6 Ways to Change a Volume Label on Windows 11 – MUO – MakeUseOf
Learn how to give your drives unique names and distinguish them from one another.
By default, Windows assigns typical names to every drive you connect to your PC. However, you can always change the volume labels to make them more descriptive.
You can assign a unique name of up to 32 characters for NTFS drives or 11 characters for FAT drives, including spaces. While NTFS drives can have mixed-case labels, FAT drives are always stored in uppercase, regardless of how they are entered. We'll show you how to change the volume label on Windows in six different ways.
File Explorer is the quickest way to change the volume label on Windows. It's as simple as renaming a file on Windows. Here's how to do it.
If you're using a Standard account, you'll need to enter the administrator's password to proceed with the change.
The Settings app has a dedicated Disks & volumes section that lets you manage drives and perform advanced storage-related tasks. Aside from changing the volume label, you can also change the drive letter or format a drive from this menu.
Follow these steps to change the volume label using the Settings app:
If you prefer to do things the old-fashioned way, you can use the Disk Management tool on Windows to quickly rename a drive on your PC. Here's how you can go about it.
If you're an avid Windows user who prefers to make changes via the command-line interface, you can change the volume label on Windows by running a few commands. Fortunately, this isn't as intimidating as it might sound.
Follow these steps to change the volume name using Command Prompt:
Replace <DriveLetter> in the above command with the drive letter noted earlier. Likewise, replace <DriveName> with the actual name that you wish to use.
So, for instance, if you were to rename the drive E to Backup, here's what your command should be:
If you already know the drive letter, you can change the volume name by running a single command mentioned in the last step. For more, why not try some fun tricks in the Command Prompt?
Like Command Prompt, you can also use Windows PowerShell to rename drives on your PC. Here's what you'll need to do.
First, replace<DriveLetter> in the above command with the drive letter noted in the last step. Next, replace <DriveName> with the actual name you want to use.
For instance, you would enter this command to rename the drive E to Backup:
The Registry Editor on Windows holds essential files for Windows and its services. If you're a power user familiar with the Registry Editor, you can change the volume name using the following method.
It's important to note that modifying registry files without knowledge can cause irreversible damage to your system. Thus, you should only use this method if you're comfortable editing registry files. Also, ensure you back all your registry files or create a restore point before proceeding with the changes below.
By giving your drives descriptive names, you can easily distinguish them. You can pick any methods you like to rename drives on Windows. With volume labels sorted, don't forget there are other ways to categorize your volumes in Windows.
Pankil is a freelance tech writer from India who enjoys writing how-tos, guides, and troubleshooting tips for Windows, Android, and Internet. When work isn’t on his mind, you can find him watching a football match or reading a book.
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