Rename a VPN Connection in Windows 7

This question comes up a lot, so it’s worth documenting:

Question: How do I rename a VPN connection in Windows 7? There’s no option to rename it in the Network and Sharing Center or on the taskbar.

It’s true that there’s no way to rename a VPN connection on the Network and Sharing center main screen:

Network and Sharing Center

…and if you click the icon in the System Tray and then try to right-click the VPN connection, there’s no rename option under properties either:

Network Connections in System Tray

But the rename VPN option is nearby, tucked away under “Changer Adapter Settings” on the Network and Sharing Center:

Click Change Adapter Settings

Here you will see the familiar wired and wireless NICs and VPN connections listed, since there are different types of VPN services you can get online using a torguard coupon to get the best deals for this. Just right-click the VPN connection here and then click Rename.

Right-click the VPN connection, then click Rename

It’s just one of those easily overlooked or forgotten things.

Disclaimer: Matt isn’t really a poo-poo-head, he actually rocks.

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4 Replies to “Rename a VPN Connection in Windows 7”

  1. Thank you – needless to say the way VPN connections are organized is ridiculous.
    1. To change user/password for a VPN connection (the ONLY way):
    a) You have to click on Internet Options (iE or Network and Sharing Center)
    b) Choose Connections tab to even see a list of VPN connections.
    c) There you can select a connection and click Settings button (other choices are Remove and Add). This will ONLY allow you to change user/password but not other VPN settings.
    2. To change Properties of a VPN connection is easier and more intuitive – right click on it from the tray icon menu. However, you cannot access Properties from the #1 approach – only Settings!!! Also, Properties apparently does not include user/password "properties" of a VPN connection.
    3. To rename a VPN connection neither of #1 or #2 approaches would work! You have to follow this article's directions.

    Lost for words… And I generally like Windows 7 a lot.

  2. Very instructive and step by step information along with images helped me out clearly how to rename a VPN connection in Windows 7. I'm being using Windows 7 almost 5 years and just now learned this interesting way.

  3. I have set up a VPN connection and it has been assigned a generic name of local area network 2 or something similar, however to access my remote desktop link to my office computer I need to call this connection a particular name i.e. OpenVPN. How do I do this as the change setting tab does not have anything for changing the connection name.

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