How to Change Computer Name or Workgroup in Windows 11

Published by Nyau Wai Hoe - Updated on

In Windows 11, Computer name is the name used to identify your computer when you are connected to a local network, for example, your home network via WiFi or Ethernet. It is the name that will appear on other computers or devices connected to the same network and workgroup, while theirs will also appear on yours, when network discovery and file sharing is turned on.

Workgroup, on the other hand, is a peer to peer network setup using Microsoft Windows. Computers in the same local area network needs to also be in the same workgroup in order to share resources and allow access to each other. For example, if you have two computers connected to the same local network, both needs to have the same Workgroup name in order to share files, printers, etc. with each other.

In this guide, we will show you several methods on how to change the Computer name or Workgroup name in Windows 11 via Settings, System Properties, Command Prompt or Windows PowerShell.

Also see: How to login to Windows 11 without password or PIN

How to change Computer name in Windows 11

Method 1: Advanced System Settings

1. Click Start and search for “Advanced system settings”. Select the first result – “View advanced system settings“.

View Advanced System Settings Windows 11

2. In the System Properties window, select Computer Name tab. Then, click the Change button next to “To rename this computer or change its domain or workgroup, click change“.

Change computer name

3. In the Computer name field, enter any new name you want and click OK. The computer name is recommended to not exceed 15 characters.

How to change computer name in Windows 11

4. You will then be prompted to restart your computer to apply the changes. Restart your computer for the changes to take effect.

You must restart your computer to apply these changes

If you enter a name longer than 15 characters, since the NetBIOS name of the computer is limited to 15 bytes, it will try to shortened the name you’ve entered, or you can re-enter a new name not more than 15 characters. To use a longer name, follow method 2 instead.

NetBIOS computer name is limited to 15 bytes characters

Method 2: About > Rename this pc

1. Click Start, search for and open “Rename your PC“.

Rename your PC Windows 11

2. In the System > About settings page, click the Rename this PC button next to the current name of your computer.

Rename this PC

3. In the Rename your PC window, enter a new name and click Next to proceed.

Change Computer name Windows 11

4. Restart your computer for the changes to take effect.

This method is recommended if you need to use a name longer than 15 characters, or if you are using Microsoft Surface Pro or Windows 11 Tablet Mode.

Method 3: Change Computer name via CMD

To change computer name in Windows 11 via Command Prompt, follow the steps below.

1. Click Start, search for CMD, right-click Command prompt and select Run as administrator. Administrative privilege is required to execute the computer name change command.

Run command prompt as administrator Windows 11

2. In the command prompt window, enter the following command. Replace new-computer-name with the actual computer name you want to change to. Press enter to execute the command.

wmic computersystem where name="%computername%" call rename name="new-computer-name"

How to change Computer name via CMD

3. Restart your computer for the changes to take effect.

Things to consider when assigning computer names

A same network or workgroup should not have two or more computers with the same name. Duplicate computer names will cause problems such as IP conflicts and connection errors. Thus, each computer should have a unique computer name to avoid causing unnecessary conflicts and errors when connected to the same network and workgroup.

Additionally, though the computer name is usually decided when you first setup your Windows during installation, it is safe to change your computer name any time after Windows installation.

How to change Workgroup in Windows 11

Method 1: System Properties

Windows 11 automatically assigns computers to a default workgroup called “Workgroup” when Windows is installed. To change your computer to a different workgroup, follow the steps below.

1. Search for and open “sysdm.cpl” (Control panel item) via Start.

Sysdm.cpl Windows 11

2. In the Computer Name tab, click the Change button next to “To rename this computer or change its domain or workgroup, click change“.

Change computer name

3. In the “Member of” section, enter a new name in the Workgroup field.

How to change Workgroup in Windows 11

4. Click OK and restart your PC for the changes to take effect.

Method 2: Change Workgroup via CMD

To change Workgroup in Windows 11 via Command Prompt, follow the steps below.

1. Search for Command Prompt or CMD via Start, right-click the first result and select Run as administrator. Administrative permission is required to execute the command to change your computer’s workgroup.

Run command prompt as administrator Windows 11

2. In the elevated CMD window, enter the following command. Replace new-workgroup-name with the actual Workgroup name you want to change to. Then, press enter to execute the command.

wmic computersystem where name="%computername%" call joindomainorworkgroup name="new-workgroup-name"

Change Workgroup in Windows 11 via CMD

3. Restart your computer for the changes to take effect.

Method 3: Change Workgroup from PowerShell

To change Workgroup in Windows 11 via PowerShell or Windows Terminal, follow the steps below.

1. Click Start and search for Windows PowerShell. Right-click the first result and select Run as administrator.

Run PowerShell as Administrator Windows 11

2. In the PowerShell window, enter the following command. Replace new-workgroup-name with the actual Workgroup name you want to change to. Then, press enter to execute the command.

Add-Computer -WorkGroupName "new-workgroup-name"

Change Workgroup in Windows 11 via PowerShell

3. Restart Windows for the changes to take effect.

Categories: NetworkWindows 11

Nyau Wai Hoe
Nyau Wai Hoe is the Founder and Chief Editor of WindowsDigitals.com. With a degree in software engineering and over 12 years of experience in the tech support industry, Nyau has established himself as an expert in the field, with a primary focus on the Microsoft Windows operating system. As a tech enthusiast, he loves exploring new technologies and leveraging them to solve real-life problems.

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