Where to find and change your AirDrop name

Your AirDrop name is the label that appears to other people when they look for devices to send files to. By default, macOS uses your computer name — often something like "David's MacBook Pro" — but you can change it to anything you want. The setting lives in System Settings under the General tab, and the change takes effect when ready.

Open System Settings (the gear icon in your dock or Applications folder). Click General in the left sidebar, then scroll down and click About. At the top of the About window, you'll see a field labeled Computer Name. This is the name that appears in AirDrop. Click into that field, delete the current text, type your new name, and press Enter. That's it — your AirDrop name has changed.

The new name shows up when ready on your device and to anyone nearby who has AirDrop turned on. You don't need to restart your Mac or toggle AirDrop off and on. If you're not seeing the change reflected on someone else's device right away, they may need to close and reopen their AirDrop window, but usually it appears within a few seconds.

Key Takeaways

  • Your AirDrop name is your computer name, found in System Settings > General > About under the Computer Name field.
  • You can change it to any text you want, and the change takes effect when ready without restarting.
  • The new name appears to other people as soon as they refresh their AirDrop window, usually within seconds.
  • If you want to hide from AirDrop entirely, you can set it to "Receiving Off" instead of changing the name.

Why you might want to change your AirDrop name

The default computer name can be impersonal or reveal information you'd rather keep private. If your Mac is named "David's MacBook Pro", anyone nearby with AirDrop on will see that name and know a device belonging to someone named David is in the area. Changing it to something generic like "My Mac" or a nickname removes that detail.

You might also want to change it for clarity in a shared space. If you work in an office where multiple people have similar MacBook models, a descriptive name like "Design Studio Mac" or "Conference Room Laptop" makes it obvious which device is which when people are sending files around.

What characters and length work best

Your AirDrop name can be up to 63 characters long, but shorter names are easier to spot in a list. You can use letters, numbers, spaces, and most punctuation marks. Avoid special characters like @ or # — they may cause confusion or display oddly on other devices.

Keep in mind that your computer name also appears in other places: in Finder windows, on your network, and in some system dialogs. If you use a name that's too casual or contains inside jokes, it will show up in those places too. Choose something you're comfortable with in a professional or family setting.

Turning AirDrop off if you don't want to be seen

If you don't want to receive AirDrop requests at all, you can disable it rather than just changing the name. Open Finder, click AirDrop in the sidebar (or go to Finder > Go > AirDrop), and look at the bottom of the window. You'll see a dropdown that says "Allow me to be discovered by". Set it to No One to turn off AirDrop entirely, or choose Contacts Only if you want to receive files only from people in your Contacts app.

When AirDrop is set to "No One", you won't appear in anyone else's AirDrop list, and you won't see other devices either. You can still send files to others if you open AirDrop yourself, but incoming requests will be blocked. This is useful in crowded spaces like airports or coffee shops where you want privacy.

Checking your AirDrop name on other devices

If you want to see what your AirDrop name looks like to other people, ask someone with an iPhone, iPad, or another Mac to open their AirDrop menu and look for your device. On iPhone or iPad, swipe up from the bottom to open Control Center, long-press the Connectivity tile, and tap AirDrop. On another Mac, open Finder and click AirDrop in the sidebar. Your device should appear in their list with the name you set.

If you don't see your Mac in their list, check that AirDrop is turned on (set to "Everyone" or "Contacts Only", not "No One") and that both devices are within Bluetooth range — usually 30 feet or closer. Also make sure Wi-Fi is on, even if you're not connected to a network, because AirDrop uses Wi-Fi to transfer files.

Changing your name back to the default

If you want to revert to the original computer name, go back to System Settings > General > About and look at the Computer Name field. Apple doesn't store the original name anywhere, but you can usually figure out what it was: it's typically "[Your Name]'s [Mac Model]" — for example, "Sarah's MacBook Air" or "James's Mac mini". Type that format back in, or choose any name you prefer.

There's no "reset to default" button, so you have to type the new name manually. If you're not sure what the original was, you can leave it as whatever you've changed it to — there's no penalty for using a custom name, and you can change it again anytime.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does changing my computer name affect anything else on my Mac?

Yes. Your computer name appears in Finder windows, on your local network, in some system dialogs, and in AirDrop. Changing it updates all of those places at once. It won't break anything, but people on your home or work network will see the new name when they browse for shared files or printers.

Can I use emoji in my AirDrop name?

Yes, emoji work fine in your computer name and will display correctly in AirDrop. Just keep in mind that the name also shows up in other system places, so choose emoji that make sense in a professional context if needed.

Why isn't my new AirDrop name showing up on other people's devices?

The most common reason is that they haven't refreshed their AirDrop window since you changed the name. Ask them to close and reopen AirDrop. Also check that your Mac's AirDrop is set to "Everyone" or "Contacts Only" in Finder > AirDrop, not "No One". Both devices need to be within Bluetooth range and have Wi-Fi on.

Can I have a different name for AirDrop than for my computer?

No. AirDrop uses your computer name, and there's no separate setting for AirDrop only. If you want a different identity in AirDrop, you have to change your computer name, which will update it everywhere on your Mac.