How to rename files in bulk – the best free programs for Windows 10

Do you need to rename many files, MP3s, and photos together but don’t know how? Renaming files in bulk if you do not have a special program is a very expensive and time-consuming practice.

In this guide, you will discover the best free programs for Windows 10 that can apply policies and rules in the renaming of your files.

Programs to rename files in bulk

Often I found myself having many photos downloaded from the phone on the PC with the need to rename them. Since the Internet offers quick solutions for everyone, I did my research and found that renaming many files with a simple command is possible, just download and install the right program. In this way, you can rename all the files you want, even jpg or png images, pdf, doc, xls, based on the creation date, metadata or id3 tags, or even Exif.

Before indicating the programs, you must know that with Windows 10 there is still the possibility of renaming one or more files (images, documents, MP3, etc.). It is a manual operation and not as fast as that of specific software, but still functional- Right-click on the file on the first file you want to rename and in the pop-up menu select Rename. After writing the new name, instead of pressing the Enter key, presses the TAB key to move on to renaming the next file and so on.

1. ReNamer

ReNamer offers several ways to change file and folder names in batches and quickly. It offers a useful approach that simplifies renaming or changing the names of multiple files.

When the app starts, you will be asked to take a tour of the Quick Guide and gives a clear view of the app interface which is small and divided into two main parts- the upper part where you can create a rule and the lower part where you can drag the files to be renamed.

There are 14 categories of rules that include features like Insert, Delete, and Reorder. By clicking, a new window will open with check boxes and radio buttons, making the whole process really simple. Among its main advantages we have- certainly, the speed with which you can work to get your result.

Price- Free.

Here are two screens to help you rename a list of indexed files.

2. PFrank

PFrank is a software that can rename files in bulk and is known for its many advanced features. Its main features include the ability to rename MP3 or other files based on tags, changing file properties and timestamps, renaming benchmark classification, and more.

If you are an IT expert you can also take advantage of the regular expressions already preset for more complex renaming requirements. It is an advanced file renaming software and for this reason, it comes with a slightly complex user interface.

Price- Free.

3. Advanced Renamer

Advanced Renamer is an excellent and effective tool for renaming groups of files and it comes with fourteen different renaming functions. The best part about this tool is that it’s free and it’s light. In addition, it has a nice interface and helps to rename different files and folders with renaming techniques.

While the interface may seem a little complex at first for beginners, it gets easier and easier as you keep working on it. Among its main features we find:

• Elimination of selected sections of the file name;
• Rename using tags;
• Modification/revision of file attributes and timestamps;
• File numbering;
• Creation of customized batch strips.

That’s not all, since the program also allows you to rename files in bulk based on the data extracted from target files such as GPS information, the broadcast date of the TV program from the downloaded videos and so on, you can create different types of distinct techniques to meet your needs, using the custom batch scripting function. 

Price- Free for personal use (limited); The update starts at $ 20.

4. File Renamer Basic

If you are looking for software to rename multiple files effectively, then File Renamer Basic may be your best bet. It comes with a perfect interface that presents a list of files and a directory tree.

Some of its main features are:

• Support for usual expressions such as EXIF, ID3 v1 and ID3 v2. profiles stored for repeated tasks, rename lists and edit tags.
• Exceptional help files.
• Free license with limited functionality.
• A well-designed interface.
• A great program to rename files in bulk.

Price- Free.

5. Flexible Renamer

Flexible Renamer is another fantastic app to rename multiple files at the same time and has multiple options such as renaming with the help of tags (ID3, Exif, etc.), file numbering, use of wildcards or usual expressions and much other. The interesting thing is that the preview function eliminates errors and advises you to name any disputes.

Other important features include- the ability to rename music files with ID3, IPTC, DOC, HTML and Exif tags, the ability to write scripts in VBScript or Jscript for complicated, light and free renaming functions and without the need for installation.

Price- Free.

6. Bulk Rename Utility

Bulk Rename Utility is one of the most popular programs for renaming a list of files on Windows 10. It can easily meet your daily batch renaming needs. While the home screen can be a little complex for beginners, it becomes really easy to use once you are comfortable with the tool.

Among its main features we have:

• Adding, deleting or changing the text in filenames.
• Change capital letters for filenames.
• Adding or preparing text to file names.
• Elimination of words, figures, characters or symbols.
• Extension review.
• Copy files or move.
• Support of usual expressions.

The best part about the program is that it is super fast. In addition, it is available in both installable and portable versions. The installer version adds a right-click context menu item that helps you rename quickly.

Price- Free for personal use; Starting at $ 49.95 for 6 PCs for corporate use.

7. Siren

If you are looking for an advanced batch renaming tool, then Siren may be your best bet. Although it has all the basic renaming options, the program also has the ability to use the information from the file properties so that you can rename the files accordingly. The software is also compatible with the command-line interface for those interested in such things.

This software is portable and therefore requires no installation. You can start using it right away. But the only negative is the utility works perfectly on Windows 7 and Windows 10 systems but is no longer supported by the developer.

Price- Free.

8. Rename-It!

Rename-It! it’s another great tool to rename photos in seconds. The process is carried out in a single transaction in order to better manage any errors. This free and open-source app can edit file directories or rename full file path.

The interesting thing is that it can create a series of numbers, for example, you can ask to rename an image with Image1, Image2, Image3, and so on. In addition, it also positions itself in the Explorer context menu. You can also create a script from the CLI, then run the renomis function and return the correct exit code. It can also use RegExp in addition to wildcards and string substitutions.

Price- Free version available; The update starts at $ 7.

9. Rename Master

If you are looking for a file renaming software, Rename Master can be perfect for you. You can easily rename files, folders, documents, images or videos. Some of its main features are:

• Provides support for ID3 tags, regular expressions, scripts, and EXIF ​​tags;
• Rename files and folders.
• Automatic preview.
• Creating columns of custom file lists.
• Option to rename the scan subfolder.
• Support for the entire Unicode file name.
• It is portable and does not require installation.

Price- Free.

10. Easy File Renamer

Easy File Renamer helps you rename photos sequentially by creating a custom template in just a few steps. It is an easy-to-use app with cloud functionality for renaming files on Google Drive.

Although it does not have a standalone interface, you can access it from the context menu of Windows Explorer. Therefore, it helps you change the name of a file by selecting it in a standard way from Explorer, defining the criteria and clicking on the rename option.

Despite the absence of a user interface, it allows you to set criteria for files directly from the dialog.

Price- Free.

Other programs to rename files and photos together

• Wild Rename is one of the easiest free software to use for renaming all files on Windows. It is a multiple file renaming program with a simple user interface that helps you create and perform file renaming operations one at a time or in batch.
• D-FileMU– is a light and free program that offers 17 ways to rename files.
• FocusOn Renamer– is a program that offers many preset and useful criteria to change part of the name of the files you want to rename, but also the first letters, upper case, lower case, and much more.
• ContextReplace– It integrates into the Windows pop-up menu under the name of Replace and allows you to rename the files you want to change its name.
• Namexif– is a very useful utility that renames photos based on their date. If you want images with names and dates, it is the ideal tool.