How to Rename Your PC in Windows 11 Properly

The Easy Way to Change Your PC Name in Windows 11 (Finally Figured It Out)

If you’re here, chances are you’ve just got a new Windows 11 device or you’re fed up with that strange default name it came with. Honestly, changing your PC’s name isn’t complicated — but hunting down where to do it can be a bit of a hassle. I’ve gone through this more times than I care to admit, and what finally made it click was poking around in all the menus and trying a few commands until I nailed it. So, here’s the real deal — what actually works, no fluff, no fluff.

Method 1: Renaming Your PC via Windows Settings

This is probably the simplest way—if you’re comfortable clicking through menus. Windows 11 has a dedicated spot for this tucked away in the Settings app. On my older ASUS, it was hidden in the “Device info” section under About, so don’t be surprised if it’s not immediately obvious. Just look for the Rename this PC button in Settings > System > About.

How I finally got it to work:

1. Press Win + I to open Settings (or click the Start menu and select Settings). Not always the fastest on some machines, but it’s the usual shortcut.
2. Scroll down to System, then click on About. Sometimes it’s hidden under “Advanced options” depending on your build. If you don’t see it, just type “About” into the search box at the top of Settings.
3. In Device specifications, click on the Rename this PC button. It’s a bit small and easy to overlook, so take your time. Click on it.
4. Type your new name — keep it simple, avoid wild characters or really long names — Windows can be a bit picky. Once you’ve got it right, hit Next.
5. It’ll prompt you to Restart now. Yes, your PC will reboot—it’s normal. After the restart, the new name should appear on your login screen and in system info.

Why do we need to restart? Well, Windows prefers a reboot to fully apply hostname changes. I’ve tried skipping this step, and sometimes the name wouldn’t update properly without a restart or two. If you want it to stick, just trust me — wait for the restart to complete.

Method 2: Control Panel — The Classic Approach

If clicking around in Settings feels a bit fiddly or if you like the old-school way, Control Panel still does the job. I find it a bit more reliable sometimes, especially on older systems. Plus, it feels more straightforward. The key is to get into System Properties.

Steps to follow:

1. Search for Advanced System Settings — either type it into the search bar (Win + S) or navigate through Control Panel. Sometimes it takes a few tries because Windows search isn’t perfect.
2. Click on the first result to open System Properties. If it doesn’t open immediately, go to Control Panel > System and Security > System, then find the Computer Name tab.
3. On this tab, click Change… next to To rename this computer, click Change. The button might be hidden if your window’s too small, so maximise or resize if needed.
4. Enter your new name — keep it sensible, and avoid strange symbols; Windows can get fussy.
5. Click OK. It will usually prompt for a restart — sometimes automatically, sometimes you’ll have to do it manually. Either way, a reboot is necessary to apply the change.

Tip: If the name doesn’t update straight away after reboot, try opening Command Prompt or PowerShell and running some commands to check. Windows sometimes caches the hostname and needs a refresh.

Method 3: PowerShell — For Command Line Enthusiasts

If you’re into scripting or want a quick way to do it, PowerShell makes this dead easy. I mainly use PowerShell when doing bulk changes or managing multiple devices. Just a couple of commands, and you’re done. It might look intimidating at first, but once you get the hang of it — super handy.

How I do it:

1. Open PowerShell as Administrator — right-click the Start button or press Windows + X and select Windows PowerShell (Admin). Grant the UAC prompt by clicking Yes.
2. Type the following command, replacing NewNameHere with your preferred name:

Rename-Computer -NewName "NewNameHere" -Restart

Adding -Restart will restart your PC automatically after renaming. Omit it if you prefer to restart manually later.

3. Hit Enter. The system will process the change and reboot if you included the restart flag — it’s quick. Just make sure to save any open work first!

This is my go-to method — once I’ve got the command bookmarked, it’s a breeze. Especially useful for bulk renaming or scripting.

Method 4: Command Prompt — The Old Reliable

If you prefer the good old Command Prompt, it’s still doable. Not as user-friendly these days, and it’s easy to make mistakes if you’re not careful with quotes or permissions. But it works.

The steps:

1. Search for CMD, right-click, then select Run as administrator. You need admin privileges for this.
2. Type this command, replacing CurrentName and NewName:

wmic computersystem where caption="CurrentName" rename "NewName"

To find your current PC name, just run hostname in Command Prompt first.

3. Press Enter. You’ll probably need to restart to see the new name take effect.

Watch out for typos — it’s not forgiving. If your PC is on a domain, there might be extra steps required, or this method might not work at all.

Final Tips

Changing your Windows 11 PC’s name isn’t some secret trick — it’s more about knowing where Windows keeps that option. I usually go with the Settings approach because it’s straightforward and less prone to messing up. Command-line options like PowerShell are faster if you’re comfortable with the commands, but sometimes they require a bit of troubleshooting if things don’t update immediately. Always reboot after making the change — Windows likes to take its sweet time applying hostname updates.

Hopefully, this saves you a lot of mucking around. It took me ages to find all the hidden spots, so hopefully, this helps someone else avoid the hassle. Good luck renaming your PC!