Command line and power tools

Batch renaming

Updated 2026-07-31 · 4 min read

macOS has had a capable batch rename since Yosemite, and it is hidden in a right-click menu.

Finder

Select several files → right-click → Rename N Items…. Three modes:

• Replace Text — find and replace within names
• Add Text — prefix or suffix
• Format — Name and Index / Counter / Date, with a custom base name

The Format mode is how you turn a folder of IMG_4021.HEIC into Holiday 001.HEIC.

Terminal, for patterns Finder cannot express

Add a prefix:

for f in *.jpg; do mv "$f" "2026-$f"; done

Replace a substring:

for f in *draft*; do mv "$f" "${f/draft/final}"; done

Lowercase everything:

for f in *; do mv "$f" "$(echo $f | tr 'A-Z' 'a-z')"; done

Always quote "$f" — filenames with spaces will otherwise be split into separate arguments, which is how people accidentally destroy a folder.

Dry run first

for f in *.jpg; do echo mv "$f" "2026-$f"; done

The echo prints what would happen without doing it. Read the output, then remove echo.

Why renaming affects search

Consistent names make everything findable later. A date prefix in YYYY-MM-DD form sorts chronologically and searches by year trivially. Camera filenames like IMG_4021 carry no information at all and guarantee you will be searching by date instead.

Common questions

Can I undo a batch rename in Finder?

Yes — ⌘Z immediately afterwards reverts the whole batch.

How do I rename files with a counter?

Finder's Rename dialog → Format → Name and Index, with a starting number.