How to Change the Network Name on a Windows Computer

While we often connect to different networks on our computers, not many people know how to change the network name in Windows 10. So, if you're looking for ways to change the network name in Windows 10 and don't know-how, worry not.

If you're using Windows 10, you can change your network name by following the steps outlined in this article. In this piece, we'll share two methods to rename your network, so be sure to read through the entire content to determine which method suits you best.

Why would you want to change your Windows 10 computer's network name?

There are many benefits to changing the network name of your Windows computer, especially if you connect to multiple different internet connections frequently. Every time you connect your computer to a Wi-Fi or local area network (LAN) (read more about LANs here), these networks assign a specific network name that you can see in the Connectivity dialog box.

How to Change a Network Name

There are two ways to change your network name in Windows 10, and which one you use will depend on your version of Windows. If you're using Home, you'll need to use the Windows Registry. If you're using Pro, Education, or Enterprise, you can use the Local Security Policy instead to access the Change Network Name option in Windows 10.

• Method 1: Using the Windows Registry
• Method 2: Using Local Security Policy

Method 1: Using the Windows Registry

If you're using Windows 10 Home, here's how to change your network name.

1. Press the ⊞ Win key or click the search bar, then type regedit.msc. You'll see the "Registry Editor" app appear in the search results.

Step 2: Once the application is open, click on "Computer" in the left pane of the window.

Step 3: Next, look for a folder named “HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE.” Click on it when you find it.

Step 4. You need to find the “SOFTWARE” folder and click on it.

Step 5: Inside this folder, you'll see several subfolders. Look for one named "Microsoft" and click on it.

In the Microsoft folder, navigate to the folder named “WindowsNT” and open it.

Step 6: In this folder, look for another folder named "CurrentVersion." Click on it when you find it.

In the "CurrentVersion" folder, find the "NetworkList" folder. Click it to open, then navigate to the "Profiles" folder.

Step 7. Inside the “Profiles” folder, you'll see a number of folders named with parentheses. Each of these folders corresponds to a network that your computer has connected to in the past.

To rename a specific network, you would click on these folders until you find the one that corresponds to the network you want to rename.

In our example, the fourth folder within the Profiles folder is the network we want to rename.

Step 9. In this folder, you'll see a file named "ProfileName" at the bottom of the list, where ProfileName stands for the current name of your network. Right-click on the "ProfileName" file to rename it if you want to change your network's name.

This will open the “Edit String” dialog. In this dialog, click inside the “Value data” text box and type in the name you want to use for this network.

Edit String

Method 2: Use the Local Security Policy

If you're using Windows 10 Pro, Enterprise, or Education, you can't change your computer name through the Registry Editor. On these versions of Windows 10, you'll need to use the Local Security Policy to change your computer name instead.

Step 1: First, search for secpol.msc in the Windows search bar and open the Local Security Policy.

**Step 2.** In the Local Security Policy, you need to click on "Security Settings." Under this, you will see a folder called "Network List Manager Policies." When you click this folder, you will see a list of networks that your computer has connected to.

Step 3: Next, locate the network you wish to rename and click on it. A pop-up dialog box will appear, displaying the connection's properties. In this dialog box, on the "Network Name" tab, type your new network name in the text box under "Name."

4. After typing in your new network name, just click “OK,” and your computer will display the network with its new name.

Conclusions

In this article, we discuss the methods you can use to change the network name on a Windows 10 computer. If you're using Windows 10 Home, you can accomplish this by using the Registry Editor. If you're using Windows 10 Pro, Enterprise, or Education, you can use the Local Security Policy to change the network name.