If you have ever found yourself putting off naming numerous files because it’s so time consuming, you may just need a bulk file renaming tool. Think about pictures you’ve imported. Many people of hundreds of photos on their computers with no better name than what their digital camera or phone decides to name it, such as IMG_1859823. Not exactly the best way to find your favorite photos. Bulk Rename Utility offers a solution to this problem.
While it does take a few minutes to get the hang of the program, once you digest the features and options, you are ready to start naming to your heart’s content. If you are already intimately familiar with common file attributes, using Bulk Rename Utility will be much easier. If your idea of a file attribute stops as “file name,” then you may be slightly overwhelmed to begin with. However, the program gives you pretty much every option you can think of.
If you are wondering exactly what bulk renaming is, you are in luck. Instead of renaming individual files, you literally rename hundreds of files at a time if you want. Why is this necessary? What if you wanted to name all the photos from 2009 to “2009 Pics” with the date they were taken? This could literally take you hours if you did it photo by photo. Use a bulk rename utility and suddenly the process takes only a few minutes.
Just a few of the features Bulk Rename Utility offers includes:
-Adding, removing or changing text in file names
-Remove certain characters in words
-Append dates or text to files
-Change timestamps
-Rename MP3s using ID3 tags
-Create an undo batch file
You can see the full list of features at the official website.
Using Bulk Rename Utility
Now that you know what the program is, it’s time to download Bulk Rename Utility and learn how to use it. The only downside is the program currently only compatible with Windows. To install, double click the installer file and follow the prompts. Unless you want to customize your installation, accept the defaults. It takes approximately one minute to install.
Let the installer launch the program when the process is complete. You will suddenly see that the options before you make overwhelming an understatement. The bottom half of the screen is where all your options are located. You will see 13 different sections of options. The top half of the screen lets you choose the location of the files to be renamed and see the results of the renaming process.
Quick Tip – Place all files or folders in one location to make selection easier.
Take a close look at the options in the bottom half of the window. Most are self explanatory. For instance, the Append Folder Name (9) section allows you to append a prefix or suffix to folder names. Extension (11) allows you to choose a new extension for the files you rename.
Any options you choose will affect the file names/attributes in the list in the top half of the screen. Do not panic though. Nothing is changed until you press the Rename button.
Quick Tip – Select the files/folders you want to rename BEFORE you select your options.
There are two buttons you should be aware of. First, is the Reset button. If you want to reset all the options to their default values, simply press Reset. You can then start every rename project from scratch. The second button is Revert. If you have favorite options you use often, you can revert to these settings with one click instead of choosing every individual option. You will have to set up a favorites file to use this button.
What Do All The Options Mean
The easiest way to learn what every individual option means is by either accessing the Help menu at the top of the Bulk Rename Utility window or download the PDF manual. Scroll down to the section entitled Bulk Rename Utility – Other Files. Select PDF Manual. Both options provide full details of every option and how to use the program.
Quick Tip – In the Help menu, select Contents and choose Main Screen for a quick overview of each option and its purpose.
Practice with some test files at first until you fully understand how the program works. While you can undo your changes, your renaming process will be easier and quicker if you get the basics down before renaming hundreds of files.
The people who benefit most from this utility are those who rename fifty or more files at a time. While you can use it for just a handful of files, you save the most time with larger numbers of files.