Changing your name smartphone is not just a fad, but a basic setting that affects how other devices see your gadget in range. When you turn on Bluetooth or create a Wi-Fi hotspot, people around you see the standard model name, for example Samsung Galaxy S21 or Xiaomi Redmi Note 10. However, you can easily turn this boring designation into a personalized identifier that will immediately make it clear whose device it is.
Most often, users wonder how to rename a phone when they connect to public networks or transfer files to colleagues. A standard name may be long, contain unnecessary numbers, or simply not reflect the essence of the owner. Changing this setting only takes a couple of minutes, but it greatly simplifies navigation in the lists of connected devices of your friends and in your own settings.
In this detailed instructions we will look at several ways to change the name depending on the version of the operating system and the manufacturer's shell. You will learn where the necessary menu items are hidden in a clean Android and how to find them in proprietary interfaces like MIUI or One UI.
Why change the device name at all
The main reason for changing the name is the convenience of identification in wireless networks. Imagine the situation: you are in an office or cafe, and someone is looking for a device to transfer photos via Bluetooth. In the list of ten phones with the name "Android Device" or "SM-G991B" it is extremely difficult to find yours. A custom name, for example, "Ivan_Phone" or "Work_Device", instantly solves this problem.
In addition, a custom name increases security. By using a standard model name, you unwittingly tell attackers the exact version of your smartphone, which can make it easier to select vulnerabilities for a specific firmware. A unique name does not provide any technical information to a hacker trying to connect to your access point.
⚠️ Warning: Do not use your personal information, such as your full phone number, home address, or full name, in your phone name. This can be an easy target for social engineering when searching for devices within Bluetooth range.
Another aspect is aesthetics and space organization. If you have several gadgets in your home synchronized with one account Google, unique names will help you quickly understand which phone is ringing or requires attention in the Find Device system.
Changing the name through the basic system settings
In modern versions of the operating system Android (starting from 10th version) the process is unified, although the paths to the settings may vary slightly depending on the manufacturer. The classic algorithm of actions begins with opening the main settings menu.
You need to find the section responsible for general information about the gadget. It is usually called "About phone", "About device" or "System". This is where the device modelbuild number and, of course, the editable name are stored.
Click on the "Device name" item. A small dialog box with a text field will open. Erase the current value and enter the desired name. After confirming the changes, the new identifier will be applied to all wireless interfaces.
☑️ Name change algorithm
It is worth noting that on some shells, for example, Xiaomi or Huawei, this item may be hidden a little deeper. Sometimes you need to first go to "Advanced" inside the section about the phone. If you do not find the edit field right away, try using the settings search by entering the query "name".
Setting a name for Bluetooth and access point
Sometimes a global name change is not automatically applied to all communication modules, especially on older versions Android (6.0 - 8.0). In such cases, it is necessary to rename the interfaces individually. This applies primarily to Bluetooth adapter and the modem mode.
To change the Bluetooth name, go to the appropriate section of the settings. Find the gear icon next to the adapter status switch or the Device Name option in the Bluetooth advanced settings menu. Here you can set a name that will only be visible when searching via Bluetooth, ignoring the common name of the system.
The situation is similar with a Wi-Fi access point. When you share the Internet, other users see the network name (SSID). By default, it often duplicates the phone model, but it can be changed manually in the “Wi-Fi access point” or “Modem and access point” section.
| Interface | Where to change the name | Affects visibility |
|---|---|---|
| System name | Settings → About phone | Google account, Find My Device |
| Bluetooth | Settings → Bluetooth → Device name | Pairing lists of other gadgets |
| Wi-Fi Access Point | Settings → Hotspot access → SSID | List of available Wi-Fi networks |
| USB debugging | Settings → For developers | Display in ADB on computer |
If you often distribute the Internet to in crowded places, add symbols or numbers to the name of the access point so that your network is more difficult to confuse with neighboring access points with similar names.
It is important to understand the difference: changing the system name in new versions Android often automatically updates the names for Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, but checking these sections will not be superfluous. Make sure that the correct identifier is displayed everywhere.
Features in different Android shells
Smartphone manufacturers like to modify the standard interface, so the path to the coveted setting may look different. Let's look at the most popular shells so that you don't get confused in the labyrinths of the menu.
Owners of devices Samsung with a shell One UI should proceed as follows: open the settings, scroll down to the very end and select "About phone". Click on the "Device Name" button at the very top of the screen. Editing is available immediately.
Users Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco with shell MIUI or HyperOS must go to "Settings", then "About phone". Here you need to click on the first line where the model is indicated. In the window that opens there will be a "Device name" field that can be changed.
On smartphones Huawei and Honor with a shell EMUI the path looks like this: "Settings" → "System" → "About device". Next, tap on the “Device name” line. In some older firmware versions, this item may be located in the "Advanced" section inside the "About device" menu.
⚠️ Attention: Interfaces are updated with each firmware version. If you do not find the specified item, use the search bar at the top of the settings menu - this is the fastest way to find the desired option on any shell.
Devices with clean Android (Pixel, Motorola, Nokia) have the most logical structure: Settings → System → About phone → Device name. There are a minimum of unnecessary submenus, which simplifies the task.
What to do if the name field is inactive?
In rare cases, especially on corporate devices with administrator profiles installed, the name change field may be blocked. In this case, you will need to contact your company's IT department or delete the Corporate Governance profile in your security settings.
Restrictions and allowed characters
When choosing a new name, it is important to remember the technical limitations of communication protocols. Although the system allows you to enter almost any text, not all characters will be displayed correctly on receiving devices, especially if these are old phones, TVs or car radios.
It is recommended to use only Latin letters, numbers and basic punctuation marks. Avoid complex emoticons, hieroglyphs, or special characters like slashes and quotation marks. Some devices, when detecting non-standard characters, may simply not show your device in the list or display it as “Unknown Device”.
There is also a limit on the length of the line. The standard Bluetooth usually supports up to 248 bytes, but much less is allocated for the device name - often no more than 20-30 characters. If you enter a name that is too long, the system will either truncate it automatically or throw an error when saving.
Remember that the device name is broadcast constantly when the corresponding module is active. A name that is too long or complex could theoretically take up extra space in the discovery data packet, although in modern realities this impact is minimal.
Problems when changing a name and their solution
Sometimes users are faced with a situation where the name changes in the settings, but for surrounding devices it remains old. This is due to data caching on the client side. If your friend doesn't see the new name, ask him to turn Bluetooth off and on on his phone.
Another common problem is the name resetting to the factory value after a reboot. This may indicate an error in the system process or a conflict with access rights. In this case, try clearing the Settings app cache or checking for system updates.
If you use third-party apps to control Bluetooth, they may be hijacking name control. Make sure that such utilities do not have a hard name rule that overwrites system settings every time they are launched.
If the name does not change after a reboot, check to see if you have installed applications with device administrator rights that may block changes to system settings.
In rare cases, especially on custom firmware, a file storing the device name (build.prop), may have read-only rights. To change the name in such a situation, you will need root access and special system file editors, but this is not recommended for ordinary users.
Is it possible to use Russian letters in the phone name?
Technically, the Android system allows you to enter the Cyrillic alphabet. However, Bluetooth protocols and some older Wi-Fi adapters may display Russian characters incorrectly, turning them into question marks or gibberish. For maximum compatibility, it is better to use the Latin alphabet.
Does the phone name affect the data transfer speed?
No, the device name is just a text label for identification. It does not affect the channel capacity, signal strength or connection speed in any way. You can even name the phone “SuperFastPhone”, it won’t make it any faster.
How to return the factory name of the device?
To do this, you need to go back to the device name settings and manually enter the original model name. You can find it in the same “About phone” section in the “Device model” line. There is usually no automatic "Reset name" button in the system.
Do all telecom operators see my new name?
Cellular operators identify your device by a unique IMEI code, and not by a user name. The name change is visible only with a local wireless connection (Bluetooth, Wi-Fi Direct) and is not transmitted over the cellular operator's network.