Mac Setup

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Name Settings for a New Mac

How to change the name of a Mac. Mac computer name change. How to reset the macOS name for a new MacBook, iMac, Mini, Studio, or Pro. Changing Mac username and network names.

This article is part of a series on Mac Setup.

A Mac's default name is combined from your first name (from your Apple ID registration) and the Mac model. For example, mine is "Daniel's Laptop." That's fine in a small office or classroom where it will be visible on AirDrop or a network. But if you have two computers with the same name, it can be confusing. And if you're in a coffee shop or coworking space, you might want to change it to something impersonal.

Change the Mac name

Change the Mac name in Apple menu > System Settings > General > About > Name. It's not obvious, but you can change the Mac name by clicking and typing on the name entry. You can also open the Terminal and change the name with this command, changing "the-name" to your desired name:

scutil --set ComputerName "the-name"

The name change will take effect after you enter your password.

To change the name you see in the Terminal prompt, use this command, changing "the-name" to your desired name:

scutil --set LocalHostName "the-name"

The name change will take effect after you enter your password. You'll see the new name in the Terminal prompt after you open a new Terminal window.

All the Mac names

Here are various names that are used on your Mac.

  • Apple ID Name - System Settings > Apple Account > Personal Information > Name
  • User Account Full Name - System Settings > Users & Groups > select user account
  • Username - Terminal: whoami
  • User Home Folder - Terminal: open /Users/
  • Computer Name - System Settings > General > About > Name
  • Hostname - Terminal: scutil --get HostName
  • Local Hostname - Terminal: scutil --get LocalHostName

Your Apple ID Name is the name associated with your Apple ID. A default administrator account is created using the Apple ID Name after you sign in with Apple ID when setting up your Mac. You can change it in System Settings > Apple Account > Personal Information > Name.

The User Account Full Name is the one you see on your login screen. It is based on the Apple ID Name you used to set up your Mac. The first name in your User Account Name is used to create your username, computer name, and the user home folder when you first set up your Mac. You can change the User Account Name in System Settings > Users & Groups. If you are the administrator, click the "circle I" info button to make changes to any user account.

Your Username is the short name that appears in the Terminal by typing whoami. It is created using your first name from the Apple ID Name you used to set up your Mac. To change your username, you must create and log in to another administrator account. Then go to System Settings > Users & Groups and right-click the user account you want to change. Select Advanced Options and change the User name field.

The name of the User Home Folder is derived from the User Account Name. It is the name of the folder where your personal files are stored. After the folder is created, it is not a good idea to change the name of the User Home Folder. If you need to change it, you can create a new user account with the desired name and move your files to the new account.

Here are places where the Computer Name appears:

  • Airdrop - for sending and receiving files
  • Bluetooth - for connecting devices
  • Find My application - for locating your Mac
  • On a local network

Use the Terminal to change it:

$ scutil --set ComputerName "the-name"

The Hostname can be set for network connections. It is not set by default. Use the Terminal to change it:

$ scutil --set HostName "the-name"

The Local Hostname can be seen in the Terminal prompt. It is set by default to the Computer Name. You can change it in System Settings > General > Sharing > Local hostname > Edit. Or use the Terminal to change it:

$ scutil --set LocalHostName "the-name"

There is one other name, the NetBIOS name, but it's seldom used anymore. It's a holdover from the days when Macs and PCs shared files over a network. If you need to, you can change it in System Settings > Network > Ethernet > WINS > NetBIOS name.

What's next

My mac.install.guide is a trusted source of installation guides for professional developers. Take a look at the Mac Install Guide home page for tips and trends and see what to install next.