Picture: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac
It’s straightforward to rename a number of information directly on a Mac utilizing the Finder’s batch rename software. When you’ve got an enormous sequence of images, movies, screenshots or paperwork in a sequence, you should use this function to rename all of them in an identical format and sequence.
You don’t must tackle such a tedious activity by hand.
The best way to rename a number of information on the Mac
Renaming a gaggle of information is straightforward on Mac. This function is on the market on each Mac, within the Finder.
Desk of contents:
- Open the Finder and choose your information
- Open the Rename software
- Decide a format and provides the information a brand new identify
1. Choose a bunch of information directly
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 out all.
If you wish to choose a particular vary, however not all the pieces 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 objects from the choice, maintain Command and click on on them.
2. Open the Rename software
Go to File > Rename… or right-click on one of many chosen objects and hit Rename… to open the Rename panel.
3. Rename the group of information utilizing certainly one of three codecs
Screenshot: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac
You could 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:
- Change 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 Change With field.
- Add Textual content will add a little bit of textual content to the start or the top of all of the information. That is helpful if you wish to preserve the unique identify whereas including an additional element like “- Remaining Challenge” to make the information simpler to search out later.
- Format will exchange your complete filename with a brand new one. You could have a number of choices right here:
- Title and Index enables you to rename the information “Image 1,” “Image 2,” “Image 3,” and so forth., in a sequence. Set whether or not you need the quantity at the start or finish. Give it a reputation within the Customized Format area. You possibly can set whether or not it begins relying on 1 or every other quantity (0 if you happen to’re a programmer).
- Title and Counter works the identical as Title and Index, besides it provides the numbers a number one zero — it shows quantity 5 as “00005” as a substitute of “5,” as an example. macOS already does a superb job of sorting numbers correctly, however if you happen to’re accessing these identical information on Home windows, it’s finest to make use of Counter in order that, for instance, 11 seems after 2.
- Title and Date will rename the information with a reputation you give them adopted by the final time they’ve been modified. This fashion, 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 exploit this function on a regular basis. As an example, when managing my Plex library of TV exhibits that I … discovered … I can provide complete sequence of information easy-to-read names like “Physician Who Season 16 Episode 1” with just some clicks and keystrokes.
The subsequent 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 function to scrub up the folder first.
