Windows uses the default manufacturer-defined name as the printer name. Here is how to rename the printer in Windows OS.
As soon as you connect a printer to Windows, it automatically installs basic drivers, shows it as a printer, and puts it in a ready state to use on the Printers and Scanners page. By default, Windows uses the default printer name as the actual name.
For most, the default printer name is good enough. More often than not, the default printer name has essential information like the manufacturer name, model number, and more. Simply put, the default printer name can be helpful sometimes.
However, what if you have two printers with the same name or don’t like the default printer name because of its random string or model number in it? For example, one of my relatives has two HP printers that use the same name because they are of the same model. As you can guess, it can be a bit confusing. So, I had to rename the HP printer so that he could differentiate between the two and use the one he likes.
The good thing is, even though Windows doesn’t make it obvious, it is pretty easy to change the printer name in Windows. All it takes is a couple of clicks, and you are good to go.
Below are the steps to rename a printer in Windows 11 and 10 operating systems.
The steps below to change the printer name will work in Windows 10 and 11 operating systems.
Table of contents:
Important note: After renaming the printer, any network connections to it will be lost. You have to reconnect to the renamed printed.
Rename a printer from Settings
The Windows Settings app allows you to rename the printer to whatever you want. All you have to do is find the printer and edit its properties. It is pretty easy to do. Here’s how.
- Open Settings with “Win + I.”
- Choose the “Bluetooth & devices” option on the sidebar.
- Click on the “Printers & scanners” option.
- Click on the “Printer” of your choice.
- Press the “Printer properties” option.
- Press the “Change properties” button.
- Type a new printer name in the top field.
- Press the “Ok” button.
- Close the Setting app.
- With that, you renamed the printer.
Steps with more details:
Use the “Start key + I” to open the Settings app. Go to the “Bluetooth & devices > Printer & Scanners” page. This is where you will find all the printers and scanners connected to your computer.
Click on the printer of which you want to change the name. For example, I want to change the name of the “Microsoft Print to PDF” printer.
Click the “Printer properties” option on this page.
Now, ensure you are on the “General” tab and click the “Change settings” button. You might not need to click this button if you already have administrator permissions.
Next, type the name of your choice in the top field and click the “Ok” button.
Close the Settings app.
Re-open the Settings app and go to the “Bluetooth & devices > Printers & Scanners” page to see the renamed printer. If you don’t see it, I recommend you reboot the system.
Command to rename a printer in Windows
You can use the Rename-Printer cmdlet to rename a printer via the PowerShell command line. This method is beneficial for automating or creating a script. Here is how.
First, we need to run PowerShell as administrator. To do that, right-click the Start menu and choose the “Windows Terminal (Admin)” option.
Ensure the PowerShell tab is opened in the Terminal window. If not, open “Windows PowerShell” from the title bar dropdown menu.
Execute the below command to get the printer names. Next, copy the printer name of the printer you want to rename. We need it in the next step.
Get-Printer | Format-List NameOnce you have the printer name, execute the below command while replacing the “Old_Name” with the name you copied earlier and “New_Name” with the name you want to assign.
Rename-Printer -Name "Old_Name" -NewName "New_Name"Close the Terminal window after executing the command. Now, open the Settings app and go to the page to see the printer with the new name. If you don’t see it, reboot the system to apply changes.
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That is it. It is that simple to rename the printer in Windows.
I hope this simple and easy Windows how-to guide helped you.
If you are stuck or need some help, comment below, and I will try to help as much as possible.
