How to change computer name windows 10

By default computer names in Windows 10 tend to be quite plain. By default, they tend to be ‘WIN’ or ‘Desktop’, followed by a string of random letters and numbers. This can make them quite difficult to identify, which leaves many wondering how to change their computer name in Windows 10.

The good news is that to rename a computer in Windows 10 is incredibly easy and there are multiple ways to do it. Doing so shouldn’t have any negative effect on your system or network and is easily reversible.

Today we’re going to show you how to change your computer name in Windows 10 via the settings menu, Control Panel, Command Prompt, and PowerShell. You can return your PC back to default by noting down its name and following the steps again. Let’s get started:

How to Change Computer Name via Settings

How to Change Computer Name in Windows 10 via Control Panel

How to Change Computer Name in PowerShell

When you install Windows for the first time, a random computer name is automatically assigned to Windows. This name is like DESKTOP-xxxxxxx, where x’s are random characters. You can easily change computer name to something of your own liking.

Personalizing the computer name becomes more important when you want to access and share network items. Making the computer name easier to remember makes it easier to access. For example, I keep my computer name itechtics-pc which is easier to remember for me.

Let us discuss how you can rename your local and remote computer on the network/domain through different ways in Windows 10.

Changing your computer name from something complicated to a bit more descriptive is always helpful. Organizations use the naming convention to identify the devices easily.

For example, a computer name starting with “CRITICAL” can mean that it is a production server that affords zero downtime, then the employees would know not to tamper with it.

Windows 10 gives users several ways through which they can change the name of their computer as they please.

Change computer name using the Control Panel

The Legacy Control Panel still provides vast configurable options for the user to manage, including renaming their PC. Here is how you can assign a new name to your computer using the Control Panel:

1. Open Run -> control. This will open the legacy Control Panel.
2. Navigate to the following path:
   Control panel -> System & Security -> System -> Change Settings
3. In the System Properties window, under the Computer Name tab, click Change.
   
4. In the new pop-up window, type the new name of the computer you want to set under the Computer name. Click Ok when done.
   
5. Restart your Windows computer for the changes to take effect.

When you log back in, you will notice that the name of the computer has been changed.

To confirm the new name, open Command Prompt and run the following command:

C:>hostname

Change computer name using Windows Settings

Since Microsoft has been shifting and duplicating various system settings management in the new Settings app, they have also added an option to change the PC name from the app.

1. Navigate to the following:
   Start Menu -> Settings -> System -> About
2. Now click Rename this PC under Device specifications.
   
3. On Rename your PC window, enter the new name of the computer you wish to set and then click Next.
   
4. Now restart the PC from the next screen by clicking Restart now.

When the computer reboots, you can check to see that the new name has been allotted to the computer.

Change computer name using Command Prompt

Command Prompt can also be used to change the computer name. A single-line command can be quicker and easier to use as an alternative for the two methods discussed above. Follow the guide below to change your local computer name via the Command Prompt.

1. Launch Command Prompt with administrative privileges.
2. Run the command below to change the computer name:
   WMIC computersystem where caption='CurrentName' rename NewName
   Replace CurrentName with the existing name of the computer, and NewName with the new name you wish to assign to the computer, as in the example below:
   
3. Restart your computer for the changes to take effect.

Change computer name using PowerShell

Windows PowerShell is another built-in utility in Windows 10 with a Command Line Interface (CLI). It can run more powerful scripts than the Command Prompt and can also be used to rename the computer. Here is how it is done:

1. Launch the Windows PowerShell with administrative privileges.
2. Run the following command:
   Rename-Computer -NewName PCName -LocalCredential LocalUsername -PassThru
   Replace PCName with the new name you wish to assign to the computer, and also replace LocalUsername with a local user account name with administrative privileges, as in the example below:
   
3. You will then be prompted to enter the credentials of the user account you have entered. Enter the password and then click Ok.
   
4. Once you enter the required credentials, you will be prompted to restart the computer to make the required changes.

Once the computer restarts, you can check that the PC name has been successfully changed.

Change remote computer name using Windows PowerShell

Users with administrative privileges on the network or domain can also change another computer’s name on the same network/domain. This is especially helpful if you are an IT administrator, and you would not need to leave your seat each time you want to assign a unique name to a computer.

Follow the steps below to change the remote computer name:

1. Launch the Windows PowerShell with administrative privileges.
2. Enter the following command:
   Rename-Computer -ComputerName "ExistingRemoteName" -NewName "NewRemoteName" -DomainCredential DomainUsername -Force
   Replace ExistingRemoteName with the current computer name of the remote PC, NewRemoteName with the new name of the remote PC you want to set, and DomainUsername with a domain user account with administrative privileges, as in the example below:
   
3. Now enter the credentials for the domain user and then click Ok.
   
4. You will then be prompted to reboot the remote computer for the changes to take effect. Enter the command below to restart the remote computer:
   Restart-Computer -ComputerName ExistingRemoteName -Credential DomainUsername -Force
   Replace ExistingRemoteName with the old name of the computer, and DomainUsername with the domain user account with administrative privileges, as in the example below:
   
5. Now enter your domain user account credentials again and click Ok. The remote computer will now restart.

Once the remote computer reboots, its new name will be updated as you assigned.

Closing words

It is possible for users to accidentally assign a conflicting name to a computer that was already in use. There is no way to prevent this from happening, as there is currently no technology to differentiate the computer names in the same domain. The confusion might cause users to connect to a different device, or the domain policies might not be properly implemented.

Therefore, it is always recommended to assign a unique name to each PC, whether it is on the same network/domain or not.

Also see:

January 19, 2016 updated by

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Windows 10 comes with many great features that improve user experience. However, one of its few shortcomings is that it generates a random computer name during installation. The OS assigns a name with “DESKTOP” prefix followed by a combination of numbers and letters like “DESKTOP- 8DGNCKM”. This can be confusing when you need to identify your computers, especially if you have more than one Windows 10 PCs. Therefore, finding and renaming your computer name is not all about personalization but also enhances efficiency. A unique name identifies the PC on a network as well as makes it easy to manage multiple devices.

Related: 11 ways to secure Windows 10 PC.

For whatever reasons you would like to know or change your PC unique identifier, this article will take you through how you can view or change Windows 10 computer name in various ways. If you have Mac, learn how to change computer name of your Mac.

What is the Name of Your Windows 10 PC?

To view your computer name in Windows 10;

• Right click the Windows Start Button and select “System” from the menu list.

• This will open the “About” page, which shows basic information about your computer.

• Go to the “Device specification” section. Beside the “Device Name”, you will find the PC name.
• You can also view more information such as “Full computer name”, “Workgroup” and “Domain” settings. Scroll down the “About” page and click on “System info” under the heading, “Related settings”.

• A new window opens with all the basic information regarding your PC. You will see your PC identification details under “Computer name, domain and workgroup settings” heading.

You can view the system details by right clicking and going to “Properties” option of “This PC” icon on your desktop. If you don’t see “This PC” icon, learn how to enable it on your desktop.

4 Ways to Change Computer Name in Windows 10

You can use any of the following four methods to rename your PC to a descriptive name that is easy to recognize and remember.

1. PC
   Settings.
2. Control
   Panel.
3. Command
   Prompt.
4. PowerShell.

Method 1: Rename using Windows PC settings

• Go to the “About” page as explained above. From the “About” settings page, click “Rename this PC” at the bottom of the specification section.
• A new window will pop up showing the current name and a dialog box for the new name. Type your preferred name in the white box and click the “Next” button.

• You can choose either “Restart now” or “Restart later” options from the prompt. The changes will take place once you restart your computer.

Method 2: Rename from Control Panel

• Open the Windows “Control Panel” and select the “System and Security” category. Look for and click “System” from the list to view the system information.

• On the system information page, under the PC name, domain and workgroup settings, click on “Change settings”.

• This will open the “Computer Name” tab on the “System Properties” window. Click the “Change” button.

• This will open another window allowing you to edit the computer name. Type your new PC name and click “OK”.

• From the resulting pop-up window, click “OK” to restart the computer.

Method 3: Using Command Prompt to Change Computer Name

• Search for and open “Command Prompt” as admin. To view the existing computer name, type “host name” and hit “Enter”.
• Then type the following Command to rename the computer and press “Enter”.

WMIC computersystem where caption='DESKTOP-8DGNCKM' rename NEWPCNAME

• Restart
  your computer to implement the changes.

Method 4: Renaming your PC using PowerShell

• Right
  click the Start button and open “PowerShell” (Admin option).
• Click
  “Yes” to allow the application to make changes to your PC.
• PowerShell
  uses the same command as Command Prompt to display the current PC name (Step 1
  of method 3 above).
• Type
  the following command and press “Enter” on your keyboard:

RENAME-COMPUTER –computername CURRENT-PC-NAME –newname NEWPCNAME

• Restart
  the computer.

Note: You can use a combination of letters, numbers
and hyphens when renaming your computer, but you should avoid spaces between
the characters. For example, you can rename your computer to “SALES-DEPT-PC”.

Conclusion

A computer name is a unique identity for your PC
on a network. Can you recognize your PC from multiple devices on the network?
Would you like your current PC name to something more descriptive and
memorable? You may want to rename your computer for many reasons. Whether you
want to give your PC a fancy name, for easy identification on a network or allow
smooth device connectivity, no need to worry. Windows 10 provides the above
four simple methods for changing your PC identity. However, you need to follow
the system-naming format and restart your PC to effect the changes. Windows
offers the option to restart immediately or later. Moreover, you should ensure
that your name is easy to remember, preferably not more than 15 characters.

Changing your Windows 10 PC name isn’t just about personalization, it’s about making things easier. We’re living in a time where we use multiple devices, which can include a combination of a desktop, laptop, tablet, and phone. If we don’t keep these devices organized, it’ll soon become difficult to inventory them and take advantage of additional features.

For instance, on Windows 10, most people now use a Microsoft account to sign in. This type of account not only helps you to sign in to multiple devices with the same credentials, but it also allows you to keep an organized inventory, and access other perks, such as features to locate your device and the ability to re-activate Windows 10 after a hardware change. If you don’t rename your Windows 10 PC accordingly, it’s more difficult to use these features.

In addition, a name can help you identify your computer when you have multiple devices connected to the local network. Using a descriptive name, it’s easier to connect with other devices around the house, or even to configure your router to allow or deny access to the internet.

In this guide, you’ll learn the steps to change the name of a Windows 10 desktop, laptop, or tablet using the Settings app, Control Panel, Command Prompt, and even PowerShell.

• Change PC name using Settings on Windows 10
• Change PC name using Control Panel on Windows 10
• Change PC name using Command Prompt on Windows 10
• Change PC name using PowerShell on Windows 10

Change PC name using Settings on Windows 10

To rename a Windows 10 PC using the Settings app, use these steps:

1. Open Settings on Windows 10.

2. Click on System.

3. Click on About.

4. Under the “Device specifications” section, click the Rename this PC button.

   

5. Specify a new name for your computer.

   Quick tip: You can use a combination of letters, numbers, and hyphens. Avoid any special characters, keep it short (less than 15 characters is always recommended), and don’t leave a space when you’re trying to use multiple words.

6. Click the Next button.

   

7. Click the Restart now button.

Once you complete the steps, the device will restart, and it’ll start with new name.

You can also watch the video below to learn the steps to change the name of your computer on Windows 10.

Change PC name using Control Panel on Windows 10

To rename the computer name with Control Panel on Windows 10, use these steps:

1. Open Control Panel.

2. Click on System and Security.

3. Click on System.

   

4. Click the Change settings option.

   

5. Click the Computer Name tab.

6. Click the Change button.

   

7. Specify a new name for your computer.

   Quick tip: You can use a combination of letters, numbers, and hyphens. Avoid any special characters, keep it short (less than 15 characters is always recommended), and don’t leave a space when you’re trying to use multiple words.

8. Click the OK button.

   

9. Click the OK button again.

10. Click the Close button.

11. Click the Restart Now button.

After you complete the steps, the computer will reboot, and upon restart, it’ll start using the name.

Change PC name using Command Prompt on Windows 10

To change your PC name on Windows 10 using Command Prompt, use these steps:

1. Open Start.

2. Search for Command Prompt, right-click the top result, and select the Run as administrator option.

3. Type the following command to reveal the current device name and press Enter:

   hostname

4. Type the following command to rename the Windows 10 PC name and press Enter:

   WMIC computersystem where caption='CURRENT-PC-NAME' rename 'NEWPCNAME'

   Quick note: Make sure to update the command with your information, and you should use double quotation marks, or single quotation marks, on the caption switch, and even more important when you’re using a hyphenated name.

   

5. Type the following command to restart the device and press Enter:

   shutdown -r -t 00

Once you complete the steps, the changes will apply after restarting the computer.

Change PC name using PowerShell on Windows 10

To change a Windows 10 PC name with PowerShell, use these steps:

1. Open Start.

2. Search for PowerShell, right-click the top result, and select the Run as administrator option.

3. Type the following command to reveal the current PC name and press Enter:

   Rename-Computer -NewName "NEW-PC-NAME"

   

4. Type the following command to restart the device and press Enter:

   Restart-Computer

After you complete the steps, the computer will restart to apply the changes.

While renaming a desktop computer, laptop, or tablet using the Settings app only works on Windows 10, you can use the System Properties and Command Prompt, and even PowerShell to change the name of a device all major releases of the operating system, including Windows 10, Windows 8.1, Windows 7 and other versions.

Update July 1, 2020: This guide was originally published in September 2016, and it’s been revised to reflect changes on Windows 10.

Is this article up to date?

There are plenty of reasons to change your computer’s name — especially if you bought it directly from a manufacturer and it’s named something generic like «windows-user-pc» or «TUF000445811EE». If you want to connect computers through a homegroup, or just be able to recognize which computers are on your network, changing your computer’s name to something more descriptive is definitely helpful.

Or maybe you just want to name your computer something cool — add a personal touch. I name all my computers after figures from Greek mythology. I also name my cars.

Before Windows 10, changing your computer’s name was complicated. Well, not so much complicated as hidden inside the Control Panel in the System Properties windows. While you can still change your computer’s name in System Properties (we’ll show you how), Windows 10 has made it much simpler by putting it in the new Settings menu.

Here’s the easy way to change your computer’s name:

1. Open Settings and go to System > About.

2. In the About menu, you should see the name of your computer next to PC name and a button that says Rename PC. Click this button.

3. Type the new name for your computer. You can use letters, numbers and hyphens — no spaces. Then click Next.

4. A window will pop up asking if you want to restart your computer now or later. If you want to change to the new name immediately, click Restart now to restart your computer. If you don’t want to restart your computer right this second, click Restart later. Your computer’s name will be updated the next time you restart it.

If you’d rather change your computer’s name in the Control Panel, or if you’re running an older version of Windows, here’s how to do that:

1. Right-click on the Start button and click Control Panel.

2. Navigate to System and either click Advanced system settings in the left-hand menu or click Change settings under Computer name, domain, and workgroup settings. This will open the System Properties window.

3. In the System Properties window, click the Computer Name tab. You’ll see the message, «To rename this computer, click Change.» Click Change…

4. Type the new name for your computer and click OK. A window will pop up telling you that you must restart your computer before the changes can be applied. Click OK. This will not restart your computer.

5. A new window will pop up asking if you would like to restart your computer now or later. Click Restart Now to restart your computer immediately. If you’re not ready to restart, click Restart Later to do it later, at your leisure.