Windows command line rename

In PowerShell , you can automate administration tasks that are not even approachable in Command Prompt. If you have to rename a file , you can do it differently. One way to rename is by doing it manually. On Windows 11, just by clicking the F2 key ,. This method is the most commonly used method. This article will help you learn How to rename a file from the command prompt.

Ren is the command for renaming a file. Ren is the synonym of Rename. Otherwise, you get an error indicating that "The syntax of the command is incorrect. Tip In earlier releases of MS-DOS, instead of using ren or rename, you need to use the move command to rename directories or files. Availability Ren and rename syntax Ren and rename examples. Note You cannot specify a new drive or path for the destination of a renamed file.

Please rate your experience Yes No. Any additional feedback? Note This command is the same as the rename command. Submit and view feedback for This product This page. View all page feedback. Let's say the filename is sample1-some-unwanted-text Renaming 1 file by replacing multiple unwanted characters using a star : Let's say the filename is sample1-some-unwanted-text Renaming multiple files with similar names If you want to rename multiple files, i. In this example, you want to keep the word sample and the number X where X can be any number or character.

Using a? Warning: It happens very quickly that a command prompt rename operation renames too many files and you can't undo it. So, when renaming multiple files it is advisable to make a copy of all the files you want to rename, put them in a temp folder, then run your rename commands in the temp folder, and when you're certain that it works, go back and rename the original files. Stack Overflow for Teams — Collaborate and share knowledge with a private group. Create a free Team What is Teams?

Collectives on Stack Overflow. Learn more.