How to rename multiple files at once on Windows
Short answer
Select the files in File Explorer and press F2, type a name and press Enter. Windows gives every file that name plus (1), (2), (3). For anything more, such as find and replace or custom numbering, use a batch rename tool. AppRig stacks rename rules with a live preview, flags conflicts before anything changes, and can undo the last batch.
The manual way
File Explorer can rename a batch of files: select them, press F2 (or right-click and choose Rename), type one name and press Enter. Windows gives every file that name and appends (1), (2), (3) and so on. Press Ctrl+Z straight away if it goes wrong.
That is the whole built-in feature. There is no find and replace, no custom number format, no case change and no preview. For those, the free routes are a PowerShell one-liner with Rename-Item, or PowerRename from Microsoft’s free PowerToys, which adds search-and-replace renaming to the right-click menu.
The faster way with AppRig
AppRig’s Rename tool works on a folder, optionally including subfolders, with a filter such as *.jpg or IMG_* so you only touch the files you mean to. You stack rules that apply in order: remove text, add a prefix or suffix, find and replace, insert numbers with # placeholders (so photo-### gives photo-001, photo-002), and change case in six styles from lowercase to PascalCase.
A live preview shows each new name with the changes highlighted, and flags clashes, names that already exist and invalid names before you apply. The batch either fully succeeds or is rolled back, and an Undo last rename button reverses the most recent batch while AppRig stays open. The free version renames up to 5 files at a time; AppRig Pro lifts the limit so a whole folder goes in one pass.
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Common questions
How do I rename files with numbers like photo-001, photo-002?
File Explorer can only produce names like photo (1), photo (2). For zero-padded numbers you need a rename tool or a script. Most batch renamers use a placeholder such as ### that becomes 001, 002 and so on, with a starting number you choose. Sort the folder the way you want first, since the numbering usually follows that order.
Can I undo a batch rename in File Explorer?
Yes, if you act straight away. Press Ctrl+Z in File Explorer right after the rename and Windows reverses it. Undo only works for your most recent actions in Explorer, so do it before moving on to other file operations. For a large or risky batch, it is safer to use a tool that previews every new name before you apply it.
Can I batch rename files without installing anything?
Yes, with PowerShell. For example, in the folder you can run Get-ChildItem *.jpg | Rename-Item -NewName { $_.Name -replace 'IMG_','Holiday_' } to replace text in every JPG name. It is powerful but has no preview, so test it on a copy of the folder first. Microsoft's free PowerToys also includes PowerRename, which adds a right-click rename with search and replace.
How do I change file names to lowercase in bulk?
File Explorer cannot change case in bulk, and Windows treats Photo.JPG and photo.jpg as the same name, which trips up some simple scripts. A batch rename tool with a case rule handles it properly. Many also offer styles such as kebab-case or snake_case, which are handy for web assets and code projects.
Related questions
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