How to Rename a Printer

Knowing how to rename a printer is one of those small but genuinely practical skills that pays off every time you print something. By default, most printers arrive with long, unwieldy manufacturer names — think "EPSON ET-4850 Series" or "HP LaserJet Pro M404dn (Copy 2)" — that make it hard to pick the right device from a dropdown list. Renaming your printer gives it a clear, recognizable label that saves confusion, especially in shared offices or homes with several devices. Whether you're running Windows 10, Windows 11, or macOS, this guide walks you through every reliable method, plus tips for network printers and common troubleshooting fixes. For a full overview of compatible hardware, visit our printer reviews and guides.

Why Renaming Your Printer Matters

Most people never think about printer names until something goes wrong — they send a job to the wrong device, or a new employee can't figure out which printer is which. A well-chosen printer name solves these problems before they start. Here are the main scenarios where knowing how to rename a printer makes a real difference:

• Multiple printers on one network: When several printers share a Wi-Fi or Ethernet network, generic names are nearly indistinguishable. Naming them "Office Color Laser" and "Reception Mono" instantly tells users which one to select. This is especially important if you've already set up a printer shared across multiple computers.
• Replacing an old device: If you swap out a printer for a newer model, keeping the same custom name means users don't need to update their saved preferences or relearn which device to pick.
• Home office clarity: Home users with both a photo printer and a document printer benefit from clear labels like "Photo Printer" and "Document Printer."
• Scripting and automation: IT administrators who use scripts to route print jobs rely on stable, predictable printer names. Consistent naming conventions prevent broken workflows.

Beyond convenience, a clear naming scheme is also good for security. When you can identify every device on your network at a glance, unauthorized or unfamiliar devices stand out immediately. If you haven't already, it's worth reviewing how to secure your wireless printer on a home network alongside these naming steps.

How to Rename a Printer on Windows

Windows offers three methods for renaming a printer: the modern Settings app, the classic Control Panel, and the Registry Editor for advanced users. The first two are interchangeable for most situations; the Registry method is only necessary in edge cases where the standard interfaces fail.

Using the Settings App (Windows 10 & 11)

1. Press Win + I to open Settings.
2. Go to Bluetooth & devices (Windows 11) or Devices (Windows 10).
3. Click Printers & scanners.
4. Select the printer you want to rename.
5. Click Printer properties (Windows 11) or open the printer and click Manage > Printer properties (Windows 10).
6. On the General tab, the very first field at the top contains the printer name. Clear it and type your preferred name.
7. Click Apply, then OK.

The new name takes effect immediately. If you're printing over a network, connected computers may still display the old name until they refresh their printer list or reconnect.

Using Control Panel

1. Open Control Panel (search for it in the Start menu).
2. Click Hardware and Sound > Devices and Printers.
3. Right-click your printer and select Printer properties.
4. On the General tab, edit the name field at the top.
5. Click Apply, then OK.

This method works identically on Windows 10 and Windows 11 and is often faster for users who keep Control Panel pinned to the taskbar.

Using the Registry Editor (Advanced)

If the name field is locked in Printer Properties — which can happen with some manufacturer-managed drivers — you can rename the printer directly in the Windows Registry. Back up your registry before proceeding.

1. Press Win + R, type regedit, and press Enter.
2. Navigate to: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print\Printers
3. Expand the list to find the folder matching your printer's current name.
4. Right-click the printer folder and choose Rename.
5. Type the new name and press Enter.
6. Restart the Print Spooler service (open Services, find Print Spooler, right-click > Restart) or reboot the computer.

This approach directly edits the system record, so use it only when the standard methods fail. Microsoft's Windows print driver documentation covers driver-level naming rules if you need deeper technical context.

How to Rename a Printer on macOS

macOS handles printer names in two places: System Settings (or System Preferences on older versions) and the CUPS web interface. The built-in interface is easiest; CUPS is useful for network printers or when you want to set a separate queue name.

Via System Settings or System Preferences

1. Open System Settings (macOS Ventura and later) or System Preferences (earlier versions).
2. Click Printers & Scanners.
3. Select the printer in the left-hand list.
4. Double-click the printer's name directly in the list — it becomes an editable text field.
5. Type the new name and press Return.

On some macOS versions you may need to click the printer name once, pause, then click again to trigger the rename field. If you've recently added your printer, see our guide on how to install a Brother printer on Mac for setup context that applies to the rename workflow as well.

Using the CUPS Web Interface

CUPS (Common Unix Printing System) is the underlying print engine macOS uses. Its web interface exposes advanced options including queue renaming:

1. Open Safari or any browser and go to http://localhost:631.
2. Click the Printers tab.
3. Select your printer, then choose Modify Printer from the Administration dropdown.
4. You may be prompted for your macOS admin credentials.
5. Work through the wizard — on the first page, update the Name field.
6. Click Modify Printer to save.

Note that CUPS renames the print queue, which controls how the printer appears to applications. The name shown in System Settings updates to match once macOS refreshes its printer list.

How to Rename a Network or Shared Printer

Network printers add a layer of complexity because the name may be stored in two places: on the host computer sharing the printer, and on the printer's own firmware interface. Both may need updating for the change to propagate across all connected devices.

Renaming a Shared Printer on Windows

1. On the host computer (the one physically connected to the printer), follow the Windows Settings or Control Panel steps above to rename the printer.
2. Open Printer Properties and switch to the Sharing tab.
3. Update the Share name field to match or complement your new device name.
4. Click Apply.
5. On any client computers, remove and re-add the printer to pick up the new share name, or simply right-click the printer in Devices and Printers and rename it locally — this changes only the display name on that machine and won't affect other users.

Using the Printer's Embedded Web Server

Most modern network printers include an embedded web server (EWS) accessible via the printer's IP address. This is the authoritative place to set the printer's hostname — the name that appears when other devices discover it via Bonjour, WSD, or SNMP.

1. Find the printer's IP address from its control panel, a configuration page printout, or your router's device list. Our guide on how to find your printer's MAC address covers the configuration page method in detail.
2. Enter the IP address in a browser (e.g., http://192.168.1.45).
3. Log in with the admin credentials (often "admin" / "admin" or blank by default — check your printer's manual).
4. Look for a Network, TCP/IP, or General settings page.
5. Update the Device Name or Hostname field.
6. Save and allow the printer to reboot if prompted.

After updating the hostname, other devices on the network that discover the printer via mDNS/Bonjour will see the new name the next time they browse for printers.

Rename Method Comparison by Platform

The table below summarizes the main approaches, their requirements, and which scenarios each one suits best.

Troubleshooting Printer Rename Problems

Even a straightforward rename can sometimes run into obstacles. Here are the two most common issues and how to fix them.

Name Field Is Greyed Out

If the name text box in Printer Properties is not editable, one of the following is usually responsible:

• Insufficient permissions: Make sure you're logged in as an administrator, or right-click the shortcut you used to open Devices and Printers and choose "Run as administrator."
• Manufacturer management software: Some HP, Canon, and Epson utilities install a management layer that locks the display name. Temporarily disabling the vendor software, renaming the printer through the Registry, then re-enabling the software is the most reliable workaround.
• Group Policy restriction: In corporate environments, a domain Group Policy may block printer renaming for standard users. Contact your IT department if this applies.

Name Keeps Reverting After Restart

If your rename sticks temporarily but resets after a reboot, the likely cause is driver reinstallation. Some printer drivers re-register themselves with Windows at startup, overwriting any custom name. The fix:

1. Update the printer driver to the latest version from the manufacturer's website — older drivers are more likely to reset names on startup.
2. If the driver is already current, use the Registry method described above; driver re-registration tends to respect names set directly in the registry.
3. Alternatively, use the embedded web server to set the hostname there — that name is device-level and persists independently of driver updates on the host computer.

Best Practices for Printer Naming

A consistent naming convention makes managing printers far easier, particularly as your setup grows. Consider these guidelines when deciding how to rename a printer:

• Use location + function: Names like "Kitchen-Photo" or "Office-LaserMono" tell users where the printer is and what it does — the two things people need to know most.
• Keep it short: Long names get truncated in print dialogs. Aim for 20 characters or fewer.
• Avoid special characters: Some operating systems and network protocols handle spaces or symbols inconsistently. Use hyphens instead of spaces and stick to alphanumeric characters where possible.
• Match the share name to the device name: If you share a printer over a network, keeping the Windows share name and the device name identical reduces confusion for users browsing the network.
• Document your naming scheme: In offices with more than two or three printers, a simple spreadsheet noting each printer's name, location, IP address, and model number prevents a lot of head-scratching when something needs to be reconfigured.
• Revisit after firmware updates: Printer firmware updates sometimes reset the hostname set via the embedded web server. After any major update, verify the device name is still as expected.

Good naming habits go hand in hand with other printer housekeeping. If you manage several machines, it's also worth reviewing how to change printer settings on Mac to ensure each device's defaults are configured correctly after any rename or reconfiguration.

Frequently Asked Questions