How to rename multiple files at once

To rename multiple files at once on Windows, select them in File Explorer, press F2, type a name and press Enter. Windows numbers them, like trip (1).jpg and trip (2).jpg. On a Mac, select the files in Finder, Control-click, choose Rename, and use Format to add a name and a number.

For more control, such as product-01.jpg instead of brackets, use PowerToys PowerRename on Windows or a browser batch rename tool. To rename a single PDF on a computer or phone, jump to the PDF section further down.

How to rename multiple files at once in Windows File Explorer

This works in Windows 11 and Windows 10 with no extra software.

1. Open the folder in File Explorer.
2. Sort it the way you want the numbering to run, for example by Date taken or Name.
3. Select the files. Press Ctrl+A for all, or hold Ctrl and click to pick some.
4. Press F2, or right-click the first file and choose Rename.
5. Type the new base name, such as holiday-2026, and press Enter.

Every selected file gets that name plus a number in brackets: holiday-2026 (1).jpg, holiday-2026 (2).jpg and so on. The extensions stay the same. Check the order straight away. If it's wrong, press Ctrl+Z to undo the rename and try again with a different sort.

The drawback is the format. Brackets and spaces look untidy, and some websites and upload portals handle them badly. You can't choose the separator or the start number either.

Rename multiple files at once with PowerToys PowerRename

For more control on Windows, Microsoft's free PowerToys includes PowerRename. Once it's installed and enabled, select files in File Explorer, right-click and choose Rename with PowerRename. You can:

• Find and replace part of every file name, such as changing IMG_ to beach_.
• Switch names to lowercase, uppercase or title case.
• Add a counter. Typing photo-${padding=2;start=1} in the Replace with box gives photo-01, photo-02 and so on.
• Use regular expressions for complex patterns.

It shows a preview of every new name before anything changes, and Ctrl+Z undoes the rename afterwards. That preview is the main reason to use it over plain F2.

How to rename multiple files at once on a Mac

Finder has a batch rename built in. Apple's Mac help page covers the same options.

1. Select the files in Finder.
2. Control-click one of them and choose Rename.
3. Pick one of the three modes from the pop-up menu.
4. Check the example name at the bottom of the window, then click Rename.

The three modes do different jobs:

• Replace Text swaps one piece of text for another in every name. Type IMG_ in Find and paris_ in Replace with.
• Add Text puts the same words before or after each existing name, handy for adding a date or client name.
• Format gives every file a new name plus an index, counter or date. Type the name in Custom Format and choose the starting number.

Format is the one for a clean numbered set like wedding-1.jpg, wedding-2.jpg. Apple advises against renaming file extensions, so leave the .jpg or .pdf part alone.

How to rename a PDF file on Windows, Mac, iPhone and Android

Renaming one PDF is quick on any device. It's worth doing before you upload, because a name like Scan_20261003_0001(2).pdf tells a reviewer nothing.

• Windows: click the PDF once in File Explorer, press F2 (or right-click and choose Rename), type the name and press Enter.
• Mac: select the PDF in Finder, press Return, type the new name and press Return again.
• iPhone: open the Files app, touch and hold the PDF, tap Rename, type the name and tap Done.
• Android: in Files by Google, tap More next to the file (or touch and hold it in grid view and tap More), tap Rename, type the name and tap OK.

Keep the .pdf ending when you type. If extensions are hidden, you only edit the part before it, which is safer. Changing the extension never converts a file. A .jpeg renamed to .jpg is still the same picture, as the JPG vs JPEG guide explains, but a photo renamed to .pdf becomes a broken file that portals reject. The document upload errors guide covers that and other upload problems.

For forms, a short name with hyphens or underscores works best, such as aadhaar-front.pdf or marksheet_class12.pdf. Avoid spaces, symbols and very long names, which some older portals can't handle.

To rename a whole folder of PDFs, use the batch methods above. They work on any file type, so a set of scanned bank statements can become statement-2026-01.pdf, statement-2026-02.pdf and so on with Finder's Format mode or a PowerRename counter.

How to batch rename images in your browser

Sometimes you can't install anything, such as on a Chromebook or a locked-down work laptop. Or you want a tidy numbered set ready to upload. ConvertorLab's Rename Images tool runs in your browser, so the photos don't leave your device.

1. Open Rename Images and add the pictures.
2. Type the base name, such as product-blue-mug.
3. Set the start number and whether the number goes before or after the name.
4. Choose the padding (01, 001 or 0001) and the separator: hyphen, underscore, space or none.
5. Rename them and check the new names in the list.
6. Download one file, or download all as a ZIP.

This fits at the end of an image workflow. Resize, compress or watermark the photos first, then rename the finished set before you deliver or upload it.

Good file naming habits

• Use lowercase letters and hyphens. red-dress-front.jpg works everywhere. Spaces become %20 in web addresses and some systems reject them.
• Pad numbers with zeros. With 01 to 12, files sort correctly. With 1 to 12, many systems put 10, 11 and 12 before 2.
• Write dates as year-month-day, like 2026-10-05, so names sort in date order.
• Describe the content. A descriptive name is more useful than IMG_4471 to you, to clients and to search engines.
• Avoid special characters like # % & ? and slashes. They cause errors in uploads and URLs. On a Mac, names can't contain a colon or start with a period.
• Keep the extension. Use a converter, not a rename, to change format.

Can I undo a batch rename?

In Windows File Explorer, press Ctrl+Z right after the rename and it reverses. PowerRename also supports Ctrl+Z. On a Mac, press Command-Z in Finder straight after, or choose Edit > Undo. The browser tool never touches your originals: it gives you renamed copies and leaves the source files as they were.

If the files matter, copy the folder before a big rename. It takes seconds and it's the simplest safety net there is.

Frequently asked questions