Picture: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac
It’s straightforward to rename a number of information without delay on a Mac utilizing the Finder’s batch rename device. You probably have an enormous collection of images, movies, screenshots or paperwork in a collection, you need to use this characteristic to rename all of them in an identical format and sequence.
You don’t need to tackle such a tedious job by hand.
The best way to batch rename a number of information on the Mac
Renaming a bunch of information is simple on Mac. This characteristic is offered on each Mac, within the Finder.
Desk of contents:
- Open the Finder and choose your information
- Open the Rename device
- Decide a format and provides the information a brand new identify
1. Choose a bunch of information without delay
Screenshot: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac
Open the Finder and browse to the folder you need.
You possibly can kind Command-A (⌘A) to pick all.
If you wish to choose a selected vary, however not every part within the folder, click on one file, maintain shift, after which click on one other. It’ll choose the entire vary between them inclusively.
If you wish to add or take away a few gadgets from the choice, maintain Command and click on on them.
2. Open the Rename device
Go to File > Rename… or right-click on one of many chosen gadgets and hit Rename… to open the Rename panel.
3. Rename the group of information utilizing considered one of three codecs
Screenshot: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac
You might have three choices for renaming all of the information. Decide one utilizing the dropdown field within the higher proper.
Right here’s what they do:
- Substitute Textual content will exchange any a part of the file identify with one thing new. For instance, to rename “IMG_9034.HEIC” to “Trip Image 9034.HEIC” put in “HEIC_” within the Discover field and “Trip Image ” into the Substitute With field.
- Add Textual content will add a little bit of textual content to the start or the tip of all of the information. That is helpful if you wish to preserve the unique identify whereas including an additional element like “- Remaining Mission” to make the information simpler to search out later.
- Format will exchange the whole filename with a brand new one. You might have just a few choices right here:
- Identify and Index allows you to rename the information “Image 1,” “Image 2,” “Image 3,” and many others., in a collection. Set whether or not you need the quantity firstly or finish. Give it a reputation within the Customized Format discipline. You possibly can set whether or not it begins relying on 1 or another quantity (0 should you’re a programmer).
- Identify and Counter works the identical as Identify and Index, besides it offers the numbers a number one zero — it shows quantity 5 as “00005” as a substitute of “5,” as an example. macOS already does a very good job of sorting numbers correctly, however should you’re accessing these identical information on Home windows, it’s greatest to make use of Counter in order that, for instance, 11 seems after 2.
- Identify and Date will rename the information with a reputation you give them adopted by the final time they’ve been modified. This manner, it doesn’t matter if the file browser is sorting by identify or by date — they’ll seem in the identical order since they’ll all gave a reputation like “Screenshot 2023-08-21 at 1.13.45 PM.png.”
Why batch rename information on Mac?
Personally, I take advantage of this characteristic on a regular basis. For example, when managing my Plex library of TV exhibits that I … discovered … I may give entire collection of information easy-to-read names like “Physician Who Season 16 Episode 1” with just some clicks and keystrokes.
The following time you’re placing collectively a bunch of images for a presentation, or sorting an enormous folder of receipts and doc scans in your accountant, do your self a favor — use the rename a number of characteristic to wash up the folder first.