How to change network names on Windows 11

Martin Brinkmann
Oct 25, 2021
Windows 11 Help
|
2

Windows 11 names networks automatically when they are discovered for the first time. Ethernet connections that connect using cables get generic network names, such as Network 4, which may be problematic for identification. Wireless networks get the SSID as the name by default; sometimes, you may want to change that name as well to improve identification or change a name that you may consider inappropriate.

Windows 11 includes options to change network names. Everything that is required to do that is available already, installation of software programs or applications is not required.

This guide provides you with the means to change network names on Windows 11 using different methods. Pick the one that you prefer or need to use, if you are in a corporate environment.

Tip: check out our network name changing guide for Windows 10 here.

Change the network name on Windows 11

The very first thing that you need to do is make sure you have the current name of the network adapter that you want to change.

Network names in Settings

network name windows 11

One option that you have is to use the Settings application for that.

  1. Select Start > Settings.
  2. Open Network & Internet.
  3. Open Ethernet or Wi-fi depending on the network name that you want to change.
  4. The name is displayed at the top (see screenshot above).

Network names in Control Panel

network name windows 11 control panel

Alternatively, you may also open the classic Control Panel and look up the information using it.

  • Open Start.
  • Type Control Panel and open the result.
  • Go to Network and Internet > Network and Sharing Center.
  • Windows 11 displays the active networks on the page that opens, including their names.

Changing the name of a network in Windows 11

Windows 11 administrators have several options when it comes to changing the name of a network:

  1. Edit the network name in the Registry.
  2. Edit network names using Local Security Policy.

Edit the network name in the Registry

change network profile name windows 11

The Registry option is not as straightforward as the PowerShell option. Still, it may be used in scripts and has its uses because of that.

  1. Open the Start Menu of the device.
  2. Type regedit.exe and select the "run as administrator" option to load the Windows 11 Registry Editor.
  3. Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\NetworkList\Profiles
  4. Expand the profiles listing.
  5. You need to go through each now to find the profile with the correct name.
  6. Double-click on ProfileName when you have found the right profile and type the new name that you want to assign to it.

The change is active immediately, but only on the device. Repeat the process for other profiles that you want to change the name of.

Change profile names using  Local Security Policy

network list manager secpol

Please note that Local Security Policy is only available in professional and Enterprise editions of Windows 11.

  1. Open the Start Menu.
  2. Type secpol.msc to open Local Security Policy on the device. You can check out our master list of Windows msc files here.
  3. Activate Network List Manager Policies.
  4. Double-click on the network that you want to change the name of.
  5. Type the new name under Name on the window that opens.
  6. Click ok.

Changing Connection names in Windows 11

Using PowerShell

powershell network names

You may run a single command to list the connection status of all network adapters.

  1. Select Start.
  2. Type PowerShell and run Windows PowerShell.
  3. Run the command netsh interface ipv4 show interfaces.

Windows 11 lists all connections, including the current names of the adapters.

Edit connection names in PowerShell

rename network adapter windows 11

One of the best options that administrators have is to edit the name of a connection using PowerShell. Best, because it requires just a single command to do so.

Here is how it works:

  1. Open Start.
  2. Type PowerShell.
  3. Select Run as administrator next to Windows PowerShell to start an elevated PowerShell command line window.

The base command is Rename-NetAdapter -Name "Current name" -NewName "New Name that you specify". All you have to do is look up the name of the current adapter and replace "Current name with it, and specify a new name in "New Name that you specify. Here is an example: Rename-NetAdapter -Name "Private Network Home" -NewName "OLD Private Network Home"

Repeat the process for any other name that you want to change.

Now You: have you changed network profile names in the past?

Summary
How to change network names on Windows 11
Article Name
How to change network names on Windows 11
Description
The guide walks you through the steps of changing network names on Microsoft's Windows 11 operating system.
Author
Publisher
Ghacks Technology News
Logo
Advertisement

Tutorials & Tips


Previous Post: «
Next Post: «

Comments

  1. John G. said on August 21, 2023 at 2:38 pm
    Reply

    There is not still W11 23H2 and these instructions are nonsense by now. :[

    1. James said on August 21, 2023 at 8:48 pm
      Reply

      It worked for me just fine. You’re probably not following the instructions clearly.

      1. Katrina Thompson said on August 30, 2023 at 3:25 am
        Reply

        Just tried the password option and the OOBE option and didnt work.

    2. Anonymous said on September 7, 2023 at 10:33 am
      Reply

      Worked perfectly. Thank OP.

    3. Anonymous said on September 15, 2023 at 11:26 am
      Reply

      Worked perfectly for me just now. Specifically, the regedit option.

  2. 45 RPM said on August 22, 2023 at 9:02 am
    Reply

    Is this cut and paste from a Microsoft PR paper, because it 1000% BS:

    “By listening to user insights, Microsoft has demonstrated its commitment to refining the Windows experience based on real-world needs.”

    Windows 11 is proof they don’t give a s*it.

    1. elong45 said on August 23, 2023 at 12:25 am
      Reply

      Worked for me just now

    2. Robert N said on August 28, 2023 at 10:55 pm
      Reply

      I agree! Windows 11 was a downgrade to me and I kept all 8 computers in our family on Windows 10 as a result. They didn’t listen to any customers. The taskbar was THE main reason I stayed away from Windows 11. With 6 monitors, it is impossible to navigate so many browser tabs, without the feature. I will try the new version in the virtual box to see if it is worth it yet.

  3. Anonymous said on August 23, 2023 at 11:33 pm
    Reply

    Microsoft did a terrible job with this implementation.

    They simply need to employ the creator of StartAllBack to fix Windows. He is smarter and more talented than the entire campus of Microsoft employees.

    1. Anonymous said on September 4, 2023 at 11:36 pm
      Reply

      lol

  4. Joe Mama said on August 24, 2023 at 12:10 am
    Reply

    Thank you so much! I work in IT and this is extremely useful information!

  5. Anonymous said on August 27, 2023 at 9:34 pm
    Reply

    Thanks man. The second method worked great!

  6. Anonymous said on August 28, 2023 at 1:16 pm
    Reply

    I used the second method, and i got exactly what i expected.

  7. adrian said on September 1, 2023 at 12:52 am
    Reply

    Using the Bypass 2: Use a banned email address email worked fantastically as I had gone to far to use the bypass 1.
    I will be back when I next have a problem.
    Keep you the great work

  8. John G. said on September 4, 2023 at 6:15 pm
    Reply

    W11 File Explorer is the worst crap ever done. W11 is the biggest shame ever.

  9. MarineRecon said on September 4, 2023 at 9:14 pm
    Reply

    Just one more reason for me to go to Linux when Windows 10 ages out.

    1. TelV said on September 19, 2023 at 11:46 am
      Reply

      @ MarineRecon,

      Be careful which Linux distro you choose. Some of them don’t include the Wayland protocol which is a security issue i.e. apps can copy, paste and inject data without user interaction.

      It’s included in Fedora: https://docs.fedoraproject.org/en-US/fedora/latest/system-administrators-guide/Wayland/

  10. Dustyn said on September 4, 2023 at 9:28 pm
    Reply

    How about a DARK MODE for your website? That would be oh so nice.

    1. Tom Hawack said on September 5, 2023 at 12:55 am
      Reply

      Something like this : [https://img.justpaste.me/image/8617] maybe?
      Done with ‘Dark Reader Extension for ? Firefox’ [https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/darkreader/]

      This comment was written on [https://www.ghacks.net/windows-11-installation-has-failed-how-to-fix-this-upgrade-error/#comment-4573155}

    2. TelV said on September 19, 2023 at 11:49 am
      Reply

      Definitely NOT! Once you get older and your eyesight starts to fail you’ll positively loathe dark mode.

      1. Mycroft1325 said on September 25, 2023 at 11:48 pm
        Reply

        Not sure what eye problems *you’re* having, but for me the exact opposite is true. Dark Mode is MUCH easier on my Eyes.

        BTW- I’m 52, and have worked in IT all my life. Been staring at monitors for hours each day, most days of the week since the late 1980’s.

  11. Anonymous said on September 5, 2023 at 2:05 am
    Reply

    Microsoft completely ruined File Explorer by converting to XAML/WinUI/whatever new bloated modern garbage. Its worse than it ever was.

  12. Invoker said on September 5, 2023 at 3:32 pm
    Reply

    i tested it on win10 current edition. speeds up explorer like a charm

  13. LOEL LARZELERE said on September 13, 2023 at 8:07 am
    Reply

    SO what is the priority numbers to give preference to ethernet over wireless?

  14. christop_bader said on September 14, 2023 at 1:50 am
    Reply

    Worked very well happy to have Windows Photo Viewer back in action in Windows-11

  15. Anonymous said on September 16, 2023 at 4:29 am
    Reply

    Worked for me (registry option) thank god, I can use the search option to find things on my computer again. Thank you so much!

    1. TelV said on September 19, 2023 at 11:54 am
      Reply

      Install Everything Search and dispense with Microsoft’s crappy search tool. https://www.voidtools.com/

      Martin wrote an article on it: https://www.ghacks.net/2020/10/09/add-everything-search-to-the-windows-taskbar-for-even-faster-searches/

  16. said on September 17, 2023 at 6:39 pm
    Reply

    I presume the text “WindowsCopilot,,” is a typographical error (2023/09/17/how-to-disable-windows-copilot-in-windows/). The broken comment system unfortunately looks like it is populating itself via AI autopilot.

  17. Anonymous said on September 17, 2023 at 10:37 pm
    Reply

    Hopefully, this Windows Copilot nonsense fails even more spectacularly than Cortana. Who requested this? We want all of the UX features removed back in 11, not this copilot nonsense.

  18. Anonymous said on September 17, 2023 at 10:51 pm
    Reply

    I really don’t mind all of these Windows enhancement but Microsoft get one thing very wrong. ‘Opt in’, is far better than seek information and work to disable.

  19. ilev said on September 18, 2023 at 7:13 am
    Reply

    Turn off Windows Copilot entirely is not good enough.

    How to uninstall Copilot entirely ?

    1. TelV said on September 19, 2023 at 11:57 am
      Reply

      @ ilev,

      Use Gpedit or the registry. Explained in this article: https://www.ghacks.net/2023/09/17/how-to-disable-windows-copilot-in-windows/

  20. WilliamGatesTheight said on September 21, 2023 at 2:13 pm
    Reply

    With that snake oil salesman Panos gone, hopefully Windows can return to a normal desktop operating system without all the insanity it has right now in Windows 11.

  21. Tachy said on September 21, 2023 at 3:19 pm
    Reply

    Can we please stop being ‘politically correct’ (lying) and call them ads again instead of ‘suggestions’?

  22. TelV said on September 25, 2023 at 4:05 pm
    Reply

    @ Martin,

    Does your gpedit hack also turn off all the other “subscribed content” shown in the registry screenshot? Do you happen to know what all those are?

  23. Christopher Reisinger said on September 30, 2023 at 12:45 pm
    Reply

    Thank you, I used the fake email option, it worked great.

  24. Tom Gray said on September 30, 2023 at 8:26 pm
    Reply

    I wish I had read this article a few months ago, as I purchased two refurbished Windows 10 Pro PCs to replace two older ones. The 1st one I entered an existing Microsoft account I had and it imediately setup OneDrive, adding it to the path names for the common folders such as Documents, Music, video, etc. I tried to just disable OneDrive but then had odd problems finding my data copied from another older PC. long story short I was able to remove all the entries from the registry after un-installing OneDrive.
    The second refurbished PC I didn’t connect the WiFi adapter so during installation I was able to click on the no Internet option. Basically I did as you suggested above; set up a local login, disabled OneDrive from running on bootup, and eventually unInstalled it. No problems with folder paths, etc.

  25. Flotsam Jones said on September 30, 2023 at 10:43 pm
    Reply

    The registry option worked for me, but only me, not any other users. How do I make this apply to all users? Yes, I have admin rights.

Leave a Reply

Check the box to consent to your data being stored in line with the guidelines set out in our privacy policy

We love comments and welcome thoughtful and civilized discussion. Rudeness and personal attacks will not be tolerated. Please stay on-topic.
Please note that your comment may not appear immediately after you post it.