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How can I rename my device?

So I know I've been able to do it before...I have multiple PC's sycned up and I always name the devices like Work Laptop, Home PC, Home Laptop, etc...

Under Settings-->Security-->Devices I can see all my devices but not option to rename them.

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Accepted answers

Lusil

Hey @garzjoe, in order to change the name of a device to appear differently on the website, you’d have to change the name of the device itself. To do this, follow the steps below:

Unlink your computer.
Change the name of the device from the computer’s settings.
Relink your device once more.

Since the security tab shows you a list of connected computers, the names shown online would have to match the names of the computers linked, making this device-specific.

I hope this helped to some extent! :slight_smile:

All comments

Lusil

Hey @garzjoe, in order to change the name of a device to appear differently on the website, you’d have to change the name of the device itself. To do this, follow the steps below:

Unlink your computer.
Change the name of the device from the computer’s settings.
Relink your device once more.

Since the security tab shows you a list of connected computers, the names shown online would have to match the names of the computers linked, making this device-specific.

I hope this helped to some extent! :slight_smile:

garzjoe

Thank you Lusil! I had thought of that...but this particular device is my work PC so I don’t want to change the name of the PC locally.

There was a time we were able to do this. My work PC had to get re-imaged it had a nickname I had given it. I deleted that device and now I’m stuck with this one, not a huge deal was hoping for a way to do this in DropBox but looks like they removed the feature for one reason or another.

wgf4242

Not work by double click computer name in Seccurity .

Jay

Hi there, I moved your thread into this one since it was related.

You can't rename the computer name from the security settings, you'll need to follow the steps provided by colleague above to change the computer name.

adrianp74

How does this now work with the new device limits? Wouldn't these instructions basically trick grandfathered users to removing devices and then not be able to add them back unless they now reduce to 2 devices or pay?

Jay

Hi @adrianp74, since these instructions were provided prior to the 3 device limit on Basic plans, we wouldn’t recommend users unlink if they have more than 3 devices connected just to change the computer name.

Currently, there isn’t another way to change the name on the computer, since it does register the name when the account is connected to that machine when it is first linked.

orchetect

So can someone explain why the Dropbox client doesn't just detect the device/computer's name has changed, and update the Device Name automatically?

This gets confusing in an environment where machines' roles change periodically so they get renamed, but the old name sticks in Dropbox's Devices listing. Unlinking and relinking Dropbox is a ridiculous workaround, especially for very large Dropbox accounts.

323buz

Hi, I have an iMac and when I go to my Dropbox Account/ Setting /Security and look at the device name for my iMac it makes no sense to anything I see annotated anywhere in my iMac's System Preferences?

Where on my iMac do I go to view/change the name that Dropbox uses for my iMacs Device Name?

Thanks

Lusil

Hey @323buz, thanks for reaching out to us.

In general, you should be able to find your computer's name by:

Clicking on the Apple logo in the top left corner.
Selecting System Preferences from the Apple menu.
Going to the Sharing icon.

I've also moved your post here, where other users have also expressed a similar concern, so when you have the chance, have a look at what is mentioned.

Don't hesitate to get back to us if you have any other questions, cheers!