacy account, and you can use whichever mailbox you prefer for the new login. Jagex recommends turning on two-factor authentication for that inbox. [1]
That detail matters for long-term players. An account created years ago may be tied to an email address nobody has opened since school. Being able to move to a mailbox you actually use removes the most common reason to put this off.
Security changes to check
Upgrading replaces your existing multi-factor authentication for that character. New Jagex Accounts default to email-based MFA, and authenticator apps and backup codes can be turned on in account settings. [1]
Our advice is to do that immediately. Email codes are better than nothing, but your account is then only as safe as your inbox. An authenticator app plus saved backup codes is the stronger setup, and Jagex specifically describes backup codes as the way back in if you lose your MFA. [1]
Characters, clients and the Launcher
One Jagex Account can now hold up to 50 characters across RuneScape and Old School RuneScape, up from 20. [1] That is aimed at players with a lot of alts, and it makes consolidating under one login more practical.
Approved third-party clients remain available through the Launcher; Jagex gives RuneLite plugins as its example. [1] Launcher login sessions last up to 90 days. Jagex also says an Apple Silicon Launcher is due by the end of October, and a Linux Launcher has already launched, with the RuneScape version expected later this year. [1]
A small reward for going early
Jagex is offering upgrade bonuses: 20 extra bank slots per associated character and Fancier Boots in Old School RuneScape, and a five-minute logout timer extension in RuneScape. [1] They are not life-changing, but bank space is never unwelcome.
This is not a dramatic change, and Jagex has made the deadline forgiving. The players most likely to be caught out are lapsed ones who come back in the new year and find an unfamiliar screen. If you know one, it is worth passing the date along.
Playable demo: RuneScape and Old School RuneScape have no demos; both are free to play on Steam, with optional membership.
Sources and reporting
- Jagex Accounts - Migration Begins Nov 17 — Jagex. Published or updated: October 16, 2026. Supports: Deadline, Legacy account upgrade requirement, what happens after the deadline, upgrade requirements, platform-login exemption, third-party clients, MFA changes, 50-character limit, Launcher sessions and platform notes, upgrade rewards.
About the author
Able, Chief Editor
Able has spent six years reviewing games and following the stories around them. He focuses on what changed, what is worth a player’s time, and the context that gets lost in the announcement cycle.
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