How to Find Your Computer Name in Windows 11 and 10: 5 Ways

A computer can have several user accounts, but it has only one computer name. Windows assigns this name during setup and, although you can change it, it is probably not something you need to use every day. That makes it easy to forget until you actually need it.

You may need the computer name to identify a PC on a network, connect to it remotely, use a shared printer, or access shared files and other network resources. Depending on where you look in Windows, this information may appear as the device name, computer name, system name, or hostname. Below are five easy ways to find your computer name in Windows 11 and 10.

1. Find Your Computer Name in Windows Settings

The Settings app is probably the easiest way to find your computer name.

1. Open Settings with the Windows + I keyboard shortcut and select System.
2. Scroll down and open About.
3. Look for Device name.

The value shown under Device name is the name assigned to your PC. You can also open this page directly by searching for About your PC from the Start menu.

Windows displays other useful information on the same page, including the processor, installed RAM, system type, and Windows specifications. If you need more details, you can also check what version of Windows you have.

The device name should not be confused with the model of your computer. If you need that information instead, you can also check the model of your laptop or PC.

2. Check the Computer Name in System Properties

Another way to check your computer name is in System Properties. This method is especially useful if you also want to see the workgroup or domain the PC belongs to.

1. Press Windows + R to open Run.
2. Type sysdm.cpl and press Enter.
3. In System Properties, open the Computer Name tab.

Here you can see the computer description and its Full computer name.

This window also lets you change the computer name or modify its workgroup or domain membership.

3. Find the Computer Name in System Information

System Information provides a detailed overview of your computer’s hardware and Windows configuration. It also shows the name assigned to the PC.

1. Open the Start menu.
2. Search for System Information and open the app.
3. Select System Summary if it is not already selected.
4. Find System Name in the right pane.

The value next to System Name is the name of your computer.

You can also open System Information by pressing Windows + R, typing msinfo32, and pressing Enter. The same command can be used from CMD, along with many other commands to open Windows tools from Command Prompt.

4. Find Your PC Hostname with Command Prompt

If you prefer using a command, this is one of the fastest ways to find the hostname of your PC.

1. Open Command Prompt.
2. Type hostname.
3. Press Enter.

Command Prompt immediately displays the computer name. If you do not use CMD often, see the different ways to open it in Windows.

5. Find Your Computer Name with PowerShell

You can also check your computer name using Windows PowerShell.

1. Open Start and search for PowerShell. You can also use Windows Terminal with a PowerShell profile.
2. Enter $env:COMPUTERNAME.
3. Press Enter.

PowerShell displays the name assigned to the computer.

This method is especially convenient if you are already working in PowerShell and want to check the PC name without opening another Windows tool.

Is the Hostname the Same as the Computer Name?

Windows uses slightly different labels for this information depending on where you look.

For example, Settings displays Device name, System Properties uses Computer name, and System Information calls it System Name. The hostname command, meanwhile, returns the hostname assigned to the PC.

On a typical home computer, these values usually refer to the same device. The main difference may appear on PCs connected to a domain, where the Full computer name can also include the domain or DNS suffix associated with the computer. 

Conclusion

As you can see, there are several ways to find your computer name in Windows 11 and 10. For most users, Settings > System > About is the easiest option, while the hostname command is probably the fastest if you already have Command Prompt open.

Knowing the name of your PC can be useful when identifying it on a network, sharing files, using network resources, or connecting to another computer remotely.

If the current name is difficult to recognize or remember, Windows also lets you change the computer name and replace it with something easier to identify.