How to Change Workgroup in Windows 10


If your PC is on a large network at a workplace or school, it probably belongs to a domain. If your PC is on a home network, it belongs to a workgroup and might also belong to a homegroup.

When you set up a network, Windows automatically creates a workgroup and gives it the name WORKGROUP. You can join an existing workgroup on a network or create a new one. Workgroups provide a basis for file and printer sharing, but they don't actually set up sharing for you.

A workgroup is a group of PCs that are connected to a home or small office network and share resources, such as printers and files. When you set up a network, Windows automatically creates a workgroup and gives it a name.

• All PCs are peers; no PC has control over another PC.
• Each PC has a set of user accounts. To log on to any PC in the workgroup, you must have an account on that PC.
• There are typically no more than twenty PCs in a workgroup.
• A workgroup isn't protected by a password.
• All PCs must be on the same local network or subnet.
• All PCs in the workgroup must have a different computer name.
• If your PC was a member of a domain before you joined the workgroup, it will be removed from the domain and your computer account on that domain will be disabled.

This tutorial will show you how to change the workgroup on your Windows 10 PC to join an existing workgroup on a network or create a new one.

If your network includes PCs running Windows XP, you might need to change the workgroup name on those PCs to match the workgroup name on the PCs running later versions of Windows so that you can see and connect to all PCs on your network.

It is recommend that you use only Internet-standard characters in the workgroup name. The standard characters are the numbers 0 through 9, uppercase and lowercase letters from A through Z, and the hyphen (-) character. PC names cannot consist entirely of numbers, nor can they contain spaces. The name also cannot contain special characters, such as the following:

` ~ @ # $ % ^ & ( ) = + [ ] { } | ; : , ‘ “ . < > / ?

For a Windows 11 version of this tutorial, see:

Change Workgroup in Windows 11

Contents

• Option One: To Change Workgoup in System Properties
• Option Two: To Change Workgoup in Command Prompt
• Option Three: To Change Workgoup in PowerShell

EXAMPLE: Workgroup name displayed in Control Panel

OPTION ONE

To Change Workgoup in System Properties

1 Open the Control Panel (icons view), and click/tap on the System icon.

Starting with Windows 10 build 20161, you will need to open Settings instead, click/tap on the System icon, and click/tap on About on the left side.

If you like, you can also open Run (Win+R), type sysdm.cpl into Run, click/tap on OK, and go to step 3 below to open System Properties.

2 Click/tap on the Advanced system settings link on the left side, or click/tap on the Change settings link on the right side. (see screenshots below)

3 If prompted by UAC, then click/tap on Yes.

4 Click/tap on the Computer Name tab, and click/tap on the Change button. (see screenshot below)

5 Select (dot) Workgroup under Member of at the bottom, and then do one of the following: . (see screenshot below)

• To join an existing workgroup, enter the name of the workgroup that you want to join, and then click/tap OK.
• To create a new workgroup, enter the name of the workgroup that you want to create, and then click/tap OK.

6 Click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)

7 Click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)

This does not restart the computer yet.

8 Verify your new workgroup name, and click/tap on Close. (see screenshot below)

9 Click/tap on Restart now to restart your PC and apply the workgroup name. (see screenshot below)

This will restart your PC immediately. Be sure that you save and close anything you have open first.

OPTION TWO

To Change Workgoup in Command Prompt

1 Open an elevated command prompt.

2 Type the command below into the elevated command prompt, and press Enter. (see screenshot below)

wmic computersystem where name="%computername%" call joindomainorworkgroup name="Workgroup-Name"

Substitute Workgroup-Name in the command above with the actual name of the workgroup you want to join or create within quotes.

For example: wmic computersystem where name="%computername%" call joindomainorworkgroup name="BrinkGroup"

3 When successfully finished, close the elevated command prompt, and restart the computer to apply.

OPTION THREE

To Change Workgoup in PowerShell

1 Open an elevated PowerShell.

2 Type the command below into the elevated PowerShell, and press Enter. (see screenshot below)

Add-Computer -WorkGroupName "Name"

Substitute Name in the command above with the actual name of the workgroup you want to join or create within quotes.

For example: Add-Computer -WorkGroupName "BRINKGROUP"

3 When successfully finished, close the elevated PowerShell, and restart the computer to apply.

That's it,
Shawn Brink

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