Something I could do under Windows 7, but has gone from Windows 10 as the Manage Wireless Networks option is gone.

When a Wi-Fi network is defined on the computer it is shown as it's SSID, so it's profile name equals that of the SSID. Manage Wireless Networks allowed me to rename the profile to something meaningful, like SKY1D54FD could be shown as I Alex's home network.

Windows 10 can still do this as it's remembered all renamed profiles from Windows 7, but there is no way to change the names of any profiles.

During my investigation I've figured out that the WiFi profile names are stored here:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\WcmSvc
REG_MULTI_SZ: CMPOL

I have found a quirky workaround, but there has got to be an easier way to do this.

1. Using netsh export the profile to an XML file.
2. Edit profile name stored in the exported XML file.
3. Using netsh erase the unwanted profile.
4. Using netsh import the profile with the desired profile name.

Actually, I found a really cool way to back-up all Wi-Fi profiles.  the command is:
netsh wl ex pr key=clear

Every Wi-Fi profile is exported to it's own XML file with the Wi-fi security keys stored unencrypted.

Anyway, is there an easier way to rename Wi-Fi profiles in situ just how it could be done within Windows 7?

Microsoft have made an awful mistake here.  :-(

Anyway, is there an easier way to rename Wi-Fi profiles in situ ...?

I agree it isn't as friendly as it used to be.  You can however rename profiles under:

HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\NetworkList\Profiles

Not sure about that.  I used netsh to export a wlan profile, changed the profile's name in the XML file, used netsh to erase the old profile and imported the altered profile with netsh

The only place the new profile name was stored is in:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\WcmSvc
REG_MULTI_SZ: CMPOL

Microsoft have made an awful mistake here.  :-(

Maybe they were hoping that some developers would be able to help?

FWIW your question has led me here

https://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/b9bbe2df-629b-41a4-a106-868da2ae5528/dm-wifi-profile-management-doesnt-work?forum=developingmdmsolutions

(BING search for
    MDM_WirelessProfileXML
)

I started (hopefully) with this PowerShell query

PS>Get-WMIObject -Namespace "root" -List *wireless* -Recurse


   NameSpace: ROOT\CIMV2\mdm

Name                                Methods              Properties
----                                -------              ----------
MDM_WirelessProfile                 {}                   {AutoConnect, ConnectionType, ConnectToMorePreferedNetwork, ConnectWhenNotBroadcasting...}
MDM_WirelessProfileXml              {}                   {Name, ProfileXml}

The above post suggests the quest would continue by finding a document called

<quote>

Windows 8.1 Enterprise Device Management Protocol document
</quote>

However the search which found that also shows that in fact there are some companies peddling products in the area, so maybe there is an answer on that tack too.

HTH

Right click the Windows Icon and click Run. Type secpol.msc. Then a new windows showing and you can open Network List Manager Policy.

Choose your Network name from the right pane. Here you can change the NAME, if is PRIVATE or not, The ICON of the network and so on

You can also set the defaults - Microsoft should have set these defaults before shipping Windows 8.1

• Edited by Jacky Yau 24 minutes ago