Device names are an often overlooked, but important, detail when setting up your devices. When you're troubleshooting your network or otherwise need to distinguish between machines, it's a lot easier when they have names like Bill's Laptop instead of COMPUTER-8319.

The same is true for printers. Windows keeps track of all printers you've connected to your PC, whether they're on your current network or not. If you have two printers with similar names, you might want to rename them so they're easier to keep track of.

How to Rename Your Printer in Windows 10

Windows 10 Change Printer Name
  1. Open the Settings app. The Windows Key + I shortcut will do this instantly.
  2. Enter the Devices category and select the Printers & scanners tab on the left.
  3. Click the printer you'd like to adjust and select Manage. If you don't see yours listed, make sure you've set your printer up correctly.
  4. On the resulting screen, select Printer properties.
  5. You'll see a new dialogue with all sorts of options for your printer. On the General tab, change the name next to the printer icon.
  6. While you're here, you can also add a Location and Comment if that helps you further distinguish printers.

How to Rename Your Printer in Windows 7 or 8.1

Windows 7 Change Printer Name
  1. Open the Control Panel by searching for it in the Start Menu.
  2. In the top-right, change View by to Small icons or Large icons if it currently says Category.
  3. Select the Devices and Printers entry.
  4. Scroll to the Printers header and find the printer you want to rename. Right-click it and choose Printer properties.
  5. You'll see the same dialog box as above, allowing you to change the printer name, location, and comments.

For more help with printers, check out the easiest ways to share printers on a network.