Change Your iPad's Name Through Settings

To change your iPad's name, open the Settings app, tap General, then tap About. At the top of the About screen, you'll see a field labeled Name with your current iPad name. Tap that field, delete the old name using the keyboard, type the new name you want, and tap Done. The change takes effect when ready.

Your iPad's name is what appears when you connect it to a computer, share files with other Apple devices, or set up AirDrop. It's also the name that shows up in your iCloud account settings. Changing it doesn't affect your data, apps, or any accounts linked to the device—it's purely a label for identification.

Key Takeaways

  • Open Settings, go to General, then About, and tap the Name field to edit your iPad's current name.
  • Your iPad's name appears when connecting to computers, using AirDrop, and in iCloud settings.
  • You can use any name you want—there's no character limit that matters for most purposes, though very long names may be truncated in some places.
  • Changing the name does not affect your data, apps, passwords, or any of your accounts.

Why Your iPad Has a Name

Every iPad gets a default name when you first set it up, usually something like "John's iPad" or "[Your Name]'s iPad." This name serves as an identifier so your device can be recognized by other devices and computers on the same network.

When you use AirDrop to send photos or files to a friend's iPhone, your iPad's name is what they see on their screen. If you back up your iPad to a Mac or PC, the computer uses this name to organize and label the backup. In your iCloud account, each device you own is listed by its name so you can tell them apart if you have multiple iPads or other Apple devices.

Choosing a New Name for Your iPad

You can name your iPad anything you want. Some people use descriptive names like "iPad Pro 12.9" or "Kitchen iPad" to remember which device it is. Others use personal names or nicknames. There's no official rule about what you can or cannot call it.

Keep in mind that if you share your iPad with family members or use it in a workplace, the name will be visible to anyone connecting to it via AirDrop or Bluetooth. Choose a name that you're comfortable with other people seeing. Also, if you plan to sell or give away your iPad later, you may want to change the name back to something generic before you hand it over.

What Happens After You Change the Name

The new name appears when ready on your iPad. If you have iCloud turned on, the change syncs to your iCloud account within a few minutes, and the updated name will show in your Apple ID settings on any other device you own.

Old backups of your iPad will still be labeled with the old name in your backup history, but new backups will use the new name. If you're connected to a Mac or PC and have iTunes or Finder open, you may need to refresh or restart the process to see the new name appear there.

If You Can't Find the Name Field

On older iPad models running very old versions of iOS, the steps may be slightly different. If you open Settings > General > About and don't see an editable Name field at the top, check that you're running a recent version of iPadOS. You can see your current version in Settings > General > About under the "Software Version" line.

If your iPad is managed by a school or workplace, the device administrator may have locked the name so it cannot be changed. In that case, you'll see the name but won't be able to tap it to edit. Contact your IT department or administrator if you need the name changed.

Renaming Your iPad on a Computer

You can also change your iPad's name from a Mac or PC. On a Mac, open Finder, click on your iPad in the sidebar under Locations, and look for the name at the top of the window. On a Windows PC with iTunes installed, select your iPad from the device list and look for the name field in the Summary tab. Both methods work the same way as changing it on the iPad itself—the change syncs back to your device.

Using a computer can be helpful if your iPad's screen is damaged or if you prefer typing on a keyboard. The name change will appear on your iPad within a few minutes once iCloud syncs the update.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use special characters or emoji in my iPad's name?

Yes, you can use letters, numbers, spaces, and most punctuation marks. Emoji work too. However, some older devices or software may not display special characters correctly, so stick with standard letters and numbers if you plan to use the iPad with older computers or devices.

Will changing my iPad's name affect my Apple ID or iCloud account?

No. Your Apple ID and iCloud account remain unchanged. The name you're changing is just a label for the device itself. Your email, password, and all account settings stay the same.

What if I forget what I named my iPad?

You can always check by opening Settings > General > About and looking at the Name field at the top. You can also see all your devices listed in iCloud settings on any Apple device, where each one displays its current name.

Can I change my iPad's name if it's locked with a passcode?

Yes. You don't need to unlock your iPad to change its name—you can do it right from the lock screen by opening Settings. However, if you've forgotten your passcode and the iPad is locked, you'll need to unlock it first before you can access Settings.