How to change the printer name on Windows 11

You can rename any connected printer from the Settings app or Control Panel. If that doesn't work, you can use Command Prompt or Windows PowerShell to achieve the same thing. Here are 4 different ways to rename a printer in Windows 11.

1. Rename the printer using the Settings app

Let's start with the easiest method first. You can quickly rename your printer using the Settings app on Windows 11. Here's how:

1. Press Win + I to open the Settings application.

2. Select the Bluetooth & devices tab from the left sidebar.

3. Click Printers & scanners .

4. Select the printer you want to rename.

5. Click Printer properties .

6. In the General tab , enter a new name for your printer.

7. Click OK to save the changes.

2. Rename the printer via Control Panel

If you prefer to do things the old-fashioned way, you can also manage your printer through the Control Panel. To rename the printer using the Control Panel do the following:

1. Press Win + S to open the search menu.

2. Type control panel and press Enter. This will open the Control Panel window.

3. Click Devices and Printers .

4. In the Printers section , right-click the device you want to rename and select Printer properties from the context menu.

5. In the Printer properties window , switch to the General tab .

6. Enter a new name for your printer and press OK.

3. Rename the printer via Command Prompt

If you are an advanced user and are comfortable using the command line interface, you can also rename your printer using Command Prompt. Fortunately, this is not as scary as you think.

Follow these steps to rename the printer using Command Prompt:

1. Press Win + X and select Terminal (Admin) from the menu that appears.
2. Select Yes when the User Account Control (UAC) prompt appears.
3. In Control Panel, run the following command to rename your printer.

cscript %WINDIR%System32Printing_Admin_Scriptsen-USprncnfg.vbs -x -p "CurrentPrinterName" -z "NewPrinterName"

Replace CurrentPrinterName in the command above with the current name of the printer. Similarly, replace NewPrinterName with the new name you want to use.

So, for example, if you're going to rename your device from HP LaserJet to Office Printer , here's your command:

cscript %WINDIR%System32Printing_Admin_Scriptsen-USprncnfg.vbs -x -p "HP LaserJet" -z "Office Printer"

After you run the above command, your printer will be renamed.

4. Rename the printer using Windows PowerShell

Like Command Prompt, you can also use Windows PowerShell to rename your printer device on Windows 11. The process is very easy. Here's how to do it.

1. Press Win + S to open the search menu.

2. Enter Windows PowerShell and select Run as administrator .

3. Select Yes when the User Account Control (UAC) prompt appears.

4. Run the following command to see the list of printers on your PC:

Get-Printer | Format-Table Name

5. Record the name of the printer you want to rename.

6. Run the following command to rename your printer:

Rename-Printer -Name "CurrentPrinterName" -NewName "NewPrinterName"

Replace CurrentPrinterName in the command above with the current name of the printer. Similarly, replace NewPrinterName with the new name you want to use.

For instance, you would enter this command to rename your printer from HP LaserJet to Office Printer :

Rename-Printer -Name "HP LaserJet" -NewName "Office Printer"

It is done! Your printer will be renamed.

Samuel Daniel

Update 27 June 2023