How to batch rename files in macOS

How to batch rename files in macOS
(Image credit: Laptop Mag)

When I save screenshots or photos from my digital camera, each has a long file name based on the date and time the images were taken. For a computer this is fine, but I don’t often recall my trip to the Grand Canyon by a string of numbers. Renaming the files manually is an option, but it’s tedious. Finder though, comes to the rescue with a really cool batch renaming tool.

Inside the tool you have multiple options. “Replace Text,” for example, is the most straightforward, with a find and replace-type functionality that changes long strings of numbers to something more user-friendly.

Replace text isn’t the only way to get things done with the batch renaming utility, but it’s probably the one you’ll use the most often.

(Image credit: Laptop Mag)

1) Select the files you want to rename.

2) Right-click on the selected files to open the menu.

(Image credit: Laptop Mag)

3) Click Rename xx items in the menu, to start the batch rename process.

(Image credit: Laptop Mag)

4) In the Rename Finder items dialogue box, add text that you want to rename in the Find textbox.

(Image credit: Laptop Mag)

5) Add the term you would like to replace it with, in the Replace with textbox. 

(Image credit: Laptop Mag)

6) Click Rename to start the batch process.

How to batch rename files in macOS

(Image credit: Laptop Mag)