Where to find and change your Mac's computer name

Your Mac's computer name appears in Finder, on your network, and in system dialogs. To change it, open System Settings (called System Preferences on older Macs), click General in the sidebar, then select About. At the top, you'll see "Computer Name" with your current name in an editable field. Click that field, type your new name, and press Enter. The change takes effect when ready.

On older Macs running macOS Monterey or earlier, the path is slightly different: open System Preferences, click Sharing, and you'll see "Computer Name" at the top of that window. The process is the same—click the field, type, and press Enter.

Your Mac may also have a Local Hostname, which is a separate technical name used for network connections. If you change your computer name, the local hostname updates automatically, but you can edit it separately if needed. Most people never need to touch the hostname.

Key Takeaways

  • On newer Macs, go to System Settings > General > About and edit the Computer Name field directly.
  • On older Macs, the Computer Name field is in System Preferences > Sharing.
  • The change takes effect when ready and appears in Finder and on your network right away.
  • You can use spaces, numbers, and most punctuation in your computer name without problems.
  • The local hostname updates automatically when you change the computer name, but you can edit it separately if you need to.

What characters and length work best

macOS accepts most characters in a computer name, including spaces, numbers, and punctuation. A name like "Sarah's MacBook Pro" or "Home Office Mac 2" works fine. However, some older network devices or printers may have trouble with special characters like asterisks, slashes, or colons, so it's safest to stick with letters, numbers, spaces, hyphens, and apostrophes.

There's no hard limit on length, but keeping your name under 30 characters makes it easier to read in network lists and system dialogs. If you're naming a Mac that will connect to a Windows network or older devices, avoid leading or trailing spaces and keep the name straightforward.

When the change doesn't appear everywhere when ready

After you change your computer name, it shows up in Finder and System Settings right away. However, it may take a few minutes to appear in AirDrop, on your network in other apps, or on shared printers. If you're connecting to a network drive or printer and it's still showing the old name, restart the app or the device itself.

If you're on a corporate network or your Mac is managed by your workplace, you may not be able to change the computer name—it's locked by your IT administrator. In that case, System Settings will show the field but won't let you edit it. Contact your IT support team if you need the name changed.

Changing the name on a shared Mac

If multiple people use the same Mac, only an administrator account can change the computer name. If you're a standard user, you'll see the Computer Name field but won't be able to edit it. Ask whoever set up the Mac or has admin rights to make the change for you.

Each user account on the Mac has its own username (like "sarah" or "james"), which is separate from the computer name. Changing the computer name affects everyone on that Mac, but it doesn't change individual usernames or passwords.

Why you might want to change your computer name

A clear, descriptive computer name makes it easier to find your Mac on a network, especially if you have multiple Macs or share files with others. Names like "Kitchen Mac" or "Bedroom iMac" are more useful than the default "MacBook-Pro-1234" that comes from the factory. If you're setting up a new Mac or inherited one with a confusing name, renaming it takes seconds.

If you're troubleshooting network problems or setting up printers and file sharing, a straightforward name without special characters can prevent connection issues. Some older printers and network devices work more reliably with straightforward names.

Renaming your Mac for file sharing and AirDrop

When you turn on file sharing or AirDrop, your Mac's computer name is what appears to other people's devices. If your name is "Sarah's MacBook Pro," that's what shows up when someone tries to AirDrop a file to you or browse your shared folders. Changing the computer name updates this when ready—you don't need to restart file sharing or AirDrop.

If you're having trouble with AirDrop or file sharing not working, sometimes restarting your Mac or the other device helps the new name propagate across the network. But in most cases, the change is when ready.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will changing my computer name affect my files or passwords?

No. Your files, passwords, and user accounts stay exactly the same. Only the name your Mac displays on the network and in system dialogs changes. You can rename your Mac as many times as you want without any risk to your data.

Can I change my computer name back to the original?

Yes, anytime. Go back to System Settings > General > About (or System Preferences > Sharing on older Macs) and type in whatever name you want. There's no "undo" button, but you can type the old name back in if you remember it.

What's the difference between computer name and username?

Your computer name is what your Mac is called on the network and in system dialogs. Your username is your personal account name (like "sarah" or "james"). They're separate. Changing the computer name doesn't change your username or password.

Does my Mac need to restart after I change the name?

No. The change takes effect when ready. You might see a slight delay before the new name appears in AirDrop or on network devices, but a restart is not required.

Why can't I edit the computer name field?

You need an administrator account to change the computer name. If you're a standard user, the field will be locked. Ask your Mac's administrator to make the change, or contact your IT department if your Mac is managed by your workplace.