Change Hostname on macOS

On macOS you can change the hostname (computer name) using the scutil command from Terminal. There are three related name settings.

Set the hostname

sudo scutil --set ComputerName "NewHostname"
sudo scutil --set HostName "NewHostname"
sudo scutil --set LocalHostName "NewHostname"

What each one does

• ComputerName — the friendly name shown in Finder, System Settings, and AirDrop (can have spaces, e.g. “Anh’s MacBook Pro”)
• HostName — used for command-line/network contexts, no spaces or special characters
• LocalHostName — used for Bonjour/mDNS (.local name), also no spaces

Flush the cache

After running these, flush the mDNS cache so the change takes effect immediately:

dscacheutil -flushcache
sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder

Verify

scutil --get ComputerName
scutil --get HostName
scutil --get LocalHostName
hostname

GUI method

You can also do it via the GUI: System Settings → General → About → Name (or on older macOS: System Preferences → Sharing → Computer Name).

Notes

• Use only letters, numbers, and hyphens for HostName/LocalHostName — no spaces or underscores, or some network services may misbehave.
• If you’re on a corporate/managed Mac (MDM), the hostname may get reset automatically by a config profile.