How to batch rename multiple files in Windows 10

How to batch rename multiple files in Windows 10
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Both at home and at work, it's helpful to know how to batch rename multiple files in Windows 10. Right-clicking and manually renaming every single file might be necessary if they need different naming formats, but it’s much quicker and easier to rename in bulk.

Windows 10 offers a few ways of doing this, including using its Command Prompt and PowerShell tools, but frankly these are complicated and easy to get wrong if you’re not experienced with them. It’s a lot more straightforward, and still fast, to batch rename files through File Explorer. In this guide, we’ll show you how.

There are two techniques we recommend to bulk-rename files in File Explorer. The first involves renaming individual files one by one, which doesn’t sound ideal for batch renaming, but with certain keyboard inputs you can speed things up considerably.

We’ll also show you how to rename a collection of files all at once, which is the quickest method if you’re not fussed about giving specific names to specific files. Instead, any files you’ve selected will share the same name, with an automatically-assigned number identifier for each one.

How to batch rename multiple files in Windows: Rename files individually

1. Open File Explorer and navigate to where your files are saved.

How to batch rename multiple files in Windows 10: Rename files one by one step 1: Open Windows Explorer and navigate to where your files are saved

(Image credit: Future)

2. Right-click on the first file in the folder, then click “Rename.”

How to batch rename multiple files in Windows 10: Rename files one by one step 2: Right-click on the first file in the folder, then click Rename

(Image credit: Future)

3. Type the new name for the file, then press the Tab key on your keyboard. This will simultaneously save the file’s new name, then select the following file so you can instantly start typing a new name for that as well.

How to batch rename multiple files in Windows 10: Rename files one by one step 3: Type the new name for the file, then press the Tab key

(Image credit: Future)

4. Continue typing file names and pressing Tab to cycle to the next file, until all your files are renamed.

How to batch rename multiple files in Windows 10: Rename files one by one step 4: Repeat process of typing names and pressing tab until all files are renamed

(Image credit: Future)

How to batch rename multiple files in Windows: Rename files in bulk

1. Open File Explorer and navigate to where your files are saved.

How to batch rename multiple files in Windows 10: Rename files in bulk step 1: Open Windows Explorer and navigate to where your files are saved

(Image credit: Future)

2. Select all the files you want to rename. You can do this either by clicking and dragging your cursor across the files, or by holding the Ctrl key and clicking once on each file.

How to batch rename multiple files in Windows 10: Rename files in bulk step 2: Select all the files you want to rename

(Image credit: Future)

3. Right-click the first of the highlighted files and click “Rename.”

How to batch rename multiple files in Windows 10: Rename files in bulk step 3: Right-click the first of the highlighted files and click Rename

(Image credit: Future)

4. Type in the new file name — remember that this will be applied to every file you’ve selected — and press the Enter key.

How to batch rename multiple files in Windows 10: Rename files in bulk step 4: Type the new file name and hit Enter

(Image credit: Future)

5. All selected files will be renamed, using a “[File name] [number]” format to keep each file individually identifiable. 

And that's it! You've renamed all the files in that folder in one go.

How to batch rename multiple files in Windows 10: Rename files in bulk step 5: All files are renamed using the same naming format

(Image credit: Future)

More Windows tips

For other Windows trips and ticks check out our guides on how to create a Kill Switch in Windows, how to keep your PC awake without touching it, how to hide desktop icons in Windows 10, how to use System Restore in Windows 10, how to use Enhanced Search Mode in Windows 10, how to change your Windows username and how to check your hard drive's health.

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James Archer

James is currently Hardware Editor at Rock Paper Shotgun, but before that was Audio Editor at Tom’s Guide, where he covered headphones, speakers, soundbars and anything else that intentionally makes noise. A PC enthusiast, he also wrote computing and gaming news for TG, usually relating to how hard it is to find graphics card stock.

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