Alongside opening and moving files, renaming them is one of the core functions within Windows 10’s File Explorer. This is a simple process if you’ve just got one or two – just select it and choose ‘Rename’ from the menu at the top of the screen – but can become tedious if you need to rename lots at the same time.
Whether it’s to give them a more meaningful name or change the extension all at once, renaming in bulk can be a useful tool when managing files. Fortunately, there are three ways you can do just that in Windows 10.
How to rename files in bulk using File Explorer
It might not be obvious, but you can still use File Explorer to rename files in bulk:
- Open the File Explorer app and locate the files you want to rename
- From the menu at the top of the window, click ‘View’ and make sure ‘Details’ is selected
- Click the ‘Home’ tab to go back to where you were and click ‘Select all’ (you can use the CTRL + A shortcut here if you prefer)
- Click ‘Rename’ from the Home menu and type in the name of the first file
- Hit Enter. File Explorer will now give all the files selected a similar name, using a number in brackets to differentiate between them. In the example below, all the files are clearly identifiable as being a ‘screenshot’, but also clearly a separate file
Unfortunately, this process doesn’t work when changing the file type on bulk. You can tick the box next to ‘File name extensions’ under the view menu, but you’ll then have to change them one at a time. It’s also worth making sure you don’t convert a file into something that can no longer be opened, like a .jpg to a .doc.
If you’d prefer, you can also bulk rename files using PowerToys on Windows 10.
Author: Anyron Copeman, Senior Staff Writer
As the resident expert on Windows, Senior Staff Writer Anyron’s main focus is PCs and laptops. Much of the rest of his time is split between smartphones, tablets and audio, with a particular focus on Android devices.