The Universal File Rename Tool plans new names for a batch of files, then downloads renamed copies. Pick your files, set a pattern such as file-[N], and check every new name in a preview table before you download. Your original files are never changed. This Universal File Rename Tool has three modes: Basic Rename, Advanced Options and Batch Replace. No sign-up is needed.
How to use the Universal File Rename Tool
- Stay on the “Basic Rename” tab, or pick “Advanced Options” or “Batch Replace” for the other modes. Only the mode on the open tab is used.
- In Basic Rename, type a Pattern, such as file-[N]. You can use [N] for a running number, [name] for the old name, [ext] for the extension, and [date] for today’s date.
- Set “Start Number” if you do not want the numbers to start at 1.
- Under “Select Files”, drag your files onto the box that says “Drag & drop files here or click to select”, or click the box to pick files.
- Check the “Preview” table. It lists Original Name, New Name, Type and Size for each file, and it updates as you type.
- Click “Download Renamed Files”. Your browser saves one renamed copy of each file.
The copies land in your normal downloads folder, not in the folder your files came from. Your original files stay exactly as they were.
Worked example
On the Basic Rename tab, set Pattern to holiday-[N]-[name].[ext] and Start Number to 1. Then select three files: IMG_2041.jpg, IMG_2042.jpg and beach sunset.png.
| Original Name | New Name |
|---|---|
| IMG_2041.jpg | holiday-1-IMG_2041.jpg |
| IMG_2042.jpg | holiday-2-IMG_2042.jpg |
| beach sunset.png | holiday-3-beach sunset.png |
Here [N] gives the running number, [name] keeps the old name without its extension, and [ext] puts the extension back after the dot. The numbers follow the order in which the files were selected.
Example results
| Mode and input | New name |
|---|---|
| Basic Rename: photo.jpg with the pattern file-[N] | file-1.jpg |
| Basic Rename: notes.txt with the pattern [date]-[name].[ext] | 2026-10-23-notes.txt (the date is the day you run the tool) |
| Advanced Options: IMG_2041.jpg, find IMG, replace with holiday, Preserve file extension on | holiday_2041.jpg |
| Batch Replace: My Holiday Photo.JPG, Prefix 2026-, Remove spaces on | 2026-MyHolidayPhoto.JPG |
| Batch Replace: Report Final.pdf, Convert to lowercase on | report final.pdf |
Limits and good to know
- The tool does not rename files in place. It downloads a renamed copy of each file, one download per file, and your browser may ask you to allow multiple downloads.
- Each pattern token is replaced only the first time it appears. A pattern with [N] twice keeps the second [N] as plain text, like 1-[N].jpg.
- Files with no extension go wrong. The tool treats the whole name as the extension, so a file named README with the pattern file-[N] becomes file-1.README.
- In Advanced Options, Find is treated as a regular expression, not plain text. A dot matches any character, and some characters can break the preview.
- Only one tab works at a time. Settings typed on a tab you are not viewing are ignored.
- The [date] token uses today’s date in the form YYYY-MM-DD, and numbering follows the order in which files were selected.
Why is my result empty or wrong?
The Download Renamed Files button stays grey. No files are selected yet. Drop or pick at least one file, and the button turns on.
A token like [N] is still in the new name. The token was typed twice, or typed in the wrong form. Tokens are exact and case-sensitive: [N], [name], [ext] and [date]. The tool replaces each one once only.
Find and Replace changed too much text. In Advanced Options the find text works as a regular expression, so a dot matches any letter. Use plain words for the find text, and tick Case sensitive if you need an exact match.
The preview went blank after typing in Find. A character such as [ starts an unfinished pattern and stops the preview. Remove special characters from the find box and the preview comes back.
Why use this Universal File Rename Tool?
You see every new name in the preview table before anything is downloaded, so a wrong pattern costs nothing. The three modes cover the jobs people do most: numbering files in order, finding and replacing part of a name, and adding a prefix or suffix with a change of case or spacing. It works with any file type, right in your browser, and your originals are never touched.
Universal File Rename Tool – frequently asked questions
Does this tool change my original files?
No. Your originals are never changed. The tool downloads a renamed copy of each file, and you keep both versions until you delete one yourself.
Which pattern tokens can I use in Basic Rename?
Use [N] for a running number, [name] for the original name without its extension, [ext] for the extension, and [date] for today's date in YYYY-MM-DD form.
Can it rename files in place inside a folder?
No. It cannot write back into your folders. It saves renamed copies through your browser downloads, one file at a time, which you can then move where you want.
Are my files uploaded to a server?
No. Files are handled inside your browser only. The preview reads their names, size and type, and the renamed copies are made as browser downloads.
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