Renaming files one by one is painful when you have photos, scans, reports, or downloads in bulk. Windows has a quick built-in batch rename, and Microsoft PowerToys adds a more flexible PowerRename tool.
This applies to Windows 10 and Windows 11.
Does This Affect You?
Use File Explorer if you just want one base name with numbers. Use PowerRename if you need find-and-replace, numbering tokens, or more control.
Rename Files with Sequential Numbers
- Open File Explorer and go to the folder.
- Select the files to rename. Use Ctrl + A for all files, or click the first file, hold Shift, and click the last.
- Right-click one selected file and choose Rename, or press F2.
- Type the base name, such as Vacation, and press Enter.
- Windows renames the selection as Vacation (1), Vacation (2), and so on, following the current sort order.
Use PowerToys PowerRename
- Install Microsoft PowerToys from the Microsoft Store or Microsoft’s official GitHub releases.
- Open PowerToys and make sure PowerRename is enabled.
- Select the files in File Explorer.
- Right-click and choose PowerRename.
- Enter the text to find in Search for and the replacement text in Replace with.
- Use regular expressions only if you specifically need pattern matching.
- Review the preview carefully, then click Rename.
Extra Renaming Tips
Add Numbers in PowerRename
PowerRename supports tokens such as $$ for an increasing number. For example, appending _$$ can add numbered endings while keeping the original names.
Undo a Mistake
Press Ctrl + Z immediately after a File Explorer rename to undo it. PowerRename also provides history/undo options if you catch the problem later.
Use PowerShell for Repeat Jobs
For very large folders or repeatable rename jobs, PowerShell is faster. Example: Get-ChildItem *.jpg | Rename-Item -NewName { $_.Name -replace "old","new" }. Run it from the folder you intend to rename.
Sources
- Microsoft Support: Rename multiple files at once
- Microsoft Learn: PowerToys PowerRename utility
- Microsoft Support: Get to know File Explorer