---
sidebar_position: 1
title: ALTER SNAPSHOT
description: Rename or remove names from database snapshots using ALTER SNAPSHOT.
---

`ALTER SNAPSHOT` renames a snapshot or removes its name. The only supported option is `snapshot_name`.

## Syntax

```sql
ALTER SNAPSHOT <snapshot_selector> SET snapshot_name = '<new_name>';
```

### Snapshot selector

Snapshot selectors resolve within a database. If you don't qualify the database, the current database (set with `USE`) is used.

```text
<snapshot_selector> :=
  <database_name>.<snapshot_name>
| <snapshot_name>
| '<snapshot_id_or_name>'
```

- `<database_name>.<snapshot_name>` targets a snapshot by name on a specific database. Use this when you want to rename a snapshot without switching databases.
- `<snapshot_name>` targets a snapshot by name on the current database (set with `USE`). Unquoted names must be valid SQL identifiers (letters, digits, and underscores). Use double quotes for names with spaces or punctuation (single quotes are reserved for the UUID-or-name form).
- `'<snapshot_id_or_name>'` targets a snapshot UUID or a snapshot name on the current database. MotherDuck first tries to resolve the value as a snapshot UUID. If no snapshot is found, it falls back to resolving it as a snapshot name. This form does not accept a database qualifier, so use `USE` first if needed. If a snapshot name looks like a UUID, use the identifier form (unquoted or double-quoted) to avoid UUID resolution.

### Options

| Option | Type | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `snapshot_name` | STRING | New name for the snapshot (string literal). Use `''` to remove the name. When set, names must be 1-255 characters and unique per user across all databases. |

## Considerations

- Named snapshots are available on the Business plan only. `ALTER SNAPSHOT` will error on plans that do not support
  named snapshots.
- This command applies only to MotherDuck databases (not DuckLake databases or shares).
- To list snapshots, query `md_information_schema.database_snapshots` (for example, filter by `user_name`).
- Removing a snapshot name makes it subject to `snapshot_retention_days`. See the [snapshots guide](/concepts/snapshots).
- `snapshot_name` only accepts a string literal. Expressions and `NULL` are not supported.

## Example usage

```sql
-- Rename a snapshot in the current database
USE my_db;
ALTER SNAPSHOT nightly_backup SET snapshot_name = 'nightly_backup_2025_02_01';

-- Rename a snapshot using a database-qualified name
ALTER SNAPSHOT analytics.month_end SET snapshot_name = 'fy2025_q4_close';

-- Rename a snapshot by UUID
USE my_db;
ALTER SNAPSHOT '3f2504e0-4f89-11d3-9a0c-0305e82c3301' SET snapshot_name = 'pre_migration';

-- Rename a snapshot that has spaces or special characters in its name
USE my_db;
ALTER SNAPSHOT 'month end (final)' SET snapshot_name = 'month_end_final';

-- Remove a snapshot name (unset)
USE my_db;
ALTER SNAPSHOT '3f2504e0-4f89-11d3-9a0c-0305e82c3301' SET snapshot_name = '';
```