Setting Device Names

Kandji has multiple options for setting names for macOS, iOS, iPadOS and tvOS devices

Kandji has an intelligent Library Item that allows you to use device variables and custom text to set and enforce the device name.

This Library Item requires supervision.

• Add a Device Name Library Item
• Device name
• Hostname
• Device name modification
• Manually rename a device

Add a Device Name Library Item

1. In the left-hand navigation bar, navigate to Library.
2. In the upper right corner, click the "+ Add new" button.
3. In the Profiles section, select Device name and click the Add & Configure button.
4. Set a title for this Library Item.
5. Click Select Blueprint and assign one or more Blueprints that will use this Library Item, or toggle All Blueprints.
6. In the Install on drop-down, select the device families you wish this Library Item to apply to.
7. Optionally, click + Add to define assignment rules.

Device name

1. Drag variables in the Device name pattern field to define your desired pattern. Be mindful of platform-specific differences, for example, "Primary local user name" is something that is not available on iOS and iPadOS.
2. Review the resulting pattern preview.

Hostname

By default, the Device Name Library Item will use the same pattern for device name and hostname. Optionally, you can configure the Device Name Library Item to have separate device name and hostname patterns on Mac computers (allowing the device name to be more user-friendly).

1. Select Customize hostname.
2. Drag variables in the hostname pattern field to define your desired pattern. Be mindful of platform-specific differences, for example, "Primary local user name" is something that is not available on iOS and iPadOS.
3. Review the resulting pattern preview.

If you deselected Mac in the device families, the Hostname section will be disabled as MDM can only manage hostname on Mac. iOS, iPadOS and tvOS set their hostname automatically based on the Device Name.

iOS and iPadOS devices, by default, connect to Wi-FI networks with Private Wi-FI Address turned on. With this setting turned on, the device will not share the hostname with the network. Instead, it will share the device's Model Name, e.g., iPad Pro 11 (4th Gen). You can turn this setting off using the Disable MAC address randomization configuration option in the Wi-Fi Library Item.

Device name modification

1. Optionally, to prevent users from modifying the device name or hostname, select the Prevent users from modifying device name and hostname checkbox.
2. Click the Save button to save the Device Name Library Item to your Library.

On iOS, iPadOS, tvOS and macOS 14 Sonoma and later, this will set the Supervised restriction preventing users from modifying their device's name. On macOS versions prior to macOS 14 Sonoma, the Kandji Agent will remediate device name and hostname changes after the next Agent check-in.

Manually rename a device

macOS, iOS, iPadOS, and tvOS device names can be set directly on the associated device record page. 

If you have a Device Name Library Item set to configure a device's name, this device action will be unavailable.

1. Navigate to a device record.
2. Click the Device Action menu in the upper right corner.
3. Click Set device name from the action menu.
   
4. Enter a device name into the Set Device Name window.
5. Click Set Device Name.