Bulk Rename in Windows 11: Every Method Explained

Windows 11 offers multiple ways to rename files in bulk. Here's every method from basic to advanced.

Method 1: File Explorer (Built-in)

Basic Sequential Rename 1. Select files (Ctrl+A or click+drag) 2. Press F2 3. Type new name 4. Press Enter

Result: name (1).jpg, name (2).jpg, name (3).jpg

Tab Rename (One by One) 1. Select first file 2. Press F2 3. Type name, press Tab 4. Continues to next file

Method 2: PowerShell (Powerful)

Open PowerShell in your folder: Shift + Right-click → Open PowerShell

Add prefix

Get-ChildItem *.jpg | Rename-Item -NewName { "vacation-" + $_.Name }

Add date

Get-ChildItem *.jpg | Rename-Item -NewName { 
  (Get-Date -Format "yyyy-MM-dd") + "-" + $_.Name 
}

Sequential numbering

$i = 1
Get-ChildItem *.jpg | ForEach-Object {
  Rename-Item $_ ("photo-{0:D3}.jpg" -f $i++)
}

Replace text

Get-ChildItem | Rename-Item -NewName { $_.Name -replace "old","new" }

Method 3: Command Prompt

Basic rename

ren *.jpeg *.jpg

Using FOR loop

for %a in (*.txt) do ren "%a" "prefix-%a"

Method 4: Power Automate

Windows 11 includes Power Automate: 1. Open Power Automate Desktop 2. Create new flow 3. Add "Get files in folder" action 4. Add "Rename file" action 5. Configure naming pattern 6. Run flow

Method 5: Third-Party Tools

Bulk Rename Utility - Free and powerful - 30+ rename operations - Regex support

PowerToys PowerRename - Microsoft's official tool - Clean interface - Regex support

Method 6: AI-Powered Renaming

For intelligent renaming based on content:

File Renamer AI analyzes your files and creates meaningful names: - IMG_4521.jpg → beach-sunset-golden-hour.jpg - Document1.pdf → invoice-amazon-january.pdf

Comparison: Which Method to Use?

| Method | Best For | Learning Curve | |--------|----------|----------------| | File Explorer | Quick sequential | Easy | | PowerShell | Complex patterns | Medium | | Bulk Rename Utility | Power users | Medium | | PowerToys | Simple patterns | Easy | | File Renamer AI | Meaningful names | Easy |

Try File Renamer AI - Smart renaming for Windows 11.