Bulk renaming files with the rename command
Names Have Been Changed
© Photo by CHUTTERSNAP on Unsplash
The rename command is a powerful means to simultaneously rename or even move multiple files following a given pattern.
Users often have to rename a collection of related files according to a specific pattern. You might have logfiles with dates and times in the file name, but the dates are not written in your preferred format (20230315 instead of 15-03-2023). Perhaps you have a collection of digital photos from your camera, or maybe you are working with files created on an old Microsoft Windows or MS-DOS system that are all uppercase, and you want to give them more readable file names.
Changing the names of a few files by hand may be manageable, but changing more than a dozen files quickly becomes not only tedious but error-prone. Linux does have some tools that will rename files in bulk. Most notably, the Thunar file manager [1] has a very flexible Bulk Rename tool (Figure 1), with several powerful built-in pattern-matching criteria from which to choose, making the tool sufficient for most use cases.
[...]
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy Linux Magazine
US / Canada
UK / Australia
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.
News
-
System76 Releases COSMIC Alpha 7
With scores of bug fixes and a really cool workspaces feature, COSMIC is looking to soon migrate from alpha to beta.
-
OpenMandriva Lx 6.0 Available for Installation
The latest release of OpenMandriva has arrived with a new kernel, an updated Plasma desktop, and a server edition.
-
TrueNAS 25.04 Arrives with Thousands of Changes
One of the most popular Linux-based NAS solutions has rolled out the latest edition, based on Ubuntu 25.04.
-
Fedora 42 Available with Two New Spins
The latest release from the Fedora Project includes the usual updates, a new kernel, an official KDE Plasma spin, and a new System76 spin.
-
So Long, ArcoLinux
The ArcoLinux distribution is the latest Linux distribution to shut down.
-
What Open Source Pros Look for in a Job Role
Learn what professionals in technical and non-technical roles say is most important when seeking a new position.
-
Asahi Linux Runs into Issues with M4 Support
Due to Apple Silicon changes, the Asahi Linux project is at odds with adding support for the M4 chips.
-
Plasma 6.3.4 Now Available
Although not a major release, Plasma 6.3.4 does fix some bugs and offer a subtle change for the Plasma sidebar.
-
Linux Kernel 6.15 First Release Candidate Now Available
Linux Torvalds has announced that the release candidate for the final release of the Linux 6.15 series is now available.
-
Akamai Will Host kernel.org
The organization dedicated to cloud-based solutions has agreed to host kernel.org to deliver long-term stability for the development team.