Want to rename multiple files at once in Windows File Explorer? Here are a couple of ways to batch rename files in the Windows operating system.
To rename a file in Windows, you select the file in the File Explorer, press the F2 key, and type the name of your choice. You can also right-click on a file and select the “Rename” option. This works great when renaming individual files. However, what if you want to rename multiple files at once?
Though Windows doesn’t explicitly have a “rename multiple files” option, you can still do it in two simple steps. In fact, Windows offers multiple methods to batch rename files. You can batch rename files in File Explorer or use dedicated bulk renaming programs to rename files in Windows. These programs are beneficial if you need a bit more control and extensive options.
In this quick and straightforward Windows guide, let me show four ways to batch rename files in Windows operating system.
The steps shown in this guide will work in Windows 7, 10, and 11 operating systems.
1. Batch rename files in File Explorer
You can rename multiple files at once directly in the File Explorer. Here is how.
First, go to the folder where the files you want to rename are located. Next, select all the files you want to rename. You can press the “Ctrl + A” shortcut to select all the files in a directory or hold down the Ctrl key and click on files with your mouse pointer to select them individually.
After selecting the files, press the “F2” key on your keyboard or right-click on a file and select the “Rename” option. Next, type the name of your choice and press the Enter key on the keyboard.
As soon as you do that, File Explorer will rename all the selected files with the name you provided. Of course, File Explorer will add a number at the end of the file name to avoid duplicate file names.
2. Use PowerToys to rename multiple files
PowerToys is an excellent tool with several different utilities built into it. One of those utilities is PowerRename. It allows batch renaming files in Windows. If you don’t know, PowerToys is an office tool from Microsoft.
First, download and install PowerToys if you haven’t already. After installing, search for “PowerToys” in the Start menu and open it. You can also double-click on the PowerToys desktop menu.
Once the PowerToys application has been opened, select the “PowerRename” tab on the sidebar and turn on the “Enable PowerRename” option.
Now, open the File Explorer and go to where the files you want to rename are located. Select all the files you want to rename, right-click, and select the “PowerRename” option.
Here, type a word or string in the “Search for” field and type what you want to replace it with in the “Replace with” field. For example, I want to replace all instances of “textfile” with “windowsloop.” So, I typed “textfile” in the “Search for” field and “windowsloop” in the “Replace with” field.
You can also choose extended options under the “Options” sections. For instance, I want to capitalize everything. So, I select the “Make Uppercase” option.
Finally, click the “Rename” button.
As soon as you click the button, PowerToys will rename the selected files.
If you have the know-how, you can use RegEx to perform complex renaming tasks.
3. Use Bulk Rename Utility
If you are looking for something more powerful for your batch renaming needs, then there is no better tool than the Bulk Rename Utility. The best thing about the Bulk Rename Utility is that it has all kinds of options to batch rename files. I regularly use this application to bulk rename files.
The program’s most significant advantage is that you can chain multiple remaining functions to achieve what you need. For example, you might want to add a prefix string, replace spaces with an underscore, change everything to lowercase, and remove a specific part of the file names. You can do all this in one fell swoop, provided that you chose the appropriate options.
Bulk Rename Utility will take a bit more time to get used to and the UI look a bit old compared to other renaming tools. However, it shines like no other when it comes to functionality, speed, and features.
So, if you are looking for a full-fledged renaming tool, then give Bulk Rename Utility a try.
I hope that helps.
If you are stuck or need some help, comment below, and I will try to help as much as possible.
