Batch renaming

Quality 0.50 · 3 views · Updated 2 months ago

title: "Batch renaming" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["file-managers", "utility-software-types"] topic_path: "general/file-managers" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batch_renaming" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

Batch renaming is a form of batch processing used to rename multiple computer files and folders in an automated fashion, in order to save time and reduce the amount of work involved. Some sort of software is required to do this. Such software can be more or less advanced, but most have the same basic functions.

Batch renaming can also be referred to as 'mass file renaming', rename 'en masse' and 'bulk renaming'.

Common functions

Most batch renamers share a basic set of functions to manipulate the filenames:

  • Find a string within the filename and replace it with another, or remove it.
  • Setting the capitalization of the letters in the filenames.
  • Extracting information from the files, such as Mp3 ID3 tags, and putting it in the filename.
  • Add a number sequence (001,002,003,...) to a list of files.
  • Use a text file as a source for new file names.

Some batch rename software can do more than just renaming filenames. Features include changing the dates of files and changing the file attributes (such as the write protected attribute).

Common uses

There are many situations where batch renaming software can be useful. Here is a list of some common uses:

  • Many digital cameras store images using a base filename, such as DCSN0001 or IMG0001. Using a batch renamer the photographer can easily give the pictures meaningful names.
  • When downloading files from the Internet such as mp3 music, the files often have crude names. A batch renamer can be used to quickly change the filenames to a style that suits the person who downloaded them.
  • When managing large amount of files, such as a picture database, a batch renamer is more or less essential for the task of maintaining filenames without too much manual labour.
  • When authoring music files onto a CD/DVD or transferring the files to a digital audio player, a batch renamer can be used to listen to songs in desired order.
  • When uploading files to a web server or transferring the files to an environment that does not support space or non-English characters in filenames, a batch renamer can be used to substitute such characters with acceptable ones.

Problems

There are a few problems to take in consideration when renaming a file list.

(→ means: renamed to)

  • Detecting that the target filename already exist. ::quote

file01 → file02 (file02 already exists in file-system) ::

  • Detecting that the target filename is already used. ::quote

file01 → file03

file02 → file03 (file03 is already used) ::

  • Detecting cycle renaming (Solved by a two-pass renaming). ::quote

file01 → file02 (file02 already exists in file-system)

file02 → file03 (file03 already exists in file-system)

file03 → file01 (file01 already exists in file-system)

::

Two-pass renaming

Two-pass renaming uses a temporary filename (that doesn't exist in file-system) as shown below.

(→ means: renamed to)

  • First pass ::quote

file01 → file01_AAAAA

file02 → file02_AAAAB

file03 → file03_AAAAC

::

  • Second pass ::quote

file01_AAAAA → file02

file02_AAAAB → file03

file03_AAAAC → file01

::

It solves the cycle renaming problem.

If this approach is to be used care should be taken not to exceed any filename length limits during the rename, and also that the temporary names do not clash with any existing files.

List of software

This is a list of notable batch renaming programs in the form of a comparison table. ::data[format=table]

NameLicenseWindowsMac OS XLinuxBSD/FreeBSDUnix-likeAdvanced RenamerAnt RenamerApertureAutomatorFile Rename UtilityBulk Rename UtilityBulkyChrono NamerCRAX CommanderEasy File RenamerExifRenamerGNOME CommanderGPRenameKRenameMétamorphoseAlgoLogic Batch File RenamerImBatchReNamer Lite(den4b)Thunar (bulk renamer)Unreal CommanderVi move (vimv)VifmNamagicQuick File Renamerenamernm
Free for non-commercial use
Free GNU General Public License v3
Commercial
Free with OS X
Free
Free for non-commercial use
AGPL3
Free
Commercial
Commercial
Free
Free, GNU General Public License
(via Cygwin)
Free, GNU General Public License v3
Free, GNU General Public License v2
Free, GNU General Public License v3
Commercial
Free for non-commercial use
Free for non-commercial use
Free, GNU General Public License v2+
Free
Free, GNU General Public License v3+
(via Cygwin)
Free, GNU General Public License v2+
Commercial
Commercial
Free, GPL
Free, GPL-3+
::

Footnotes

fr:Renommage en masse de fichiers ou dossiers informatiques

References

  1. "Ant Renamer".
  2. "Introduction – File Rename Utility".
  3. "Introduction – Bulk Rename Utility".
  4. (15 May 2021). "Introduction – Bulky".
  5. "Chrono Namer".
  6. "CRAX Commander".
  7. "Easy File Renamer Official. Easiest File Renamer, Mover & Copier.".
  8. Robl, Stefan. "qdev.de – ExifRenamer".
  9. "ImBatch – The Best in Batch Image Processing – High Motion Software".
  10. "xfce:thunar:bulk-renamer:start [Xfce Docs]".
  11. Maeder, Ivan. (26 April 2017). "vimv: Rename a list of files using a text editor".
  12. "Vifm Wiki".
  13. "Namagic – Batch renaming reloaded for Mac OS X".
  14. "Quick File Rename – Powerful Batch Renamer for Windows".
  15. "rename(1): Rename files – Linux man page".
  16. Hamid, Md Jahidul. (15 June 2017). "rnm: Unix tool: Bulk Rename Utility".

::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::

file-managersutility-software-types