How to rename a disk on macOS

A disk on macOS generally doesn’t have partitions the way a disk does when Windows 10 is installed. You can create volumes from a disk and that is somewhat similar to having a partition.

The disk is where the OS is installed to and when you access it in Finder, it shows up with whatever name has been set for it. You can change the name of a macOS disk any time you want.

Rename disk on macOS

You can rename any disk connected to a Mac. The utility needed to rename it is already present on the system. 

Access Disk Utility

1. Tap the Command+Spacebar keyboard shortcut to open Spotlight.
2. In Spotlight, enter Disk Utility.
3. Select the app with the matching name.
4. Connect the disk if it isn’t already connected (not needed for an internal disk).

Rename disk in macOS

Now that you have Disk Utility open, you can rename a disk by following these steps.

1. Right-click the disk in the column on the left.
2. Select Rename from the context menu.
3. The disk name will become editable in the pane on the right.
4. Enter a new name, and tap Enter to save it.
5. The disk will be renamed.

Renaming a disk does not erase data on it, nor does it break file paths.

Limitations

Disk Utility can be used to rename both internal and external disks that are connected to a Mac however, the tool that we’re using is a macOS tool which means it is subject to the restrictions imposed by the OS.

If the disk you’re trying to rename isn’t formatted on the correct file system i.e., APFS or ExFat, you won’t be able to rename it. If you have, for example, a disk that is formatted on the NTFS system, you will first have to change its file system which will in turn result in data loss.

If you need to rename an NTFS disk and do not want to backup the data in it, you should use a Windows 10 system to get the job done.

Conclusion

Renaming a disk allows you to identify it more easily. You may not always remember the storage space available on a disk, or you may not always recognize it in Finder if it has a generic name. A real, non-factory set, non-generic name will make it easier to manage disks. For external drives, the disk name will stick even if it’s inserted into a different Mac.

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Fatima Wahab

Fatima has been writing for AddictiveTips for six years. She began as a junior writer and has been working as the Editor in Chief since 2014. Fatima gets an adrenaline rush from figuring out how technology works, and how to manipulate it. A well-designed app, something that solves a common everyday problem and looks

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