How to bulk rename your files on Windows 10 with PowerToys

While Windows ten already has some ways to rename files in bulk, many of them are clunky or complicated. You shouldn't have to use the Command Prompt or PowerShell to rename files en masse. In comes PowerToys, an app that'southward currently in beta from Microsoft. It has a collection of handy piddling tools, including a PowerRename tool that makes it easy to rename multiple files at one time.

Products used in this guide

Handy little toys: PowerToys (Free at GitHub)

Getting PowerToys

PowerToys is currently in beta and distributed in GitHub. To get PowerToys, you but need to get to the app's releases page and download the latest version.

Go to the Releases folio on GitHub for PowerToys.
Click the most recent release within avails to download PowerToys. For example, "PowerToysSetup-0.16.1-x64.msi".
Click on the downloaded file.
Click Next twice (read through the license earlier clicking next the 2d fourth dimension).
Tick the boxes to indicate if y'all want PowerToys to start at launch and if you want to create a shortcut for PowerToys.
Click Install.
Click Yes to verify the download.
Click Finish. At this point, you lot tin can also have a box ticked to launch PowerToys.

PowerToys is now running on your PC. If you opted to take information technology launch at startup, information technology would run in the background on your PC, and y'all don't have to call up about it.

How to rename files

One time PowerToys is running on your PC, y'all can use it within the File Explorer.

Open File Explorer.
Select the files you want to rename.
Right-click over your selection.
Select Power Rename.
Enter items that you want to replace, such as text, a nuance, or a space.
Enter what you'd like to replace those items with, such as punction or text.
Click Rename.

You can repeat this procedure several times until items are named every bit you lot like. You tin can also choose to perform deportment such as enumerating items. For instance, I use the tool to rename batches of files from press releases. I replace spaces with dashes, enumerate the items, remove parenthesis, and then accept files in a format that I tin can use on our website.