How to Change Your Computer Name in Windows 11

Personalising Your PC on a Local Network

When you first install Windows 11 on a new PC, or when you buy a laptop directly from a retailer, Microsoft automatically assigns the machine a completely random, alphanumeric name (such as “DESKTOP-X74F9B”). While this random string of letters works perfectly fine for the operating system, it becomes incredibly confusing when you try to interact with the PC on a local network.

If you are trying to share a folder across your house, connect a wireless printer, cast a video to a smart TV, or use Microsoft’s “Your Phone” app, you will have to identify your specific PC from a list of connected devices. Finding “Jane’s Laptop” or “Gaming-Desktop” is infinitely easier than trying to remember a random ten-character code.

Changing your computer name takes less than a minute and requires only a simple restart to apply the changes across the entire network.

How to Change the PC Name Using Settings

The fastest and most user-friendly way to rename your computer is through the modern Windows 11 Settings app.

1. Click the Start button on your taskbar and select the Settings icon (the gear). Alternatively, you can press the Windows Key + I on your keyboard to open Settings instantly.
2. Ensure you are on the System tab in the left-hand sidebar.
3. At the very top of the right-hand panel, you will see a large icon representing your PC, along with its current (likely confusing) name.
4. Directly beneath that name, click the blue button labelled Rename.
5. A small blue window will pop up. Type your new desired computer name into the text box.
6. Click the Next button.

Windows will verify that the name is valid. Once accepted, you will see a prompt informing you that the PC must be restarted to apply the new name. Click Restart now to finish the process, or Restart later if you are currently working on a document.

Important Naming Rules

When typing your new computer name, you must follow Microsoft’s strict network naming conventions. If you violate these rules, the “Next” button will be greyed out, and you will not be able to proceed:

• The name cannot contain any spaces (use hyphens instead, e.g., “Home-Office-PC”).
• The name must be less than 15 characters long.
• You cannot use special characters (like @, #, !, *, or ?).
• The name cannot consist entirely of numbers (e.g., “12345” is invalid, but “PC-12345” is fine).

Alternative Method: Using the About Menu

If the quick “Rename” button at the top of the Settings app is missing (which occasionally happens on older builds of Windows 11 or heavily restricted corporate machines), you can still access the renaming tool from the About page.

1. Open the Settings app (Windows Key + I).
2. Click on the System tab.
3. Scroll to the absolute bottom of the page and click on About.
4. In the “Device specifications” section, you will see your current device name listed alongside your processor and RAM information.
5. Click the Rename this PC button located right next to the specifications list.
6. Type your new name, click Next, and restart your computer.

Once the PC reboots, the new name will instantly broadcast across your local Wi-Fi network, making file sharing and Bluetooth pairing significantly easier.