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How to Batch Rename Files on Windows and Mac

Tap a method to see how it works.

Windows: the built-in F2 trick

Select all the files you want to rename, press F2 (or right-click the first one and choose "Rename") on the first file, and the rest are automatically numbered "name (1)," "name (2)," and so on.

Mac: Finder's "Rename N Items"

Select the files, right-click, and choose "Rename N Items." Finder lets you replace text, add text before or after the name, or apply a numbered format to all selected files at once, with a live preview before you confirm.

Dedicated batch-rename tools for complex rules

If you need more advanced rules than the built-in tools support β€” inserting sequence numbers, adding a date, or replacing a specific word across hundreds of files β€” a dedicated batch-rename program is the more efficient choice.

Preview first, and keep a backup

Renaming hundreds of files at once is easy to get wrong, and not every tool makes it easy to reverse. Preview the results before confirming, and keep a backup or a screenshot of the original file names just in case.

This goes beyond the one Windows shortcut

A lot of "batch rename" advice stops at the Windows F2 trick, but that only works well for one simple numbering pattern and only on Windows. Mac users get a comparably powerful built-in option in Finder's "Rename N Items," and once your renaming rules get more complex than either operating system's built-in tool can handle β€” custom sequences, date stamps, find-and-replace across mixed file types β€” a dedicated batch-rename tool is worth the extra step.

Renaming only changes the label, not the file itself

Whether you use a built-in shortcut or a third-party tool, batch renaming only edits the file's name metadata β€” it doesn't touch the actual content, so photos stay photos and documents stay documents no matter what naming pattern you apply. This is also why simply changing a file's extension as part of a rename doesn't actually convert it to a different format.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I undo a batch rename if I make a mistake?

Right after the rename, yes β€” Ctrl+Z on Windows or Cmd+Z on Mac will typically reverse it immediately. But once you've taken other actions, undo often becomes unavailable, and many dedicated third-party rename tools don't offer a reliable undo at all, so it's safest to preview changes and keep a backup of the original names before running a large batch rename.

Does batch renaming change the file format too?

No. Renaming only changes the label shown in the file name (and, if you type a different extension, what extension is displayed) β€” it doesn't convert or re-encode the actual file. To genuinely change a file's format, you need a separate conversion tool.