Guides

How to Batch Rename Files on a Mac

Updated July 23, 2026

Yes — the Mac can rename many files at once, and you don’t need any extra software for the basics. Finder has had a built-in batch rename since OS X Yosemite (2014). Select the files, right-click, and choose Rename… — Finder shows a small panel with three modes.

The built-in way: Finder’s Rename panel

  1. Select two or more files in Finder.
  2. Right-click the selection and choose Rename N Items….
  3. Pick a mode from the dropdown at the top left:
    • Replace Text — find some text in the names and replace it.
    • Add Text — add text before or after the existing name.
    • Format — build a new name from a base plus a Name and Index, Name and Counter, or Name and Date, with a starting number.
  4. Fill in the fields — an example line at the bottom shows one sample result — then click Rename.

⌘Z undoes the whole batch if you don’t like it.

Where Finder’s version comes up short

The built-in panel covers common cases, but a few things are awkward or missing:

  • No per-file preview. You get one example line, not a list showing every old name next to its new one — so surprises only show up after you click Rename.
  • No changing extensions. Finder’s batch rename works on names, not file extensions; switching a batch of .txt files to .md isn’t something it does.
  • Numbering is a little indirect. The Format mode’s Index/Counter naming takes a moment to reason about compared with just setting a name, a start number, and a digit count.

For a one-off rename these are minor. If you renamed batches all day on Windows Explorer, they add up.

If you want a Windows-Explorer-style rename

ComfortFiles keeps the same idea but shows every result as you type. Select the files, right-click → Rename…, and you get a dialog with four patterns — Find & Replace, Add Text, sequential Number, and Extension — each with a live list of every original name next to its new name, and duplicate or invalid names flagged before you commit. One ⌘Z reverts the entire batch. See how batch rename works in ComfortFiles.

Either way, the Mac renames files in bulk just fine — Finder handles the essentials, and a dedicated file manager smooths the edges.