How to Rename Files Using Command Line in Windows

Rename Files with Command Line in Windows

Renaming files in Windows using the command line can be a quick and efficient method for managing files. This blog post will guide you through the basic commands needed to accomplish this task.

Basic Renaming with ren

You can use the ren command to rename files directly in the command prompt. Here’s a simple example:

ren *.XXX *.YYY

Replace XXX with the current file extension and YYY with the new extension you want. This command will change all files with the .XXX extension to .YYY.

If you wish to change all file extensions regardless of what they currently are, you can use a wildcard:

ren *.* *.YYY

Recursive Renaming with FOR

Sometimes, you may need to rename files within different subdirectories. You can accomplish this with the FOR command, using the /R option to apply the command recursively:

for /R %x in (*.txt) do ren "%x" *.renamed

This command will change all .txt file extensions to .renamed starting from the current directory and moving through all subdirectories. The %x variable stores the current file's name during each iteration.

Tips for Handling Large Numbers of Files

• Be Patient: If you have thousands of files to rename, the process might take a while. Wait for the command prompt cursor to start blinking again to know that the job is done.

Renaming files using command line tools in Windows can streamline your workflow, especially when dealing with large numbers of files. With a few simple commands, you can manage your files efficiently and save yourself a lot of manual effort.