How to Rename a Disk on macOS in Finder

To rename a drive on macOS, select its mounted volume in Finder, press Return, type the new name, and press Return again. This changes the name Finder shows for the volume; it does not erase or reformat the drive. Apple supports renaming most disks, including the internal disk, directly from Finder.

Know what “disk” means on a Mac

People often say “disk” to mean any drive they see in Finder. Technically, a physical storage device can contain a partition or APFS container, and that container can hold one or more volumes. The name you usually see in Finder belongs to a volume, such as “Macintosh HD” or an external volume called “Archive.” Renaming that volume does not change the physical drive’s model name or create a new partition.

If you are unsure which item to change, use Disk Utility to inspect the hierarchy first. Apple’s Disk Utility guide explains that “Show All Devices” lists each storage device, its containers, and its volumes.

Rename a disk in Finder

1. Connect and unlock the drive. Attach an external disk and enter its password if macOS asks. Wait for it to appear in the Finder sidebar under Locations or on the desktop. For an internal drive, find its volume in Finder.
2. Select the volume. Click its icon or name once. Make sure you have selected the drive itself, not a folder inside it. If several drives are connected, check the label before continuing.

3. Start editing the name. Press Return while the volume is selected. Finder highlights the current name so you can replace it. Apple also supports force-clicking the item’s name.
4. Enter a clear name. Type the label you want, then press Return to commit it. Use a name that helps you distinguish the drive, such as “Studio Backup” or “Travel Photos.” Avoid a colon or a name that begins with a period. For MS-DOS (FAT) and ExFAT volumes, Apple lists a maximum volume-name length of 11 characters, so choose a shorter label for those formats.

Finder should now display the new label in its sidebar or on the desktop. If the old name remains, click another item and check again; make sure the edit field was committed with Return rather than canceled with Escape. Apple’s instructions for renaming files, folders, and disks describe the same select, enter, and Return workflow.

If the drive is missing or the name will not change

If Finder does not show the drive, open Disk Utility and choose View > Show All Devices. Look for the external device and its indented volume. This helps you confirm that you are targeting the volume rather than the whole physical device. Select an item and use Disk Utility’s Info button to review details such as its format and mount point, as described in Apple’s disk information guide.

• Check the connection: If the physical device is absent from Disk Utility, reconnect it, try another cable or port, and confirm that it has power if required.
• Check write access: If Finder will not save the name, the volume may be locked, mounted read-only, or restricted by its permissions or format. Confirm you have permission to write to it. Do not erase or reformat a drive just to rename it; reformatting is a separate operation that can remove its data.
• Keep FAT/ExFAT names short: If a longer label is rejected, reduce it to 11 characters or fewer. Apple documents that limit for MS-DOS (FAT) and ExFAT volumes in its physical-disk guide.

What the new name affects

Renaming a volume changes the label people use to identify it in Finder. Files stay on the drive, but an app, shortcut, or script that refers to an external volume by its old path, such as /Volumes/Archive, may need that reference updated after the volume is renamed. If you are renaming the internal startup disk, use the visible volume in Finder; changing its label is different from changing your Mac’s computer or network name. Apple notes that a renamed hard disk can still appear with its original name on a network.

For a removable drive, choose a unique, recognizable label and confirm it appears in Finder after you press Return. That is all you need for a straightforward disk rename on macOS.