How to Rename a Flash Drive or Hard Drive on Mac?

Renaming a flash drive or hard drive on Mac is a simple yet common task for Mac users. Whether you are working with external hard drives or your Mac's internal hard drive, this guide will walk through different methods to rename a drive on Mac.

How can I rename a flash drive in Finder? -discussion.apple.com

How to rename a USB drive on Mac? I open up Disk Utility but don't see how to do it. -forums.macrumors.com

Below, it's a quick comparison table for an overview of the available methods to change the flash drive name on Mac.

Method	Best for	Key requirements	Pros	Cons
Use Finder	Quick renaming via interface	Drive must be writable	Easy to use	May not work for read-only drives
Use Desktop	Renaming directly from desktop icon	Drive must be visible on the desktop	Fast and intuitive	Not ideal if desktop icons are hidden
Use Disk Utility	Managing system and external drives	Admin privileges for some operations	Useful for detailed drive management	Potential data loss when using Erase
Use Terminal	Advanced users needing precision	Knowledge of Terminal commands	Works even when Finder fails	Requires familiarity with commands

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How to rename a flash drive or hard drive on Mac?

Here we summarize four methods to rename a drive's name on macOS.

Rename a drive via Finder

This is the easiest way to rename flash drives on Mac.

Plug in your flash drive or ensure the hard drive is mounted.
Locate your drive under the Devices or Locations section in the Finder sidebar.
Right-click the drive and choose Rename...
Enter the desired name and press the Enter key to save it.

Rename a drive via Desktop

This method works if your drive appears on the desktop, especially for the external hard drives.

If the drive's icon is visible on your desktop, click its name once to highlight it.
Type a new name directly and press the Enter key.
The name will update instantly.

If your desktop doesn't display the drive, enable it by going to Finder > Settings > General, and check the option External disks is toggled on.

Rename a drive via Disk Utility

Disk Utility is a powerful tool for managing and renaming drives, especially for system volumes or advanced configurations.

Finder > Applications > Utilities > Disk Utility.
In the sidebar, click on the drive you want to rename.
Click the name at the top and edit it directly.

Alternatively, use the Erase option to rename while reformatting the drive. (Be cautious as this will delete data.)

Rename a drive via Terminal

For users comfortable with command-line tools, Mac Terminal provides a reliable way to rename drives.

Finder > Applications > Utilities > Terminal.
Type diskutil list and press the Enter key. (Find the drive you need to rename.)
Type diskutil renameVolume /Volumes/OldName NewName and press the Enter key.
(Replace OldName with the current name of the drive and NewName with the desired name.)
Check Finder or Terminal to confirm the new name.

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Additional tips

Before renaming the drive or ensuring the whole process works well, you'd better prepare these:

Ensure write permissions: If the drive is read-only, you won't be able to rename it without reformatting or adjusting permissions.
Are desktop Icons missing?: Enable drive visibility by going to Finder > Settings > General.
APFS drives: When renaming APFS volumes, note that the visible name changes, but the underlying container remains unaffected.
Reformatting caution: Using Disk Utility's Erase function will delete all data, so ensure you back up important files beforehand.

By following these methods, you can rename flash drive or hard drive on a Mac quickly and efficiently. Choose the method that suits your needs best, and keep your storage devices organized for easier access.

Also read: Can't Rename External Hard Drive on Mac