To rename files in bulk more efficiently, you can either learn some complex shell scripting language (SED, AWK, Perl) or switch to something more simple - a spreadsheet.

That’s a fairly quick solution but not very flexible because you don’t get to specify any choices or criteria.įor instance, how do you append the current date to the filename ? Or you want to replace only certain words in the file names (like a spelling error)? Or you want files to follow a different renaming system like file-A.jpg instead of the default file(1).jpg.

Windows will append a unique sequence number to each of the file names. Select all the files, press F2 and type some descriptive text. In File Explorer under View, in the Show/hide group, select the File name extensions check box.īelow is a list of common Windows file name extensions and formats.Renaming multiples files on your Windows computer is easy. In the search box on the taskbar, type file explorer, and in the search results, select File Explorer. If you don’t see file name extensions when you view files in File Explorer: To learn more about how to change which program will open a file, read Change default programs in Windows 10. You can change a file name extension, but that won't convert the file to another format or change anything else about it except the file name. Most file name extensions are compatible with more than one program that you have installed. For example, the docx extension tells your computer that Microsoft Word can open the file and to display a Word icon when you view it in File Explorer. In expenses.xlsx, for example, the first part of the file name is expenses and the extension is xlsx.Įxtensions tell your computer which application created or can open the file and which icon to use for the file.

Windows file names have two parts separated by a period: first, the file name, and second, a three- or four-character extension that defines the file type.

Bulk rename file extension windows 10