How Do I Change a Network Name in Windows 11?
Windows assigns a name to each network by default: Ethernet, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, etc. While renaming the network doesn’t change anything but its title, it could make it easier for you to identify the network. There are a few ways to change it if you prefer to locate your various network adapters by a custom name. The easiest way is through Settings. But you can also use Control Panel or even Registry Editor.
Use Windows Settings to Change Network Name in Windows 11
There’s a simple Rename option for your network adapters in Settings. It’s the method we suggest using since it’s by far the easiest to understand.
Use the Control Panel to Change Network Name in Windows 11
Another way to change the network name is through Control Panel. You might be more familiar with this method as this is how it’s been done in previous versions of Windows.
Use the Registry Editor to Change Network Name in Windows 11
This third method is the more complicated and dangerous way to change the network name in Windows 11. If you like to work in the Windows Registry or need to know what to change to build a script to edit a network name, these steps are for you.
Why Would You Rename a Network?
Depending on the software you have installed, Windows 11 might have a list of several networks. The default network names are sometimes helpful, but renaming them makes identification easier when they’re not. For example, maybe you have a few networks going by Ethernet, Ethernet 2, and Ethernet 3, or software-specific ones, like VMware Network Adapter VMnet1, VMware Network Adapter VMnet8, and VirtualBox Host-Only Network #2. You can see just how quickly this could get out of hand the more you use your computer and install new apps. Not only are those network names an eyesore, but differentiating them at a glance is more complicated than it needs to be. Changing the name of a network doesn’t do anything except change the way you see it.
Changing the Wi-Fi Network Name
You can also rename your Wi-Fi network (i.e., the SSID people see when connecting to your network). However, you need access to the router controlling Wi-Fi; you can’t do it from Windows. See this guide on changing the Wi-Fi name (SSID) on your router if you need help.
