Rename a Desktop Icon on Mac OS X

You may find yourself needing to rename a desktop icon on Mac OS X because it automatically saved as something like ambiguous like "Picture 1," or you've altered the file. Whatever the reason, changing the name of the desktop icon is a quick and easy process that can be completed in a few short steps.

Steps

Renaming an Icon the Quick Way

  1. Locate the icon you wish to rename.
  2. Click once on the text. Make sure to click the text or file name only and not the actual icon. If you do this correctly, the text should suddenly be in highlighted.
  3. Press ↵ Enter. After you press enter, the highlighted box should immediately change to a text box. You can also complete this process by clicking on the text for a second time while it is highlighted.
  4. Enter the new name. Once the text is highlighted within the text box, delete the previous name and type in your new file name.
  5. Click the desktop. Once you have successfully changed the name of the desktop icon, click outside of the textbook on any clear space to save.

Renaming an Icon Using the Dropdown Menu

  1. Locate the icon you wish to rename.
  2. Right-click on the icon. You can do this by either right-clicking or, if you do not have a two button mouse, by pressing Control + click. This will cause a dropdown menu to appear.[1]
  3. Select "Rename." This will immediately cause the name to change into a text box.[2]
  4. Enter the new name. Once the text is highlighted within the text box, delete the previous name and type in your new file name.
  5. Click the desktop. Once you have successfully changed the name of the desktop icon, click outside of the textbook on any clear space to save.

Renaming an Icon Through the Command Line

  1. Open the terminal. You can do this by going to "Go" and then selecting "Utilities." A window will appear with all of your utilities. Select the ball icon labeled "Terminal." A black window will appear.
  2. Enter the following: mv exampleoldfilename examplenewfilename. For example, if you are trying to change a file entitled "Lemon" to "Lime," you would enter mv Lemon Lime.[2]
  3. Exit out of the terminal. Your file should now be renamed.

Tips

  • If you are trying to give an icon a name that another icon already shares (see warnings), add a number "2" to the icon name, or give it a different name all together.
  • You can use just about any symbol in the icon name. Even ones that you create by pressing option and another key.

Warnings

  • If the icon is in a crowded space on the desktop, you may end up accidentally renaming another icon.
  • You can never give two icons that are in the same place the same name.

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ https://support.apple.com/kb/PH19067?locale=en_US
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 http://osxdaily.com/2010/03/18/how-to-rename-a-file-or-folder-in-mac-os-x/
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