How to Rename Your Mac Hard Drive

By default, Apple names the internal storage drive of every single Mac computer “Macintosh HD”. If you have multiple Macs connected to the same network, or if you regularly plug in external backup drives, having everything named “Macintosh HD” can become confusing very quickly.

Renaming your primary hard drive is completely safe. It does not corrupt your files, break your applications, or confuse the macOS operating system (macOS internally relies on hidden UUID numbers, not the cosmetic name you give the drive).

How to Rename the Drive from the Desktop

If you can see the hard drive icon sitting on your desktop wallpaper, renaming it takes two seconds.

1. Click once on the Macintosh HD icon on your desktop to highlight it.
2. Press the Return (Enter) key on your keyboard. The text underneath the icon will highlight in blue.
3. Type the new name you want to use (for example, “San’s MacBook” or “Main Drive”).
4. Press Return again to save the change.

Because you are renaming the foundational drive of the computer, macOS will likely prompt you for your administrator password (or ask for Touch ID) to authorize the change.

How to Rename the Drive using Finder

If you don’t keep hard drive icons on your desktop, you can easily rename the drive from any Finder window.

1. Open a new Finder window.
2. Look at the left-hand sidebar. Under the “Locations” section, you will see your computer’s name (e.g., “MacBook Pro”). Click on it.
3. In the main window, you will see your internal drive, currently named Macintosh HD.
4. Click the icon once to select it.
5. Press the Return key.
6. Type your new name and press Return.
7. Enter your administrator password to confirm.

How to Make the Hard Drive Show Up on the Desktop

If you are trying to use the first method but you don’t see any icons on your desktop, you simply have a setting turned off.

1. Click anywhere on your blank desktop wallpaper so the word “Finder” appears in the top-left menu bar next to the Apple logo.
2. Click Finder and select Settings (or Preferences).
3. Click on the General tab at the top of the window.
4. Under the section labeled “Show these items on the desktop,” check the box next to Hard disks.

Your newly renamed hard drive will immediately appear in the top-right corner of your screen.