Rename Multiple Files at the Same Time With Windows 10 PowerToy
Microsoft has ditched the all-new open source Windows 10 PowerToy, which is just as interesting and useful as the other two . This new addition, “PowerRename”, gives you an easy method to batch rename files in Explorer. It’s free, easy, and costs the 10 seconds it takes to install on your system.
To get started, head over to Microsoft’s GitHub for PowerToys and download the latest version . After installing it, all three PowerToys – FancyZones, PowerRename, and Shortcut Guide – should be enabled by default, but you can check this by right-clicking the tiny icon in the taskbar and choosing Preferences.
Assuming PowerRename is working, all you have to do is open File Explorer, select multiple files you want to rename, right-click and choose PowerRename from the context menu.
From here it is easy to understand PowerRename. Enter any text you want to change in the top box ( “Search”) and put any text you want to change in the bottom box ( “Replace”) – as you just saw in the animation above.
What I love about PowerRename is that you get a live preview of your changes in a preview window (with the appropriate name) so you can be sure exactly what you are trying to do – with whatever options you choose, if they are use – works great.
By the way, if you’re wondering what these parameters do, here’s a quick rundown from Microsoft :
- Use Regular Expressions: If checked, the search box will be interpreted as a regular expression. If this check box is not selected, the search box will be used as text, which will be replaced by the text in the Replace box.
- Case sensitive : When checked, the text specified in the search box will match the text in the elements only if the text is in the same case. We are case sensitive by default.
- Match All Occurrences: If checked, all matches of the text in the search box will be replaced with the replacement text. Otherwise, only the first instance of the text search in the element (from left to right) will be replaced.
- Exclude Files: Files will not be included in the operation.
- Exclude folders: folders will not be included in the operation.
- Exclude items in subfolders : Items in folders will not be included in the operation. All subfolder items are enabled by default.
- List Items: Adds a numeric suffix to filenames that have changed during the operation. Example: foo.jpg -> foo (1) .jpg
- Item Name Only: The operation changes only part of the file name (not the file extension). Example: txt.txt -> NewName.txt
- Element Extension Only: The operation changes only part of the file extension (not the file name). Example: txt.txt -> txt.NewExtension
Although, to be honest, all this makes PowerRename much more complicated than it actually is. Are you likely to enjoy the basic find / replace functionality and preview? It makes me kiss my fingers like a chef. What a wonderful little utility.