diff --git a/src/app/account/page.tsx b/src/app/account/page.tsx
index d8a3b56..5a4c86f 100644
--- a/src/app/account/page.tsx
+++ b/src/app/account/page.tsx
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import AccountForm from "@/components/Account/AccountForm";
+import AccountSetupForm from "../../components/Account/AccountSetupForm";
 import { createClient } from "@/utils/supabase/server";
 import { redirect } from "next/navigation";
 
@@ -10,12 +11,27 @@ export default async function AccountPage() {
     redirect('/login')
   }
 
+  // Fetch profile server-side to decide which form to render and pass to client
+  const { data: profile } = await supabase
+    .from('profiles')
+    .select('full_name, username, website, avatar_url')
+    .eq('id', user.id)
+    .maybeSingle()
+
+  const needsInitialSetup = !profile || profile.username == null
+
   return (
-    <div className="mx-auto max-w-screen-lg px-6 py-10">
-      <h1 className="text-3xl font-bold tracking-tight">Your account</h1>
-      <p className="mt-2 text-[15px] text-foreground/80">Manage profile details and avatar.</p>
-      <div className="mt-8 card p-6">
-        <AccountForm user={user} />
+    <div className="mx-auto my-auto max-w-screen-lg px-6 py-10">
+      <h1 className="text-3xl font-bold tracking-tight">{needsInitialSetup ? 'Finish setting up your account' : 'Your account'}</h1>
+      <p className="mt-2 text-[15px] text-foreground/80">
+        {needsInitialSetup ? 'Choose a unique username to get started. You can update other details later.' : 'Manage profile details and avatar.'}
+      </p>
+      <div className="mt-8 card p-6 max-w-md">
+        {needsInitialSetup ? (
+          <AccountSetupForm user={user} />
+        ) : (
+          <AccountForm user={user} profile={profile} />
+        )}
       </div>
     </div>
   );
diff --git a/src/app/globals.css b/src/app/globals.css
index 7c1a7e4..4021c1e 100644
--- a/src/app/globals.css
+++ b/src/app/globals.css
@@ -185,3 +185,11 @@ body {
   --tw-prose-hr: var(--border);
   --tw-prose-captions: color-mix(in oklab, var(--foreground) 70%, transparent);
 }
+
+.scrollbar-thin {
+  scrollbar-width: thin;
+}
+
+.scrollbar-color-muted {
+  scrollbar-color: var(--muted) transparent;
+}
diff --git a/src/components/Account/AccountForm.tsx b/src/components/Account/AccountForm.tsx
index d16fb9c..14043fa 100644
--- a/src/components/Account/AccountForm.tsx
+++ b/src/components/Account/AccountForm.tsx
@@ -1,69 +1,36 @@
 'use client'
 
-import { useCallback, useEffect, useState } from 'react'
+import { useState } from 'react'
 import { createClient } from '@/utils/supabase/client'
 import { type User } from '@supabase/supabase-js'
 import Avatar from './Avatar'
 
-export default function AccountForm({ user }: { user: User | null }) {
+type Profile = {
+  full_name: string | null
+  username: string | null
+  website: string | null
+  avatar_url: string | null
+}
+
+export default function AccountForm({ user, profile }: { user: User | null, profile: Profile | null }) {
   const supabase = createClient()
-  const [loading, setLoading] = useState(true)
-  const [fullname, setFullname] = useState<string | null>(null)
-  const [username, setUsername] = useState<string | null>(null)
-  const [website, setWebsite] = useState<string | null>(null)
-  const [avatar_url, setAvatarUrl] = useState<string | null>(null)
-  const [initialProfile, setInitialProfile] = useState<{
-    fullname: string | null
-    username: string | null
-    website: string | null
-    avatar_url: string | null
-  }>({ fullname: null, username: null, website: null, avatar_url: null })
-
-  const getProfile = useCallback(async () => {
-    try {
-      setLoading(true)
-
-      const { data, error, status } = await supabase
-        .from('profiles')
-        .select(`full_name, username, website, avatar_url`)
-        .eq('id', user?.id)
-        .single()
-
-      if (error && status !== 406) {
-        console.log(error)
-        throw error
-      }
-
-      if (data) {
-        setFullname(data.full_name)
-        setUsername(data.username)
-        setWebsite(data.website)
-        setAvatarUrl(data.avatar_url)
-        setInitialProfile({
-          fullname: data.full_name,
-          username: data.username,
-          website: data.website,
-          avatar_url: data.avatar_url,
-        })
-      }
-    } catch (error) {
-      alert('Error loading user data!')
-    } finally {
-      setLoading(false)
-    }
-  }, [user, supabase])
-
-  useEffect(() => {
-    getProfile()
-  }, [user, getProfile])
+  const [loading, setLoading] = useState(false)
+  const [fullname, setFullname] = useState<string | null>(profile?.full_name ?? null)
+  const [username] = useState<string | null>(profile?.username ?? null)
+  const [website, setWebsite] = useState<string | null>(profile?.website ?? null)
+  const [avatar_url, setAvatarUrl] = useState<string | null>(profile?.avatar_url ?? null)
+  const [initialProfile, setInitialProfile] = useState<Profile>({
+    full_name: profile?.full_name ?? null,
+    username: profile?.username ?? null,
+    website: profile?.website ?? null,
+    avatar_url: profile?.avatar_url ?? null,
+  })
 
   async function updateProfile({
-    username,
     website,
     avatar_url,
     fullname,
   }: {
-    username: string | null
     fullname: string | null
     website: string | null
     avatar_url: string | null
@@ -74,13 +41,12 @@ export default function AccountForm({ user }: { user: User | null }) {
       const { error } = await supabase.from('profiles').upsert({
         id: user?.id as string,
         full_name: fullname,
-        username,
         website,
         avatar_url,
         updated_at: new Date().toISOString(),
       })
       if (error) throw error
-      setInitialProfile({ fullname, username, website, avatar_url })
+      setInitialProfile({ full_name: fullname, username, website, avatar_url })
       alert('Profile updated!')
     } catch (error) {
       alert('Error updating the data!')
@@ -91,8 +57,7 @@ export default function AccountForm({ user }: { user: User | null }) {
 
   const normalize = (v: string | null | undefined) => v ?? ''
   const hasChanges =
-    normalize(fullname) !== normalize(initialProfile.fullname) ||
-    normalize(username) !== normalize(initialProfile.username) ||
+    normalize(fullname) !== normalize(initialProfile.full_name) ||
     normalize(website) !== normalize(initialProfile.website) ||
     normalize(avatar_url) !== normalize(initialProfile.avatar_url)
 
@@ -105,7 +70,7 @@ export default function AccountForm({ user }: { user: User | null }) {
           size={120}
           onUpload={(url) => {
             setAvatarUrl(url)
-            updateProfile({ fullname, username, website, avatar_url: url })
+            updateProfile({ fullname, website, avatar_url: url })
           }}
         />
         <div className="text-sm text-foreground/70">
@@ -138,8 +103,8 @@ export default function AccountForm({ user }: { user: User | null }) {
             id="username"
             type="text"
             value={username || ''}
-            onChange={(e) => setUsername(e.target.value)}
-            className="h-11 rounded-md bg-[var(--surface-2)] px-3 text-sm ring-1 ring-inset ring-[var(--border)] focus:outline-none focus:ring-2 focus:ring-[var(--ring)]"
+            disabled
+            className="h-11 rounded-md bg-[var(--surface-2)] px-3 text-sm text-foreground/70 ring-1 ring-inset ring-[var(--border)]"
           />
         </div>
 
@@ -157,7 +122,7 @@ export default function AccountForm({ user }: { user: User | null }) {
         <div className="sm:col-span-2 flex flex-col justify-center items-center gap-4 mt-4 sm:flex-row sm:justify-end">
           <button
             className="shine-wrap btn-premium h-14 min-w-48 sm:h-11 sm:min-w-[7.5rem] text-sm font-semibold dark:disabled:opacity-70 disabled:cursor-not-allowed disabled:[box-shadow:0_0_0_1px_var(--border)]"
-            onClick={() => updateProfile({ fullname, username, website, avatar_url })}
+            onClick={() => updateProfile({ fullname, website, avatar_url })}
             disabled={loading || !hasChanges}
           >
             <span>{loading ? 'Saving...' : 'Update profile'}</span>
diff --git a/src/components/Account/AccountSetupForm.tsx b/src/components/Account/AccountSetupForm.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..85fbce4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/components/Account/AccountSetupForm.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,238 @@
+'use client'
+
+import { useEffect, useMemo, useRef, useState } from 'react'
+import { createClient } from '@/utils/supabase/client'
+import { type User } from '@supabase/supabase-js'
+import { useRouter } from 'next/navigation'
+import { FiCheck, FiX, FiCopy } from 'react-icons/fi'
+
+type UsernameState =
+  | { status: 'idle'; message: string }
+  | { status: 'invalid'; message: string }
+  | { status: 'checking'; message: string }
+  | { status: 'unavailable'; message: string }
+  | { status: 'available'; message: string }
+
+const RESERVED_USERNAMES = new Set([
+  'admin', 'support', 'help', 'root', 'system', 'null', 'undefined', 'me', 'you', 'owner'
+])
+
+function sanitizeUsername(input: string): string {
+  const lowered = input.toLowerCase()
+  // Keep only a-z, 0-9 and underscore
+  return lowered.replace(/[^a-z0-9_]/g, '')
+}
+
+function validateUsernameLocal(username: string): string | null {
+  // Sorted by priority for good user experience
+  if (username.length > 20) return 'Max 20 characters'
+  if (/^_/.test(username)) return 'Cannot start or end with underscore'
+  if (/__/.test(username)) return 'Avoid consecutive underscores'
+  if (username.length < 3) return 'At least 3 characters'
+  if (!/^[a-z0-9_]+$/.test(username)) return 'Use letters, numbers, and underscores only'
+  if (/_$/.test(username)) return 'Cannot start or end with underscore'
+  if (RESERVED_USERNAMES.has(username)) return 'That username is taken'
+  return null
+}
+
+export default function AccountSetupForm({ user }: { user: User }) {
+  const supabase = createClient()
+  const router = useRouter()
+
+  const [username, _setUsername] = useState('')
+  const [usernameState, setUsernameState] = useState<UsernameState>({ status: 'idle', message: '' })
+  const [submitting, setSubmitting] = useState(false)
+  const [copied, setCopied] = useState(false)
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    const localError = validateUsernameLocal(username)
+
+    if (username.length === 0) {
+      setUsernameState({ status: 'idle', message: '' })
+      return
+    }
+
+    if (localError) {
+      setUsernameState({ status: 'invalid', message: localError })
+      return
+    }
+
+    let active = true
+    setUsernameState({ status: 'checking', message: 'Checking availability…' })
+
+    const handle = setTimeout(async () => {
+      // Remote availability check (debounced)
+      const { data, error } = await supabase
+        .from('profiles')
+        .select('id')
+        .eq('username', username)
+        .limit(1)
+        .maybeSingle()
+
+      if (!active) return
+
+      if (error) {
+        setUsernameState({ status: 'invalid', message: 'Could not verify availability. Try again.' })
+        return
+      }
+
+      if (data?.id) {
+        setUsernameState({ status: 'unavailable', message: 'That username is taken' })
+      } else {
+        setUsernameState({ status: 'available', message: 'Username is available' })
+      }
+    }, 450)
+
+    return () => {
+      active = false
+      clearTimeout(handle)
+    }
+  }, [username, supabase])
+
+  const isUnavailable = usernameState.status === 'unavailable'
+  const isError = isUnavailable || usernameState.status === 'invalid'
+  const isAvailable = usernameState.status === 'available'
+  const canSubmit = isAvailable && !submitting
+
+  const setUsername = (value: string) => {
+    _setUsername(sanitizeUsername(value))
+    setCopied(false)
+  }
+
+  const profileUrl = `${process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_SITE_DOMAIN}/@${(isAvailable && username && username.length > 0) ? username : 'yourname'}`
+
+  async function handleCopy() {
+    try {
+      await navigator.clipboard.writeText(profileUrl)
+      setCopied(true)
+      setTimeout(() => setCopied(false), 1500)
+    } catch {}
+  }
+
+  async function handleSubmit() {
+    if (!canSubmit) return
+
+    try {
+      setSubmitting(true)
+      const { error } = await supabase.from('profiles').upsert({
+        id: user.id,
+        username,
+        updated_at: new Date().toISOString(),
+      })
+
+      if (error) throw error
+
+      // Refresh SSR boundary so the page re-renders into the update form state
+      router.refresh()
+    } catch (err) {
+      setUsernameState({ status: 'invalid', message: 'There was an error saving. Please try again.' })
+    } finally {
+      setSubmitting(false)
+    }
+  }
+
+  const stateColor =
+    usernameState.status === 'available' ? 'text-emerald-600 dark:text-emerald-400' :
+    usernameState.status === 'unavailable' || usernameState.status === 'invalid' ? 'text-red-600 dark:text-red-400' :
+    'text-foreground/70'
+  const bgColor = isError
+    ? 'bg-rose-500/5 dark:bg-rose-500/5'
+    : isAvailable
+      ? 'bg-emerald-600/5 dark:bg-emerald-500/5'
+      : 'bg-[var(--surface-2)]'
+  const ringColor = isError
+    ? 'ring-rose-500/60'
+    : isAvailable
+      ? 'ring-emerald-600/70 dark:ring-emerald-500/60'
+      : 'ring-[var(--border)]'
+  const focusRing = isError
+    ? 'focus:ring-rose-500/70'
+    : isAvailable
+      ? 'focus:ring-emerald-600/80 dark:focus:ring-emerald-500/70'
+      : 'focus:ring-[var(--ring)]'
+
+  return (
+    <div className="grid gap-6">
+      <div className="grid gap-2">
+        <label htmlFor="username" className="text-sm text-foreground/80">Choose a username<span className="text-red-500">*</span></label>
+        <div className="relative">
+          <span className="pointer-events-none absolute inset-y-0 left-0 flex items-center pl-3 text-foreground/60">@</span>
+          <input
+            id="username"
+            type="text"
+            inputMode="text"
+            autoCapitalize="off"
+            autoComplete="off"
+            autoCorrect="off"
+            spellCheck={false}
+            value={username}
+            onChange={(e) => setUsername(e.target.value)}
+            placeholder="yourname"
+            className={`h-11 w-full rounded-md ${bgColor} pl-8 pr-10 text-sm ring-1 ring-inset ${ringColor} focus:outline-none focus:ring-2 ${focusRing}`}
+            aria-describedby="username-help username-status"
+            aria-invalid={usernameState.status === 'invalid' || usernameState.status === 'unavailable'}
+          />
+          {isAvailable && (
+            <span className="pointer-events-none absolute inset-y-0 right-0 flex items-center pr-3 text-emerald-600 dark:text-emerald-400" aria-hidden="true">
+              <FiCheck />
+            </span>
+          )}
+          {isUnavailable && (
+            <span className="pointer-events-none absolute inset-y-0 right-0 flex items-center pr-3 text-rose-600 dark:text-rose-400" aria-hidden="true">
+              <FiX />
+            </span>
+          )}
+        </div>
+        <div id="username-help" className="text-[13px] text-foreground/60">
+          3&ndash;20 chars. Letters, numbers, underscores.
+        </div>
+        {username.length > 0 && (
+          <div id="username-status" className={`text-[13px] ${stateColor}`}>
+            {usernameState.message}
+          </div>
+        )}
+        <div className={`mt-1 card px-3 py-4 text-sm text-foreground/60 min-h-17 flex items-center overflow-hidden ${isAvailable ? '' : 'opacity-50 cursor-not-allowed'}`} aria-live="polite">
+          <div className="flex w-full min-w-0 flex-col gap-2">
+            <p className="px-2">After you have uploaded your first hack to Hackdex, others can find your profile at:</p>
+            <div className="flex w-full min-w-0 items-center h-10">
+              <div className="flex-1 min-w-0 h-full flex items-center overflow-x-auto overflow-y-hidden scrollbar-thin scrollbar-color-muted pl-2 text-foreground/70 border-l border-y border-[var(--border)] rounded-l-md">
+                <span className={`inline-block whitespace-nowrap text-foreground/80 ${isAvailable ? 'select-all' : 'select-none opacity-70'}`}>{profileUrl}</span>
+              </div>
+              <button
+                type="button"
+                onClick={isAvailable ? handleCopy : undefined}
+                disabled={!isAvailable}
+                className={`relative inline-flex items-center justify-center rounded-r-md px-2 h-full border border-[var(--border)] ${isAvailable ? 'text-foreground/70 hover:border-foreground/50 hover:bg-foreground/10' : 'opacity-50 text-foreground/50'}`}
+                aria-label={isAvailable ? (copied ? 'Copied' : 'Copy profile URL') : 'Copy disabled until username is available'}
+                aria-disabled={!isAvailable}
+              >
+                {isAvailable && copied ? <FiCheck /> : <FiCopy />}
+                <span className={`pointer-events-none absolute -top-6 left-1/2 -translate-x-1/2 whitespace-nowrap rounded bg-[var(--surface-2)] px-2 py-0.5 text-[11px] text-foreground ring-1 ring-inset ring-[var(--border)] shadow-sm transition-all duration-150 ${copied ? 'opacity-100 -translate-y-1' : 'opacity-0 translate-y-0'}`}>
+                  Copied
+                </span>
+              </button>
+            </div>
+          </div>
+        </div>
+      </div>
+
+      <div className="flex flex-col items-center gap-3">
+        <button
+          type="button"
+          onClick={handleSubmit}
+          className="shine-wrap btn-premium h-14 w-full sm:h-11 sm:w-auto min-w-56 text-sm font-semibold disabled:cursor-not-allowed dark:disabled:opacity-70 disabled:[box-shadow:0_0_0_1px_var(--border)]"
+          disabled={!canSubmit}
+        >
+          <span>{submitting ? 'Creating…' : 'Create my account'}</span>
+        </button>
+        <form action="/auth/signout" method="post">
+          <button className="text-[13px] text-foreground/60 hover:text-foreground/80 underline-offset-4 hover:underline px-0 h-auto" type="submit">
+            Sign out
+          </button>
+        </form>
+      </div>
+    </div>
+  )
+}
+
+