Fifty files.
The right names.
Rename a batch of files with a prefix, find and replace and numbering, or from a two-column list in Excel. Check every new name, then take a ZIP and a rename list.
01 / FILESThe ones with the wrong names.
Any file type · up to 200 files, 400 MB in total
Files only; folders are not opened
Your originals are not changed. The renamed copies go into a ZIP with a CSV list of old and new names, ready to send or file.
02 / NEW NAMESRules or a list.
Remove counts characters before the extension. In New text, Replace with and the start or end boxes, {name} is the original name, {date} today’s date and {modified} the file’s modified date (YYYY-MM-DD). With regular expressions, $1 in Replace with inserts the first group.
Column 1: the current file name, with or without its extension. Column 2: the new name. The extension is added if you leave it out. A header row is skipped. From Excel, the first sheet is read.
03 / CHECKEvery new name, before you download.
| # | Original name | New name |
|---|---|---|
| Choose files to see their new names here. | ||
The details, in plain language.
Batch Rename reads the files you choose, works out each new name, and shows old and new names side by side. Downloads stay blocked while any name has a problem: two files with the same new name, a character Windows does not allow (such as / : * ? " < > |), a name ending in a dot or space, or, in list mode, a file the list does not mention.
The extension is kept: rules change only the part before it, and a list name without the extension gets the original one added. The file bytes are not opened or changed. Each file is copied unchanged into a ZIP under its new name, with its original modified date, next to a rename-list.csv showing every old and new name.
Duplicate names are checked ignoring upper and lower case, because Windows and macOS treat Quote.pdf and quote.PDF as the same file.
What does Batch Rename do?
Batch Rename is a free bulk file renamer that runs in the browser. Choose up to 200 files, rename them with a prefix, suffix, find and replace and sequential numbering, or with a two-column old-name/new-name list pasted from Excel. Every new name is checked for duplicates and characters Windows does not allow, then the files download as a ZIP with a CSV list of the changes. Files are not uploaded.
Batch Rename at a glance
| Input | Up to 200 files of any type, 400 MB in total. Files only, not folders. |
|---|---|
| Naming | Prefix, suffix, find and replace (plain text or regular expression), new text, remove first or last characters, letter case, {name}/{date}/{modified} placeholders, numbering with leading zeros (by name, date or your own drag-and-drop order), or a two-column list (old name → new name) pasted from Excel or loaded as XLSX or CSV |
| Checks | Duplicate new names (ignoring case), characters Windows does not allow, reserved names such as CON, trailing dots or spaces, files missing from the list, list rows with no matching file |
| Saved rules | Kept in this browser; export and import as a JSON file to reuse or share with colleagues |
| Output | One ZIP with renamed copies (bytes unchanged) and rename-list.csv; the CSV can also be downloaded on its own |
| Not done | Renaming files in place, subfolders, editing file contents, converting formats |
| Upload | None. Files are read and zipped in this browser tab. |
| Price and account | Free. No sign-up, no subscription. |
Background reading: How to rename files from an Excel list
How to rename many files at once
Choose the files.
Select or drag in up to 200 files from one folder. Nothing is uploaded and the originals stay as they are.
Set the new names.
Use rules (add a prefix, find and replace, insert today’s date, number 001, 002…) or switch to From a list and paste two columns from Excel: current name, new name.
Check, then download.
Read the old and new names side by side and fix anything marked as a problem. Download the ZIP; it includes the rename list.
When this tool helps
Renaming files from an Excel list
Scanned quotes called scan17.pdf need client names, or exported photos named by internal ID need student or employee numbers. Paste the two columns from your spreadsheet; every file is matched to its row, and files with no row are flagged before anything downloads.
Numbering a batch for delivery
Fifty PDFs for a tender, a set of site photos or a bundle of contracts need a common prefix and numbers 001 to 050. Number by file name so scan2 comes before scan10, then send the ZIP with its list of old and new names.
Batch Rename questions, answered
How do I rename files from an Excel list?
Put the current file names in one column and the new names in the next, select both columns in Excel and copy. Choose the files here, switch to From a list, and paste. You can also load the .xlsx itself; the first sheet is read. Names can be given with or without the extension; the original extension is added when it is missing.
Are my files uploaded?
No. The files are read in your browser and the ZIP is built on your device. This page makes no network connections for your files and does not load analytics. Saved rules stay in this browser unless you export them.
Does this rename the files on my computer?
No. A web page cannot rename files in your folders. You get renamed copies in a ZIP, and your originals are left exactly as they were. Unzip the ZIP where you need the renamed files.
Are the files changed in any way?
No. Each file is copied byte for byte into the ZIP; only its name changes. The ZIP keeps each file's original modified date. The ZIP is not compressed, so it is about the same size as the files together.
Why is a name marked as a problem?
Downloads are blocked while two files would get the same name (Windows and macOS ignore upper and lower case), a name has a character Windows does not allow such as / : * ? " < > |, a name ends in a dot or a space, a name is reserved by Windows such as CON or NUL, or, in list mode, a file has no row or two files share a name. Change the rules or the list until no problem is left.
How do I undo the rename?
The ZIP includes rename-list.csv with the original and new names. Your originals are unchanged, so the simplest undo is to keep using them. To turn renamed copies back, choose the renamed files, switch to From a list and load rename-list.csv: the tool recognizes its own list and swaps the columns for you.
Can I save my naming rules?
Yes. Click Save as… to keep the current rules in this browser, then pick them from Saved rules next time. Export rules writes a small JSON file you can keep or send to a colleague, who imports it on their own computer.
Can I choose the numbering order myself?
Yes. Drag rows in the check table, or use the ↑ and ↓ buttons. Numbering then follows the order shown in the table.
Do names in Chinese and other languages work?
Yes. Names are stored in the ZIP as UTF-8, which current Windows, macOS and Linux unzip tools read. The rename list opens in Excel with the characters intact.
Why not use PowerRename or Bulk Rename Utility?
Those desktop tools rename files in place and are the better choice for very large files or folders with subfolders. This page is for when you cannot install software, want to rename from a spreadsheet list, or need to deliver the files with a list of what was renamed.
Another small fix?
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