What "changing a link's name" means

When you change the name of a link, you are changing the text that appears on your screen — the clickable words — without changing where that link actually goes. The destination stays the same; only the label changes. This is different from changing where a link points to, which is a separate task.

On your computer, this means editing the text of a shortcut or bookmark. On a website, it means editing the anchor text in the HTML code. The method depends on where the link lives and what program you are using to edit it.

Key Takeaways

  • On Windows, right-click a desktop shortcut, choose Properties, and edit the name field at the top of the window.
  • In most web browsers, you can rename bookmarks by right-clicking them and selecting rename, or by opening the bookmark manager.
  • On a website, changing link text requires editing the HTML code between the opening and closing anchor tags.
  • Changing a link's visible name does not affect where it points — the URL or destination remains the same unless you edit that separately.

Renaming a shortcut on Windows

Right-click the shortcut icon on your desktop or in a folder. A menu will appear. Click Properties at the bottom of the menu. A window will open with several tabs; you should be on the General tab by default.

At the very top of the window, you will see a text field with the current name. Click in that field, select all the text (Ctrl+A works), and type the new name. Click Apply, then OK. The shortcut's label on your desktop or in the folder will now show the new name.

Renaming a shortcut on Mac

Click once on the alias or shortcut to select it. Press Enter or Space to enter rename mode. The name will become editable. Type the new name and press Enter. The change takes effect immediately.

Alternatively, right-click the shortcut and select Rename from the menu that appears. This opens the same rename mode.

Renaming bookmarks in your browser

The steps vary slightly by browser, but the principle is the same. In Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge, you can right-click any bookmark in your bookmarks bar or bookmarks menu and select Edit or Rename. A small window or inline field will appear where you can change the name. Type the new name and press Enter.

For more control, open your browser's bookmark manager. In Chrome and Edge, press Ctrl+Shift+B (or Cmd+Shift+B on Mac). In Firefox, press Ctrl+Shift+O. In Safari, press Cmd+Option+B. Find the bookmark you want to rename, right-click it, and select Edit. Change the name in the Name field and save.

Changing link text on a website

If you own or manage a website, you change link text by editing the HTML code. Open the page in your website editor or in a code editor like Notepad++ or VS Code. Find the link you want to change. It will look like this:

<a href="https://example.com">Old Link Name</a>

The text between <a href> and </a> is what appears on the page. Change only that text. In the example above, you would replace "Old Link Name" with your new text. The href (the destination) stays the same unless you want to change it too. Save the file and refresh the page in your browser to see the change.

If you use a website builder like WordPress, Wix, or Squarespace, you usually do not need to touch HTML. Look for an edit button on the page, click the link, and a properties panel will appear where you can change the link text directly.

Why the destination does not change when you rename a link

The name of a link and where it points are stored separately. Changing the visible text does not touch the underlying destination. This is useful because you can make a link more descriptive or shorter without breaking it. For example, you might change "Click here for more information about our privacy policy" to just "Privacy Policy" — the link still goes to the same page.

If you want to change where a link points, that is a separate edit. In HTML, you would change the href value. In a bookmark manager, you would look for a URL or destination field. In a shortcut's Properties window on Windows, you would change the Target field, not the name field.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does renaming a link break it?

No. Renaming only changes the visible text. The link will still work exactly as before and go to the same destination. Breaking a link requires changing or deleting the actual destination address.

Can I rename a link that someone else created?

Only if you have edit access to that link. On your own computer, you can rename any shortcut or bookmark. On a website, you can only rename links if you have permission to edit that page. Links in emails or documents you received cannot be renamed unless you copy them into your own document first.

What if I rename a link and it stops working?

Renaming should never break a link. If a link stops working after you rename it, you likely accidentally changed the destination address instead of just the name. Undo the change (Ctrl+Z) and try again, being careful to edit only the visible text, not the URL or href value.

How do I rename a link in Microsoft Word or Google Docs?

Right-click the link and select Edit Link or Edit Hyperlink. A dialog box will open. Change the text in the Display Text or Link Text field. Leave the URL field alone unless you want to change where the link points. Click OK to save.