Newer versions of Outlook use the email address as the account display name (in Account Settings and in the From drop down) and also for the folder names in the folder list. not everyone likes this "feature" and they want to change the data file display name.
In older versions of Outlook you can change the Account name in Account Settings, double click on the account then click More Settings, Internet E-Mail Settings dialog.
Exchange server accounts cannot be renamed in the Outlook 2013 interface. However, you can use a script or MFCMAPI to easily make the change. See "Rename Exchange Mailbox and Account in Outlook" for more details.
The data file name was changed by right-clicking on it and choosing Properties, then Advanced. Very simple.
If you are using an IMAP account in Outlook 2013, you may need to open "Account Properties", which is the More Settings dialog, accessed from a different path. Specific instructions and screenshots for IMAP accounts are below. If you need to use this method to edit an IMAP account name, the General tab will be displayed when you access it from More Settings.
Rename: PST files | POP3 accounts | EAS, IMAP, Outlook Connector
Exchange server accounts
Rename Personal Folders (.pst)
You can change the name of the data files that show in the folder list. for .pst files (including POP3 .pst files), you can change the display name right from the UI.
Right click on the top of the folder name that you want to change and choose Data File Properties (it's just Properties in older versions of Outlook).
Click the Advanced button on the Properties dialog and change the names in the in the Data File Dialog.
POP3 Account names
If you want to change the name of the account in the From drop down or Account Settings dialog, follow these steps. The steps are the same for Outlook 2010. In Outlook 2007 and older, Email Accounts are on the Tools menu.
If you are using a POP3 account, you can change the name that displays in the folder list and navigation pane using this method:
- File, Account Settings
- Double click on the email account
- Click More Settings
- Change the Mail Account name on the General Tab
These steps also work for IMAP accounts in most versions of Outlook or the account name was previously edited.
IMAP accounts
Use this method to change the account name for IMAP accounts when the name is not accessible using the steps above. This changes both the account name (shown in the From account selector) and the data file display name in the Navigation pane.
- Open the Send/Receive Groups dialog using Ctrl+Alt+S.
- Click Edit...
- Select the account you want to change
- Click the Account Properties button
- Change the Mail Account name on the General Tab
Hotmail/Outlook.com account dialog is below. The name change in the folder list is shown
Rename accounts Video Tutorial
Alonzo Mosley says
So something just happened (26-Sep-2023) to my Profile, and all of my Favorites, my Rules, and my autopopulating addresses are all gone.
When I add my Favorites back, it shows the EMAIL address on each account, NOT the ACCOUNT NAME.
The account names show correctly in File=>Account Information; but in neither Favorites nor below, in the list of mailboxes in the Folder Pane. Argh.
When this happened in the past, a simple restart corrected it... Not today! Double-Argh.
Victor Ivanidze says
There exists a tool named RenameMailbox for Outlook.
rsbrux says
I have tried everything here and cannot change the names displayed in the navigation pane for the IMAP connections to my iCloud and Yahoo accounts. The dialogs mentioned above for IMAP accounts show the desired account names, but the navigation pane still shows the corresponding e-mail addresses instead. I am using Outlook 2016 (Office 365) under WIndows 8.1
Shahnie says
GSuite cannot be renamed, goes back to GSuite when outlook is restarted. How to fix?
Diane Poremsky says
the gsuite software is doing it - you won't be able to change it. Sorry.
John David says
This was great. Thank You sooooo much!
Jeff Taylor says
Unless I haven't read your post carefully enough, all the actions described relate to changing what name is displayed in Outlook lists and dialogs. I'd like to know how to change the Windows file system name of the PST file itself.
Do you have another post about how to do that?
Diane Poremsky says
The actual file name? Close Outlook, rename the pst then reopen Outlook. When it complains, browse to the renamed file. You can't rename imap, exchange, or outlook.com files - only change the display name.
brdavis9 says
Hi Diane - I found an elegant solution to the problem of "easily" changing the account names in Outlook 2016 by using a tool called MFCMAPI.
I dunno if the commenting allows links, but the URL for MFCMAPI is
https://mfcmapi.codeplex.com/
Basically though, you start MFCMAPI and click the OK button. Choose Session --> Logon (and your mail profile, typically "Outlook") and click OK. Highlight the account you want to rename, look for PR_DISPLAY_NAME in the list and 2-click it ...and edit the name. Easy-peasy.
(I've found your suggestions and how-to's over the years invaluable, so thought I'd return the favor at least once.)
Diane Poremsky says
I have a script (for people who'd rather not edit) and the mfcmapi steps here - https://www.slipstick.com/outlook/rename-exchange-mailbox-account-outlook-2013
John says
This sucks that it doesn't work on Outlook 2016.
Diane Poremsky says
It should... I'll check on it. What type of accounts do you have in your profile?
Don Juane says
I recently followed the demand sent out describing deleting my hotmail "connector" account and re-adding it on my Outlook 2007 application. I assume this was to move me to an exchange server. Here is what happened, the mailbox name got changed to "Mail-(myname)". I used MFCMAPI to change that from "Mail-(myname)" to "(myname)@hotmail.com" to match the naming convention of my two previously configured IMAP acounts. All looked well in the "Mail Folders" section; I now had my 2 IMAP accounts and my new Hotmailconnector/converted-to-Exchange account listed with the actual email address as the title.
Now the problem I ran into is that when I dragged "Inbox" up to the "Favorite Folders" from my newly revamped hotmail account, then name of the Inbox under "Favorite Folders" appears as simply "Inbox", where my 2 previously configured IMAP accounts have the respective names of "Inbox in abc.com" and "Inbox in xyz.com". How can I change the simply refereed "Inbox" name in the "Favorite Folders" to be "Inbox at hotmail.com" to match the other two IMAP "Inbox" shortcuts to the respective Inboxes?
Summary:
(Now:) Favorite Folders:
"Inbox in abc.com"
"inbox"
"inbox in zyz.com"
(Desired:) Favorite Folders:
"Inbox in abc.com"
"inbox in hotmail.com"
"inbox in zyz.com"
Diane Poremsky says
It *should* list it using the "inbox - name" format when more than one inbox folder is added to the favorites list. What name does it use if you add two sent folders to favorites?
Mike says
Also worked for me on IMAP/Outlook 2016
Parker says
Worked for me.
Warren says
This was great. Thank You sooooo much!
rsbrux says
P.S. The same applies for the MFCMAPI method. MFCMAPI provides access to PR_DISPLAY_NAME as described above, but the rename doesn't "stick". Even without starting Outlook (or GASMO), MFCMAPI displays the old name again after logoff and renewed login.
rsbrux says
The advice under "ActiveSync (EAS) and IMAP accounts" didn't work on the folder for my Google Apps EAS folder. The renamed folder reverts to its previous name the next time Outlook 2013 is started.
Diane Poremsky says
The google sync utility makes the changes and unfortunately, I'm not aware of a way to override it.
Nick says
Worked for me (changing IMAP account names) perfectly. Many thanks!
Jesse says
Yes just closing outlook with no reboot reverts the name. No CC Cleaner or any other scripts running with outlook. The user is running outlook from a Windows Server 2008 R2 Terminal Server.
Diane Poremsky says
Ah, it's probably the terminal server is not permanently saving changes to the registry. That would be a permissions issue and the admin would need to change permissions.
Jesse says
This is very well done. I have found bits and pieces of this procedure around the net. I am able to change the registry value of my exchange account and it displays correctly the first time I launch it. However, if I close and re-launch Outlook the name reverts. Any suggestions for my situation?
Diane Poremsky says
It changes when you close Outlook without rebooting? Do you use any registry cleaners? That can undo changes, also windows updates can cause it - if they are waiting to reboot, changes in outlook may revert to the state before the update was downloaded.
Curt says
thanks for this, Diane. every time i set up a new outlook profile with my Hotmail account, i never remember that they've tucked away the account displayname in the send/receive groups instead of having it on the file/account settings page. and i wind up here. i won't pretend to understand why they did that. especially since I can change my gmail IMAP account name in file/account settings...the same place where I created the accounts.
Jim says
Sorry, posted comment on wrong FAQ. Still have same question, though!
Jim says
I have an outlook.com account that I'd like to sync to my Outlook 365/2013HomePremium desktop software. I've followed the instructions above but cannot get it to sync. I also don't understand why you added the same email address first as a POP and then as an EAS. My outlook.com account is a Microsoft account, isn't that just a duplicate step? That plus renaming and registry editing made this tutorial confusing. Sync Outlook to Outlook.com, shouldn't that be simple and user-friendly?
Diane Poremsky says
The tutorial is for Syncing Calendar and Contacts when you use a POP3 or IMAP account. If you only use Outlook.com, you just need to add the account to your profile as an Outlook.com (EAS) account in Outlook 2013 or using the Outlook Connector in Outlook 2010, 2007, 2003. See Configuring an Outlook.com account in Outlook for instructions.
testing2 says
The General tab is no longer displayed in Outlook 2013 when using an Exchange account, hence these instructions are no longer valid.
Diane Poremsky says
That's why it says "Exchange server accounts can't be renamed."
(Which really means 'most people won't want to edit the registry to rename them' - I added the instructions to edit the registry to rename the account to the page.)