3 Easy Ways to Batch Rename Files on Windows 11

Quick Tips

• File Explorer: Select files > click Rename, and type a new name to rename files quickly.
• Command Prompt: Use the ren command for batch renaming based on file extensions.
• PowerShell: Execute a script to rename files with specific patterns.
• PowerToys: Utilize the PowerRename feature for advanced renaming with more customization options.

1. How to Rename Files in Bulk on Windows 11 Using File Explorer

Step 1: Open File Explorer and navigate to the files and folders you want to rename.

Step 2: Click on the View tab and select Details.

Step 3: Select all the files you want to rename. Then, go to the Home tab and click the Rename button.

Alternatively, you can select the first file, press and hold the shift key, and click the last file to select all files, or simply press Ctrl + A.

Step 4: Rename the first file and press Enter. 

That’s it! The selected files will be renamed using the specified structure name, with a count number in parentheses to make each file name different. Ex: telegram group (1).jpg, telegram group (2).jpg, and so on.

2. How to Rename Multiple Files at Once on Windows 11

Method 1: Using Command Prompt

Step 1: Open Windows Search, type Command Prompt, and press Enter. Press Yes on the prompt.

Step 2: In the Command Prompt, type the following command and hit Enter.

Note: In PATH\TO\FILES, copy the file’s location or folder and paste it. Ex: ‘:cd %USERPROFILE%\Documents\files’.

cd c:\PATH\TO\FILES

Step 3: Now, type ‘ren *.FILE-EXTENSION ???-FILE-NAME.*’ to rename the files in bulk and press Enter.

The asterisk (*) tells the command to rename everything with a specific extension, while the question mark (?) represents a character of the original name you want to keep as part of the new name. Enter the file extension in ‘FILE-EXTENSION’ and enter rename file in ‘-FILE-NAME’. Ex: *.jpg ???-resetinstagram.*

And there you go. All the files you selected will be renamed.

Method 2: Using Powershell

Step 1: Open Windows Search, type PowerShell, and click Run as Administrator.

Press Yes on the prompt.

Step 2: In the PowerShell, type the following command and hit Enter.

Note: In PATH\TO\FILES, copy the file’s or folder location and paste it. Ex: ‘:cd %USERPROFILE%\Documents\files’.

cd PATH\TO\FOLDER

Step 3: Now type the following command and press Enter.

ls | %{Rename-Item $_ -NewName ("NEW-FILE-NAME-{0}.EXTENSION" -f $nr++)}

Replace ‘NEW-FILE-NAME’ with the structure name you want to use and add the proper file extension instead of ‘EXTENSION’.

And that’s it. Following the above steps, the selected files will be renamed using the specified format. If you want more customization and options to bulk modify files, there is PowerToys; continue reading.

3. Using Microsoft’s PowerToys to Batch Rename Files in Windows 11

Power Tools offers batch rename files on Windows 11 using PowerRename, which is far more capable than the default tool on Windows 11. 

Step 1: Download PowerToys from GitHub and install it.

Step 2: Open PowerToys, and under Administrator mode, click Restart PowerToys as administrator.

Step 3: The app will restart automatically. Once open, choose PowerRename from the side menu and turn on the toggle to Enable PowerRename if you have not already done so.

Step 4: Navigate to the files you want to rename, select them all, right-click, and choose Show more options.

Step 5: Now, choose PowerRename to open all selected files on the PowerRename interface.

Step 6: Choose the current file names to replace with a new one and click Apply. 

Example: image_2022 to be replaced by ‘Access BIOS on Windows PC’ 

So there you have it. All the file names will be changed in a go. 

Many tools are available for batch renaming files, including Bulk Rename Utility and Advanced Renamer. However, the interfaces of these tools are complex, and they do not offer easy ways to carry out the renaming process.

Therefore, we recommend using the tools mentioned in this article to batch rename files in Windows efficiently.

FAQs About Renaming Files on Windows 11

All the listed ways to rename files are practical and efficient. You can select the method that is most convenient for you or the easiest for you to complete your task.