Personalizing your technology experience starts with the small details, like assigning meaningful names to your devices. If you’re using Windows 10 and want to make your printer easier to identify, you’re in the right place.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through the simple process of renaming a printer in Windows 10,
Let’s dive in and discover how easy it is to make your printer truly your own.
How to Rename a Printer on Windows 10
Option One: Rename Your Printer Via Settings
- Open the “Settings” app from the Start menu.
- Click on “Devices,” then select “Printers & scanners.”
- Find the printer you want to rename from the list of installed printers.
- Click on the printer you want to rename.
- Click the “Manage” button or right-click on the printer.
- Select “Printer properties” or “Manage.”
- In the printer properties or management window, look for a field labeled “Printer Name” or similar.
- Click on the existing name to highlight it.
- Type in the new name you want to assign to the printer.
- After entering the new name, click “Apply” or “OK” to save the changes.
- Close the printer properties or management window.
- Check the list of printers to ensure the name has been updated.
Option Two: Rename Your Printer Via Control Panel
- Click on the “Start” button and search for “Control Panel.”
- Select “Control Panel” from the search results.
- Navigate to Devices and Printers.
- In the Control Panel window, find the “Hardware and Sound” section.
- Under this section, click on “Devices and Printers.”
- You’ll see a list of connected devices, including printers: find the printer you want to rename.
- Right-click on the printer you want to rename.
- From the context menu, select “Printer properties.”
- In the printer properties window, navigate to the “General” tab.
- You’ll see a field labeled “Name” or “Printer Name.”
- Click on the existing name to highlight it and type in the new name you want to assign.
- Once you’ve entered the new name, click the “OK” button to save the changes.
- Close the printer properties window.
- Look for the updated printer name in the Devices and Printers list.
Rename Your Printer Via Command Prompt
- Press the “Windows + R” keys on your keyboard to open the Run dialog.
- Type “cmd” and press Enter to open Command Prompt.
- Type the command wmic printer list brief and press Enter: this command lists all printers installed on your system along with their names.
- Find the printer you want to rename from the list.
- Note down the exact name of the printer as shown in the “Name” column.
- Type the command wmic printer where name=’Current_Printer_Name’ call rename “New_Printer_Name”
- Replace Current_Printer_Name with the current name of your printer, and New_Printer_Name with the new name you want to assign.
- Press Enter.
- Verify the Rename:
- Type the command wmic printer list brief and press Enter again.
- Look for the printer with the new name in the list.
You can close the Command Prompt window once you’ve verified the name change.
Using Command Prompt offers a direct method to rename your printer, but ensure you enter the commands accurately. This method is recommended for users familiar with Command Prompt commands.
Also Read: Windows Command Prompt: 28 Most Useful CMD Commands [with Examples]
Rename Your Printer Via PowerShell
Windows PowerShell is similar to Command Prompt. Though less familiar than the latter, it can run pretty much every command Command Prompt can run. However, the command language used in PowerShell somewhat differs from that of Command Prompt. You can use the same language for some, but not all, Windows commands in PowerShell and CMD.
Also Read: Most Useful Powershell Commands: Cheat Sheet with Examples
To change your printer’s name through PowerShell, you need to open an elevated PowerShell window first of all. There are several ways to do this.
- Method 1: Right-click the Start menu and select Windows PowerShell (Admin) from the Power User menu. However, depending on your build of Windows 10, this option may not be available by default.
- Method 2: Press the Windows key and type “powershell”. When the app shows up, click “Run as administrator”. You can also right-click the app and select “Run as administrator”.
Once you’ve opened an elevated PowerShell window, run the following command to fetch the list of installed printers:
Get-printer | Format-List name
This will display the names of all your printers. You should easily recognize the one you want to rename. Note the name or copy it down somewhere.
The next command will rename the printer whatever you like. Make sure to follow the format of the command, as any slight deviation will render the operation unsuccessful. Here is the command you should run:
Rename-printer -NewName “New Name of Printer” -Name “Current or Old Name of Printer”
For example, if the current name of your printer is Printer 23 and you want to rename it My Printer, the command will look like this:
Rename-printer -NewName “My Printer” -Name “Printer 23”
Once you execute the command, the printer’s name will change immediately.
Extra: For your printer to work properly and be at your service whenever you need it, it’s important to regularly update your printer drivers. You can do this easily with a specialized tool like the Auslogics Driver Updater. The program will automatically scan your device drivers and update them in just a click.
Also Read: [EASY GUIDE] How to Update Device Drivers on a Windows 10 PC?
Conclusion
Changing your printer’s name in Windows 10 is easy and useful. By following the steps we’ve shared, you can give your printer a name that makes sense to you. This helps you find and use your printer more easily. So go ahead and make your printing experience even better with a personalized printer name in Windows 10!
Also Read: [SOLVED] How to Fix Printer Driver is Unavailable on Windows 10/11?
FAQ
How to Rename a Printer in Windows 11?
To rename a printer in Windows 11, go to Settings > Devices > Printers & scanners. Click on the printer you want to rename, then click “Manage.” From the printer properties window, change the “Printer name” field, and click “Apply” to save the new name.
How to Rename a Printer on a Network?
To change a printer name on a network, you will need to access the printer’s properties through Devices and Printers in Control Panel. Right-click on the network printer, select “Printer properties,” and navigate to the “General” tab. Change the “Printer name” field to the new name and save the changes.
How to Rename a WiFi Printer in Windows 10?
To rename a WiFi printer in Windows 10, follow the same process as renaming a regular printer. Access the printer properties from Devices and Printers, change the “Printer name,” and apply the changes.
How to Rename a Printer in Windows 7?
In Windows 7, you can rename a printer by opening Control Panel, navigating to Devices and Printers, and right-clicking on the printer you want to rename. Select “Printer properties” and change the “Name” field in the General tab. Save the changes to rename the printer.
