How to Rename Multiple Files at Once on Mac
3 methods β Finder, Terminal, and third-party apps β to batch rename hundreds of files in seconds
β‘ TL;DR β Quick Summary
- Select files in Finder β right-click β Rename β choose Replace Text, Add Text, or Format
- Use Terminal for advanced batch renaming with custom patterns
- Automator (built into Mac) can create a reusable rename workflow
- Third-party apps like NameChanger or Transnomino give you the most control
- Always preview before renaming β Finder shows a live preview in the rename dialog
You just imported 200 photos from your camera. They’re all named something like IMG_4821.JPG, IMG_4822.JPGβ¦ and you need them named Bali-Trip-Day1-001.jpg instead. Renaming them one by one? That’s going to take your whole afternoon.
Good news: macOS has had built-in batch renaming since macOS Yosemite, and it takes about 30 seconds once you know where to find it. Plus there are faster, more powerful options if you need them.
This guide covers every method β from the dead-simple Finder trick to Terminal commands for power users β so you can pick the one that fits your situation.
“Batch renaming 500 files in Finder takes less than a minute. Doing it manually would take all day.”
Method 1: Batch Rename Files Using Finder (Built-In, No Downloads)
This is the fastest approach for most people. No extra apps, no Terminal β it’s built right into the Mac Finder and works on any Mac running macOS Yosemite or later (basically any Mac from 2014 onwards).
Step 1: Select the Files You Want to Rename
Open Finder and navigate to the folder containing your files. Select the files you want to rename:
- Command + A β select all files in the folder
- Click + drag β select a group of files
- Command + click β select specific individual files
- Shift + click β select a range of consecutive files
You can select files from anywhere in the folder. Finder will rename them in the order they’re sorted (by name, date, or whatever your current sort is).
Step 2: Open the Batch Rename Dialog
With your files selected, right-click (or Control + click) on any of the selected files. In the context menu, look for “Rename X Items⦔ where X is the number of files you selected. Click it.
Alternatively, go to the File menu in the menu bar and select Rename X Itemsβ¦
A rename dialog box will appear with three modes you can switch between.
Step 3: Choose Your Rename Mode
The Finder batch rename dialog has three options in the dropdown at the top: