HomeWinBuzzer TipsHow to Change Your Computer Name in Windows 10

How to Change Your Computer Name in Windows 10

We show you how to change your PC name with Settings, Command Prompt or PowerShell to make it more easily identifiable.

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By default computer names in tend to be quite plain. By default, they tend to be ‘WIN' or ‘Desktop', followed by a string of random letters and numbers. This can make them quite difficult to identify, which leaves many wondering how to change their computer name in Windows 10.

The good news is that to rename a computer in Windows 10 is incredibly easy and there are multiple ways to do it. Doing so shouldn't have any negative effect on your system or network and is easily reversible.

Today we're going to show you how to change your computer name in Windows 10 via the settings menu, Control Panel, , and . You can return your PC back to default by noting down its name and following the steps again. Let's get started:

How to Change Computer Name via Settings

Unsurprisingly, the simplest way to change PC name in Windows 10 is via the Settings interface.

  1. Open Settings


    Press the “Start” button, then the settings cog to open Settings.

    Windows 10 - Open Settings

  2. Click the “System” icon


    Windows 10 - Settings - Open System

  3. Rename your computer in Windows 10 Settings


    Click “About” in the sidebar, then scroll down until you see “Rename this PC”. Click the button.

    Windows 10 - Settings - System - About - Rename this PC

  4. Set your Computer name


    Type the new name into the dialog box and click “Yes”. Bear in mind that you won't be able to use symbols other than a hyphen.

    Windows 10 - Settings - System - About - Rename this PC - Your PC

  5. Restart your PC


    will prompt you to restart your PC. You can do this now or later, but it's best to do it immediately so you can make sure the change has stuck.

    Windows 10 - Settings - System - About - Rename this PC - Your PC Restart Now

How to Change Computer Name in Windows 10 via Control Panel

If you prefer Windows 10's legacy interface, you can also rename your PC via the Control Panel.

  1. Open Control Panel


    Press “Start” and type “Control Panel”, then click the top result.

    Windows 10 - Open Control Panel

  2. Switch to the small icon view


    Next to the “View by:” heading in Control Panel, click the “Category” dropdown and change it to “Small icons”.

    Windows 10 - Control Panel - Small Icons Category

  3. Open System settings


    Click the “System” heading.

    Windows 10 - Control Panel - All Control Panel Items - Open System

  4. Click “Change Settings”


    Under “Computer name, domain, and workgroup settings”, click “Change settings”.

    Windows 10 - Control Panel - All Control Panel Items - System - Open Change Items

  5. Change PC name in Windows 10 Control Panel


    In the “Computer Name” tab, click “Change…”.

    Windows 10 - Control Panel - System - Change Computer Name - Ok

  6. Enter your new computer name


    Type the new label in the “Computer name” field and press “OK”.

    Windows 10 - Control Panel - System - Change Computer Name - Ok

  7. Press “OK”


    Windows 10 - Control Panel - System - Change Computer Name - Restart to Apply

  8. Click “Close”


    Windows 10 - Control Panel - System - Change Computer Name - Restart to Apply - System Properties

  9. Choose “Restart Now”


    You'll see your new name once your PC reboots.

    Windows 10 - Control Panel - System - Change Computer Name - Restart to Apply - System Properties - Restart Now

How to Change Computer Name via CMD

If you'd prefer to change computer name via the command-line, Command Prompt is also an option. This tends to be quicker and is helpful if you don't have access to a GUI, on a Windows Server install for example.

  1. Open CMD


    Press “Start” and type “cmd”, then click “Run as administrator” next to the “Command Prompt” entry.

    Windows 10 - Open An Elevated Command Prompt

  2. Enter the change computer name CMD command


    In Command Prompt, type the following and press “Enter”:

    wmic computersystem where name="%computername%" call rename="YOUR-NEW-NAME"

    Naturally, you should change Your-New-Name for your PC name of choice. You'll likely have to restart your PC for these changes to take effect.

    Windows 10 - Elevated Command Prompt - Copy and Paste the Command

How to Change Computer Name in PowerShell

Alternatively, you can use a PowerShell command to change computer name if you're more comfortable with the tool.

  1. Open PowerShell


    Press “Windows + X” to open the Start menu flyout, then click “Windows PowerShell (Admin)”.

    Windows 10 - Open PowerShell as Admin

  2. Type the PowerShell change computer name command


    Enter the following in PowerShell and press “Enter”, substituting ‘Winbuzzer-Desktop' with your preferred name.

    Rename-Computer -NewName "WINBUZZER-DESKTOP"

    Restart your PC for the changes to take effect.

    Windows 10 - Elevated PowerShell - Copy and Paste the Command

Ryan Maskell
Ryan Maskellhttps://ryanmaskell.co.uk
Ryan has had a passion for gaming and technology since early childhood. Fusing the skills from his Creative Writing and Publishing degree with profound technical knowledge, he enjoys covering news about Microsoft. As an avid writer, he is also working on his debut novel.