February 28, 2023

4 Default Names You Can Change on Your Mac

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Your Mac sets default names for itself and connected peripherals, but you can change them if needed. Here’s how.

When you set up a Mac for the first time or connect a new device, it automatically gives a default name for printers, AirDrop, networking, and more. Usually, these default names are fine for the life of our computer.

However, you may want to personalize your Mac and manually change a few of these names. So, we’ll show you four places where you can add a custom name on your Mac and touch on why you may want to do so.

1. Change Your Printers Name

Whenever you add a printer to your Mac, it will name that printer by its brand and model number. This can become confusing if you use multiple printers from the same manufacturer. It becomes even more confusing if you use the same printer model number in two different locations, such as at home and at work.

Once you install a printer, it’s easy to go in and change the printer’s name to anything you want. To change the printer’s name, open System Settings and click on Printers & Scanners at the bottom. Here, you’ll see a list of all the printers added to your machine. Click on any printer in the list, and you will get a pop-up window. Now, you can change the printer’s name to whatever you want.

2. Change Your Mac’s Name and Airdrop Identity

When you set up a new Mac for the first time, it will usually default to your name as the computer’s name. For example, if your name is David, your MacBook Pro’s default name would be ‘David’s MacBook Pro.’

Your Mac’s name is also your Airdrop identity. So, if you use multiple Macs at home or work, this can become confusing. It’s usually a better practice to name a computer with something more unique.

To change your Mac’s name, open System Settings from the Apple menu and click General from the left pane. Then, choose About. Here, you will be able to change the name of your Mac in the Name field.

3. Change Your Mac’s Hostname

Your Mac’s hostname is its unique name on your home or work network. The default hostname for your computer will be your Mac’s name, followed by .local. It’s possible for your network to become confused if you install a second Mac with the same hostname. This can occur if you replace a Mac on your network and keep the old computer to use in a different location.

For instance, if you have a Mac mini in your kitchen and name it ‘Kitchen,’ you will have two computers on your home network with the same hostname if you buy a second Mac mini later and install it in your kitchen under the same name. In this case, you will want to go in and alter your Mac’s hostname.

To change your hostname, open System Settings, go to General, and click on Sharing. Scroll all the way to the bottom, and you’ll find an Edit button to edit the local hostname.

4. Change the Name of Your Mouse or Keyboard

When you install a Bluetooth device on your Mac, such as a keyboard or mouse, it will show up in the Bluetooth section of System Settings under their model number name. But there may be circumstances when you use more than one mouse or keyboard with your Mac.

For example, you may have a travel laptop you commonly use with different peripherals. And this can get very confusing. Fortunately, you can go into your Bluetooth settings and rename your devices to anything you choose.

To rename your devices go to System Settings and click on Bluetooth. You can then Control-click (or right-click) on any connected device and rename it to anything you like. You can also use this to rename your AirPods.

Personalize Your Mac and Its Peripherals

Customization can be a great way to make your computer your own. It can also be an important necessity when problems arise. While Apple makes your life easy with all its default names when you set up your Mac or connect new peripherals, you will be thankful that it has also given you the ability to change them if needed.

Reference: https://www.makeuseof.com/default-names-to-change-on-mac/

Ref: makeuseof

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