How To Bulk Rename Files on Your Computer

ORGANISE YOUR FILES

Name them properly!

We hear lots of stories from clients regarding files on their computer. Where are they and why can’t files be located easily?!

We always say it’s a good habit to file things on your computer in the same way you would with a physical piece of paper.

For example, if your telephone bill arrived in the mail, where would you file it?
Perhaps in a manilla folder labelled “Phone”?
Where would this manilla folder live? In a draw labelled “Bills”?

If so, replicate this filing system on your computer!

FILE AWAY!

If you receive your telephone bill electronically, you may decide to file the bills in a folder named “Phone”.

However when you receive the bill, the name of the file could be long, and makes no sense!
Once you have 10 bills, you can’t tell which bill is for which month!
Let’s fix that.

To rename all your phone bills neatly, try this:

WINDOWS USERS:
1. With all your telephone bills filed in one folder, press ctrl + A on your keyboard to select all the files in one go
2. Using the mouse or keyboard trackpad, right click over the selected files, and select Rename from the drop-down menu
3. Type in the new name and press Enter on the keyboard
Windows will automatically rename the batch of files
For example, from Bill_AJ12032017 to Telstra_0001, Telstra_0002 and so on!

MAC USERS:

1. Have all your telephone bills in one folder
2. Press Command + A on your keyboard to select all the files in one go
3. Using your mouse or keyboard trackpad, right click over the selected files, and choose “Rename X items”
4. A “Rename Finder Items” tool appears, choose “Replace Text” from the dropdown menu
5. Change the text in the “Find” search to match the text you wish to replace, then change the text in the “Replace with” box to match what you would like the files to be renamed to
Example: I want to change anything beginning with Bill to be replaced with TelstraBill

Happy Filing!