If you have hundreds of photos or documents to rename in Windows 11, doing it manually is tedious. While Windows has a basic built-in rename function, the free Microsoft PowerToys utility offers a much more powerful tool called PowerRename.
Why Use PowerRename?
PowerRename integrates directly into the Windows 11 context menu. It allows you to search and replace text, use regular expressions, change capitalization, and see a live preview of your changes before applying them.
How to Install PowerToys
First, you need to download and install Microsoft PowerToys from the Microsoft Store or GitHub. Once installed, ensure it is running in your system tray.
How to Bulk Rename Files
1. Open File Explorer and select all the files you want to rename.
2. Right-click the selected files and choose PowerRename from the context menu (you may need to click “Show more options” first).
3. In the PowerRename window, enter the text you want to replace in the “Search for” box.
4. Enter the new text in the “Replace with” box.
5. Check the preview column to ensure the new filenames look correct.
6. Click the Apply button.
Your files will instantly be renamed. If you made a mistake, you can press Ctrl+Z in File Explorer to undo the changes.