When you set up your Mac for the first time, Apple automatically assigns a name to it. The names all follow an established pattern, and yours is probably called something like “Mary’s MacBook Pro” or “John’s MacBook Air.”
Although you might not realize it, it’s possible to change that name to anything you want. It’s easy to do, but the necessary system setting isn’t so easy to find. Let’s take a closer look at where it is and how to change it.
Why Your Mac’s Name Matters
Your computer’s name is most commonly used for networking and sharing. For example, if you have shared a file with other users over your local network, they will see your computer’s name on their own machines.
Similarly, if you want to send files or cast a video to your Mac using AirPlay (or one of the many Airplay alternatives), you’ll need to know your Mac’s name to send the data to the correct machine.
Therefore, you need your Mac to be quickly and easily identifiable. If two or more machines on your network have a similar name, perhaps it would make more sense to rename them as “Office Desktop,” “Lounge Laptop,” and “Shirley’s Workstation” instead.
How to Change Your Mac’s Name
To change the name of your Mac, follow the simple step-by-step instructions below.
- Click on the Apple logo in the upper-left corner of the desktop and choose System Preferences from the dropdown menu.
- Locate the Sharing icon and click on it.
- At the top of the window, click on your Mac’s current name and press the Delete key to remove it.
- Now, enter your new name and then close the Sharing window to apply your changes.
Remember, changing your Mac’s name will also change its local network address. Therefore, any external apps and devices that use the address will no longer work. You will need to take the time to point them all at the new address.
Change Your Mac’s Name Effortlessly
Apple lets you change the name of your Mac with ease. Besides the fact that you’ll need to update the local network address that your external devices use to connect to your Mac, it’s a fairly straightforward procedure. Likewise, you can easily change the name of your other Apple devices, whether it’s your AirPods, iPad, or iPhone.