If your Mac’s login window shows the wrong details—or no extra details at all—first identify what you mean: the login-window information display, the Mac’s computer name, its local network hostname, its network address, or a user’s login name. These are separate settings, so changing one will not necessarily fix another.
Identify which detail is missing or incorrect
Apple uses AdminHostInfo to configure additional computer information in the login window. Separately, macOS has a computer name, a local hostname used on the network, a network address, and a user account name. Start with the item that is actually wrong rather than renaming the Mac or an account as a guess.
| What you mean | What it identifies | Where to check or change it |
|---|---|---|
| Additional login-window information | A value such as the host name, macOS version, or IP address shown at the login window | Potentially controlled by the LoginWindow device-management setting AdminHostInfo; a managed Mac may be governed by an administrator’s configuration profile. |
| Computer name | The Mac’s name | Apple menu > System Settings > General > About; edit the Name field. |
| Local hostname | The name the Mac uses on the local network | Apple menu > System Settings > General > Sharing; edit the Local hostname section. |
| Network address | The address used to reach the Mac on a network | Shown for sharing services; Apple says it is provided by the DNS server, or derived from the computer name when DNS is unavailable. |
| User login name | The identity of the person signing in, not the Mac’s name | The login window accepts a full name or account name. Use Apple’s recovery steps if you have forgotten the account name. |
Apple’s current instructions for checking a Mac’s name and network address, and for changing its computer name or local hostname, are in Find your computer’s name and network address on Mac.
If the extra information is missing from the login window
Apple’s LoginWindow device-management documentation says that when AdminHostInfo is present, its value is displayed as additional computer information. Apple also documents that, from macOS 10.10 onward, setting the key to any value lets a user click the time area of the menu bar to toggle through available information. The documented values include HostName, SystemVersion, and IPAddress.
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This is a device-management configuration, not a universal consumer-facing switch in System Settings. Apple does not provide a single Settings path that repairs every case where the information is absent. If the Mac is managed by work or school, ask its administrator whether a LoginWindow profile controls what appears. Avoid applying old Terminal commands found in third-party instructions as if they were Apple’s current recommended fix. See Apple’s LoginWindow device-management reference.
If the Mac’s computer name is wrong
- Open Apple menu > System Settings > General > About.
- Inspect the Name field and change it if needed.
This changes the computer name; it does not rename a user account. The exact interface can differ on older macOS releases. Apple documents the current path in its instructions for changing a computer name or local hostname.
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If the local network name is wrong
- Open Apple menu > System Settings > General > Sharing.
- Find the Local hostname section at the bottom of the pane and select Edit.
- Review or change the local hostname, then confirm the change.
The local network name normally uses the computer name with .local appended and spaces replaced by hyphens. Local hostnames are case-insensitive. If another Mac on the same network has the exact same name, macOS may add a number; if Bonjour does not recognize the computer name, the local network name is Macintosh.local. A network address is a different identifier, not another spelling of the hostname.
If the visible name is the user’s login identity
The login window can accept either the user’s full name or account name. If you have forgotten the account name, open Finder, choose Go > Home, and read the account name shown at the top of the Finder window. Apple also describes recovery in If you forgot your user or account name on Mac.
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Do not rename the account or home folder just to correct the Mac’s computer name. Apple’s account-renaming procedure requires care, a backup, and use of another administrator account; mistakes can damage the account and prevent login. Follow Apple’s separate procedure for changing the name of a macOS user account and home folder only when changing that identity is truly necessary.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.If this is a work or school Mac
An organization can manage login-window behavior through device-management configuration. Network authentication at the login window can also depend on a compatible directory service and a configuration profile or mobile device management (MDM) setup. If the login screen is configured for 802.1X, or the Mac uses FileVault, do not remove profiles or change authentication settings as a first troubleshooting step. Ask the organization’s administrator to check the policy and setup. Apple explains the managed network-login scenario in Use Login Window Mode for 802.1X authentication to a network.
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