How to Batch Rename Photos & Files
Renaming files one by one is painful. This guide shows the fastest way to batch rename hundreds of photos or files at once, including by EXIF capture date, with the no-upload browser method plus the built-in Windows and Mac tricks.
Table of Contents
Why batch rename (and how to name well)
A folder full of IMG_4821.jpg, DSC00342.jpg and screenshot copies is a mess to search, sort, or hand to a client. Batch renaming applies one consistent scheme to every file at once: a clear base name, a date, and a sequence number. Done well, the folder sorts itself and every file says what it is at a glance.
A good naming scheme usually has three parts: what (a base name like rossi-wedding), when (the date, ideally the photo's real capture date), and order (a zero-padded number like 001). For example: rossi-wedding-2026-05-29-001.jpg. That name sorts correctly, never collides, and is instantly readable.
3 ways to batch rename, compared
| Method | Install | Rename by EXIF date | Find & replace |
|---|---|---|---|
| SammaPix online | None (browser) | Yes | Yes |
| Windows Explorer | Built-in | No | No (PowerRename yes) |
| Mac Finder | Built-in | No | Yes |
The built-in tools are great for simple jobs. The thing neither Windows nor Mac can do natively is rename by the photo's EXIF capture date, which is the single most useful trick for photographers. For that, use the browser tool.
Method 1: Online, no upload (SammaPix Batch Rename)
The SammaPix Batch Rename tool builds new filenames from a pattern and reads each file's metadata locally in your browser. Nothing is uploaded, so it is safe for client work, and it offers things the OS tools do not: EXIF date tokens, padded sequence numbers, find-and-replace, and case changes, with a live preview before you commit.
- Open sammapix.com/tools/batchname in any browser.
- Add your files. Drag in the photos or files you want to rename.
- Build the pattern. Combine fixed text, a date token, and a sequence number. Watch the live preview update.
- Download. Grab the renamed files individually or as a ZIP.
Rename a whole folder in one go
Sequential numbers, EXIF dates, find-and-replace, live preview. 100% in your browser, nothing uploaded.
Open the Batch Renamer, FreeRename photos by EXIF date (the killer trick)
Every photo your camera or phone takes stores the exact capture date and time in its EXIF metadata. Renaming files to start with that date is the single best thing you can do to organise a photo library, because the files then sort in true chronological order in any file browser, regardless of which camera produced them.
For example, a folder mixing IMG_0042.jpg from a phone and DSC00871.jpg from a camera will not sort by time. Rename both to the EXIF date and they line up perfectly:
IMG_0042.jpg -> 2026-05-29-091523.jpg DSC00871.jpg -> 2026-05-29-094710.jpg
Neither Windows Explorer nor Mac Finder can do this. The SammaPix Batch Rename tool reads the EXIF date locally and inserts it for you. If you would rather describe the content of each photo, the AI Rename tool names files by what is in them.
Numbering, find-and-replace and case
- Sequential numbers: add a counter with padding, like 001, 002. Set the start number to continue an existing series.
- Find and replace: swap a string across every filename, for example turning DSC into a project name, or removing a prefix.
- Case: force lowercase (best for the web, where servers are case-sensitive) or tidy up mixed-case names.
- Fixed text: a base name that says what the batch is, like product or vacation.
The power comes from combining them: fixed text, then date, then number, gives you a name that is descriptive, chronological, and collision-proof in one pass.
Method 2: Windows (Explorer and PowerRename)
For the simplest case, open File Explorer, select all the files, press F2, type a base name and press Enter. Windows turns them into name (1).jpg, name (2).jpg and so on. It is fast but offers no padding, no date, and no find-and-replace.
For anything more, install Microsoft PowerToys and use PowerRename. Right-click your files, choose PowerRename, and you get search-and-replace with regular expressions, a live preview, and numbering. It still cannot rename by EXIF date, but it covers most text-based renaming.
Method 3: Mac (Finder rename)
macOS has a genuinely good built-in batch renamer. Select the files in Finder, right-click, and choose Rename. The panel offers three modes: Replace Text (swap a string), Add Text (prefix or suffix), and Format (a base name plus an index or counter). It handles numbering and find-and-replace well. Its one gap is the same as Windows: it cannot read the EXIF capture date, so for date-based photo naming use the browser tool.
Real scenarios: weddings, events, SEO
Wedding or event photographer: rename the whole shoot to clientname-date-001 so the gallery is sorted, branded, and easy to deliver. Pair it with the culling tool to drop the rejects first.
Travel library: rename by EXIF date so years of photos from different cameras and phones merge into one clean timeline.
Publishing online: descriptive, lowercase, hyphenated filenames help image SEO. blue-summer-dress.jpg tells Google more than IMG_4821.jpg. Rename before you upload, then compress the images so the page loads fast.
FAQ
How do I batch rename files online without uploading them?
Use the SammaPix Batch Rename tool at sammapix.com/tools/batchname. Drop your files, build a naming pattern (sequential numbers, EXIF date, find and replace, or fixed text), preview the result, and download the renamed files. Everything runs in your browser, so nothing is uploaded.
How do I rename photos by their date taken?
Use a tool that reads EXIF metadata. The SammaPix Batch Rename tool can insert each photo's capture date and time into the filename, turning IMG_1234.jpg into something like 2026-05-29-143022.jpg, so your library sorts in true chronological order. It reads the EXIF date locally in your browser.
How do I batch rename files on Windows?
Select all the files in File Explorer, press F2, type a base name and press Enter. Windows appends (1), (2), (3) automatically. For advanced patterns and find-and-replace, install Microsoft PowerToys and use PowerRename, which adds regex and search-and-replace renaming.
How do I batch rename files on Mac?
Select the files in Finder, right-click and choose Rename. A panel lets you Replace Text, Add Text, or apply a Format with a base name and sequential numbers. It is quick for simple jobs but cannot rename by EXIF date.
Can I add sequential numbers when renaming?
Yes. All the methods here support sequential numbering, for example wedding-001.jpg, wedding-002.jpg. The SammaPix tool lets you set the start number and padding (001 vs 1) and combine numbers with dates and fixed text.
Is batch renaming online safe for private files?
It depends on the tool. Many online renamers upload your files to their servers. The SammaPix Batch Rename tool processes everything in your browser with no upload, so private photos and documents never leave your device.