Privacy & processing: Runs in your browser
This tool runs entirely in your browser — your files and text are processed on your device and are not uploaded to our servers.
How to use Bulk File Rename
- Step 1
Add Files or a Folder
Select documents, photos, music, videos, archives or a folder tree using the browser file picker or drag and drop. Inspect the queue and remove accidental selections. The browser-based workflow reads local files for naming and metadata analysis; remote URL imports may have separate access requirements.
- Step 2
Choose Rules and Review Every New Name
Use Simple, Pattern, Sequential, Metadata, Template or Smart mode. Configure a prefix, suffix, replacement, case, numbering, tokens or OCR-derived text, then check the original-versus-new preview for duplicate, invalid or missing names.
- Step 3
Apply and Download Renamed Copies
Apply the reviewed rule and download renamed files individually or as a structured ZIP. Optionally organise the output into folders and save a CSV or JSON rename report. The original files on your device are not directly renamed by the webpage.
Key features
Rename Many Types of Files
Apply naming rules to photos, documents, audio, video, archive and code files without converting their contents. Extensions should normally remain intact to preserve recognisable file types.
Preview and Conflict Detection
Compare original and proposed names in a live queue. Identify collisions, illegal characters, missing tokens and unusually long names before exporting a renamed set.
Sequential Numbers and Padding
Number batches with a chosen starting value, step and zero padding. Keep sorted series predictable with names such as photo-0001.jpg, photo-0002.jpg and photo-0003.jpg.
Metadata-Driven Filename Templates
Use available EXIF photo tags, ID3 audio tags and PDF or Office properties for descriptive names. Missing, incorrect or stripped metadata requires manual review.
Pattern and Case Operations
Add or remove filename text, use find-and-replace and change case to lowercase, uppercase, title case, camelCase, snake_case or kebab-case.
OCR and Content-Based Naming
Optional smart mode extracts visible text from compatible images or readable documents. OCR can misread low-quality scans and does not identify pictured objects reliably.
Rename and Organise into Folders
Keep a source folder structure or build new output folders from type, date, extension or tokens. Download a ZIP with the reviewed arrangement.
Local Renaming and Export Control
Normal browser file selection, metadata parsing and ZIP generation are described as local operations. Consider separate policies for URL imports, integrations and any API services.
What Is Bulk File Renaming and When Should You Use It?
Bulk file renaming changes the names of multiple existing files according to a consistent rule. Instead of editing every photo, invoice, audio track or document individually, you select a collection, define a repeatable convention and preview the proposed filenames. A well-designed naming rule makes folders easier to browse, synchronise, search and audit, especially where dates, projects, revision identifiers or sequence numbers matter.
MyToolSpace Bulk File Renamer is an online batch filename editor with six documented naming modes: Simple, Pattern, Sequential, Metadata, Template and Smart. It supports mixed everyday file types, folder inputs, metadata-based tokens and output as individual downloads or a ZIP. Unlike a media converter or editor, renaming changes the label assigned to a file rather than rewriting its video codec, picture pixels or document text.
For example, a camera folder containing IMG_2314.jpg, IMG_2315.jpg and IMG_2316.jpg may become event-2026-001.jpg, event-2026-002.jpg and event-2026-003.jpg. The dates in this example are arbitrary labels, not automatically authenticated capture dates. A clean convention is useful only when the selected ordering and associated metadata have been checked.
Consistent Names: Reuse one rule across a collection instead of applying manual changes individually.
Reviewable Output: Inspect proposed names and export copies before replacing a working folder.
Simple, Pattern, Sequential, Metadata, Template and Smart Modes
Simple mode works when you want a shared base name plus an automatically distinguishing counter. Pattern mode retains a part of each existing filename and performs transformations such as adding prefixes, removing unwanted substrings, replacing words or standardising letter case. Sequential mode is ideal for numbered camera frames, training datasets and ordered teaching materials; select the correct sort order before numbering.
Metadata mode constructs names from properties found inside the file. Template mode offers more deliberate composition through literal text and dynamic tokens, such as a date together with the original base name and a padded counter. Smart mode uses readable content or OCR-derived words where available, not magical recognition of everything shown in a photograph.
Choose the least complex mode that describes your intended output. A plain suffix is more predictable than an OCR rule for a collection that already has clear names. Where file batches mix several formats or content sources, test a few representative files before applying the same template to the entire queue.
Pattern Workflows: Use replacements, case conversion and text insertion when filenames already contain useful context.
Metadata Workflows: Select verified embedded fields and add a fallback identifier when records lack metadata.
Sequential Workflows: Apply a stable sort, start value and padding width to keep numbered batches ordered.
Smart Workflows: Review extracted words carefully; a plausible name can still describe the wrong file.
How to Number Files Sequentially with Leading Zeros
For albums, scanned pages, asset batches and time-lapse frames, sequential filename numbering is often more valuable than a descriptive sentence. A zero-padded counter makes lexicographic sorting match the intended numeric order: frame-0001, frame-0002, frame-0010. Without padding, basic alphabetical sorting may show frame-1 next to frame-10 before frame-2.
The page describes adjustable starts, steps and counters, including template notation such as {counter:4}. The number following the colon sets the minimum display width of the count in that example. Select a width large enough for expected growth: four digits cover values through 9999 without changing the visual width of earlier numbers.
Set the source file order deliberately. Sorting by original filename, file date or selected queue order produces different relationships between content and the assigned counter. Renaming a video sequence in the wrong order can cause editing software to import frames incorrectly, so inspect the first, middle and last proposed names.
Zero Padding: A width of four expresses 7 as 0007 while preserving numeric sorting in simple file browsers.
Stable Ordering: Sort before numbering and verify sequences where content order has operational meaning.
Find and Replace Text, Remove Prefixes and Change Filename Case
A batch rename tool can remove repetitive camera prefixes, standardise supplier names, replace spaces with hyphens or turn names into lowercase web assets. For example, Summer Trip FINAL (1).JPG might become summer-trip-final-1.jpg after a deliberate sequence of cleanup rules. Preview each operation because replacing a short string may also alter words where you did not intend a match.
Lowercase and kebab-case frequently work well for URLs and static assets; snake_case is familiar to developers and analytical datasets; title case can make human-facing documents easier to scan. The correct choice is a team convention rather than a universal search-engine requirement. Google does not award rankings simply because an image filename contains a keyword.
If you use regular expressions, test the match on diverse filenames, especially those with multiple periods, hyphens, numbers and Unicode characters. A greedy pattern can remove more text than expected. Changing case on a case-sensitive file system can also change how other code or links resolve.
Web-Safe Convention: Use descriptive, short, hyphenated names where appropriate and preserve real context.
Avoid Overmatching: Test replacement expressions before applying them to the entire queue.
Build Filename Templates with Dates, Counters and 40+ Tokens
Dynamic tokens allow a template to include properties that differ for every file. The live page lists {filename}, {ext}, {counter}, {date}, {time}, {year}, {month}, {day}, {camera}, {datetaken}, {artist}, {album}, {track}, {author}, {title}, {pagecount}, {filesize}, {filetype}, {foldername}, {random} and {uuid} among more than forty available choices.
A template like {date}_{filename}-{counter:3} can combine the current date, an original base name and a three-digit sequence. The result is useful for documents and collections, provided the file order is controlled and the computed names pass validation. A token for current date is not equivalent to the date a photograph was taken or the date a contract was signed.
The page says missing metadata values collapse to empty rather than exposing unresolved placeholder text. This is convenient but can leave consecutive separators, names consisting only of numbers or files with identical names. Add a counter or original-name component as a safety net and inspect rows with missing values.
Counter Token: Pad counters according to the expected size of the complete batch.
Metadata Fallback: Keep a unique non-sensitive fallback if title, artist or capture date fields are absent.
Date Semantics: Distinguish current processing date from file modification date or embedded capture date.
Safe Exposure: Avoid including sensitive EXIF or document properties in public-facing names.
Rename Photos, Music, PDFs and Office Files Using Metadata
Photo naming can draw on EXIF capture date, camera make and model, lens or other available properties. This is valuable when camera-generated filenames do not express when or where an event happened. However, edits, screenshots, messaging-app exports and privacy-stripping software may remove EXIF information. A file date provided by the operating system is not always the same as the original capture date.
Audio collections can use ID3 artist, album, track, genre, composer and year data to create sortable track names. Incorrect tags remain incorrect when inserted into filenames; correct metadata first if a batch contains mislabeled songs. A robust music template often contains a track number and a short title rather than relying on artist alone.
PDF and Office files may carry a title, author, subject, keywords, page count or creation date. These fields can be generic, stale, empty or copied from a template. Inspect actual source properties before putting them into client handovers, official records or shared-drive folders. File properties should not be treated as verified evidence about authorship or timestamps.
EXIF Caution: Captured dates may be absent or modified by import and editing workflows.
ID3 Caution: Music tags need quality control before batch naming.
Document Properties: PDF and Office author fields may be stale or misleading.
Media Information: Codec support affects which video and audio details the browser can identify.
OCR Smart Naming for Scans and Content-Based Document Filenames
Smart naming proposes filenames from content that the tool can actually inspect. The page describes OCR powered by tesseract.js for visible text in images, with thirteen languages listed, and extraction of meaningful words from compatible text, Markdown, CSV, code and Word documents. OCR means optical character recognition; it identifies printed characters in an image rather than understanding the entire scene.
Use OCR-based naming to categorise scanned receipts, paper forms and photographed labels where the identifying information is legible. Poor lighting, skewed pages, cursive handwriting, unusual scripts and dense background patterns can produce irrelevant or incorrect words. Any extracted personal names, account details or invoice totals should be examined before becoming public filenames.
Document smart naming is a convenience rather than a semantic or legal judgement. The first meaningful words of a report may be a boilerplate heading, so the resulting slug may not describe the specific document. Verify especially when batch processing contracts, resumes, prescriptions or documents containing sensitive details.
Useful Input: Clear scans with visible reference text, invoice headings or document titles.
Manual Verification: Check the proposal against the content before downloading and distributing.
Prevent Duplicate Filenames and Invalid Names on Windows, macOS and Linux
Two input files may receive identical new names if a template uses a non-unique field, such as a shared artist or the same capture date. MyToolSpace documents conflict detection and handling choices such as appending a counter, skipping a conflicting file, flagging an error or an overwrite option. For most archival and business workflows, unique suffixes or manual correction are safer than accepting overwrites.
File naming rules differ across operating systems. Windows reserves characters such as less-than, greater-than, colon, quotation mark, slash, backslash, vertical bar, question mark and asterisk, and special device basenames such as CON and NUL. Many file systems also restrict path lengths or trailing characters. Unicode, emoji and visually invisible characters introduce additional portability issues.
The interface documents cross-platform validation, checks for control or bidirectional characters and filename byte-length concerns. A filename that looks short on screen can contain several bytes per visible character. Folder nesting increases total path length, so test the complete destination structure rather than the leaf name alone.
Resolve Collisions: Append a meaningful unique value rather than overwriting files without review.
Portability Check: Check complete paths and special characters before Windows, macOS or Linux handoff.
Unicode Review: Invisible characters and lookalike glyphs can create ambiguous names.
Destination Safety: The downloaded ZIP cannot pre-check every existing file in your eventual target folder.
Organise Renamed Files into Folders and Download a ZIP
After renaming, the tool can organise files by type, extension, month, first letter or a token-defined path. This is helpful when a shared folder includes invoices, photos, presentations and video clips. A downloadable ZIP retains the arranged hierarchy as an archive that can be extracted or passed to a collaborator.
If you imported a nested folder tree, the page says the tool can preserve the original structure when organisation is disabled. Choose whether to retain it or reorganise by a clearer convention; moving files between folders may break paths used by a website, video editor, CAD assembly or document-management system.
A ZIP is a package, not a new file format for the contents. Renaming a PDF inside a ZIP does not turn it into a Word document, and downloading a renamed video does not change its codecs or resolution. Archive size and packaging speed depend on the number and size of selected files, the browser, and available device memory.
Keep the Mapping: Export old-to-new filenames for audits and link updates.
Extract Carefully: Use a new destination folder first to inspect the ZIP contents and structure.
SEO-Friendly File Naming for Images, Websites and Digital Assets
Descriptive filenames help people and software understand assets. For a web gallery, a descriptive name like ceramic-coffee-mug-blue.jpg offers more context than IMG_7845.jpg when that wording accurately reflects the photograph. Filenames are just one small part of web optimisation: relevant visible content, alt text, useful surrounding copy, accessibility and performance still matter.
Before publishing renamed website assets, check references in HTML, CSS, content-management systems, image maps and structured data. A renamed file may cause broken links or a 404 if the page still points to its earlier path. Test both desktop and mobile page loads after deployment and keep redirects where URLs have changed and redirects are appropriate.
MyToolSpace also offers related tools for sorting text, slug generation and file processing. Some user-suggested branded discovery phrases include iLoveMyToolSpace, smallmytoolspace, cloudmytoolspace and pdfmytoolspace; these are not special rename functions or statements of affiliation with similarly named third-party services.
Helpful Keywords: Choose concise, descriptive terms that genuinely identify the file.
Post-Rename QA: Verify links, alt text, image loading and references in publishing systems.
Browser Privacy, File Handling and Performance with Large Batches
The live tool page describes local file selection, metadata analysis, OCR, preview and ZIP creation using browser APIs. That helps avoid transferring ordinary selected files to a rename server. This claim should be scoped to the local browser workflow rather than every possible integration, remote URL import or separately advertised API service.
Renaming files can reveal information through filenames even if their contents are never uploaded. A proposed title may include embedded client names, document authors, GPS data, song titles or invoice references. Review the full output and rename report before publishing, emailing or sharing ZIP archives, and follow organisational retention requirements.
Large batches stress browser memory, CPU and download capacity. The page describes incremental analysis, virtualised previews and ZIP packaging optimisations, but there is no reason to guarantee that every device will smoothly handle a particular number of massive files. Use manageable groups if a folder contains tens of thousands of items or large media assets.
Local Workflow: Use the normal browser file queue for local rename and ZIP export.
API Boundary: Evaluate remote imports and paid integrations under their own privacy and processing terms.
Batch Planning: Process large archives in smaller chunks when available memory is limited.
Sensitive Names: Avoid exposing confidential fields through filenames or reports.
Checklist: A Reliable Bulk File Rename Workflow from Preview to Delivery
Begin by defining the final audience and the desired sort order. Choose a convention such as Project-YYYY-MM-DD-### for business exports, yyyy-mm-dd-camera-counter for photos, track-artist-title for audio or lowercase-kebab-case for web assets. Decide whether to preserve existing identifiers and file extensions.
Then collect a representative test group: files with spaces, punctuation, duplicate dates, missing metadata, long names, different languages and mixed extensions. Create the rule, inspect its live preview and check for collisions and portability warnings. If a token is unavailable, replace it with a reliable fallback instead of allowing empty or ambiguous names.
Apply the rule only after confirming the input order, output folder organisation and collision strategy. Download a few sample files first where practical; inspect content and extension compatibility. For full batches, save the old-to-new mapping report, extract to a new folder and compare expected file counts and subfolders.
Before: Define naming convention, order, metadata fallback and privacy requirements.
During: Inspect preview, duplicates, extensions, case and full output paths.
After: Download, compare counts, test references and keep a rename report.
Safety: Retain originals until the renamed copies are verified.
Which Bulk Rename Mode Should You Choose?
Select the simplest mode that produces a predictable new name.
| Best use | Example rule or strategy | Important check | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Simple | Uniform base names for scanned pages | invoice plus counter | Check counter order |
| Pattern | Remove unwanted words or standardise casing | Replace draft with final | Avoid substring overmatching |
| Sequential | Frames, documents and dataset indexes | frame-{counter:4} | Set sort, start and step |
| Metadata | Photo, audio and document libraries | {artist}-{track} or {datetaken} | Inspect missing/stale tags |
| Template | Combine mixed identifiers and dates | {date}_{filename}-{counter:3} | Check empty tokens and duplicates |
| Smart | OCR scans or content-based naming | Use extracted meaningful words | Review OCR and privacy |
Practical Filename Templates by File Type
These are examples to adapt rather than guaranteed outputs for every input.
| Suggested convention | Why it works | Potential pitfall | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Photos | {datetaken}_{camera}_{counter:3} | Chronological and searchable | Capture date can be missing |
| Music | {artist}-{album}-{track} | Maintains album sequence | ID3 tags may be wrong |
| Invoices | Invoice-{year}-{counter:4} | Compact accounting series | Counter may repeat across batches |
| Web images | descriptive-kebab-case | Readable asset URLs | References need updating |
| Video footage | {date}_{resolution}_{counter} | Useful for media projects | Date may not be recording date |
| PDF reports | {title}-{created} | Descriptive document folders | Properties may be stale |
| Source code | snake_case or kebab-case | Matches repo conventions | Imports may break on rename |
| Datasets | class_{counter:5} | Easy numerical sorting | Class and order need validation |
File Naming and Export Quality Checks
Consider these issues before ZIP export and after extracting files.
| Likely cause | Recommended response | |
|---|---|---|
| Duplicate name | Same token values or sequence reset | Append distinct counters |
| Blank base name | Missing metadata or aggressive replace | Use original-name fallback |
| Invalid symbols | Restricted OS filename characters | Replace incompatible characters |
| Long path | Deep folders plus long basenames | Shorten names and hierarchy |
| Wrong extension | Renamed suffix without conversion | Restore original extension |
| Broken web asset | HTML references old filename | Update paths and test |
| Missing files | Excluded queue rows or ZIP issue | Compare item counts |
| Unexpected dates | Different date token semantics | Choose correct source field |
Common use cases
Photographers and Event Editors
Rename event photo folders by capture date, camera and sequence, then review EXIF metadata before publishing albums or delivering client galleries.
Music Library Curators
Use ID3 artist, album and track fields to organise MP3 and other recordings, correcting incomplete tags before batch export.
Accounting and Operations Teams
Standardise invoice and receipt filenames with project or month labels, without placing confidential personal data in shared paths.
Developers and Web Teams
Normalise frontend asset filenames to lower-case web-safe patterns and update imports, URLs and build references after deployment.
Researchers and Students
Number scanned notes, lecture handouts and experiment images while keeping a mapping between source and final names.
Machine Learning Data Teams
Assign padded counters and class identifiers to dataset files while confirming index alignment and keeping an auditable label map.
Video Production Teams
Group footage by shoot date, resolution and sequence for handoff, with attention to linked footage and editing project relinks.
Enterprise Document Administrators
Build consistent department, project and revision names for mixed office files and preserve a CSV report for migration records.
Archivists and Digital Preservation Teams
Rename collections in batches using metadata and folder context; preserve original identifiers and record mappings for provenance.
Practical tips
Test a Small Batch First
Run the chosen rule on varied examples, including filenames with dates, emoji, multiple extensions, missing metadata and special symbols.
Keep Original Extensions
Retain the real file extension; a rename alone cannot change the format of an image, audio file, video or document.
Preserve Source Copies
Do not discard the original folder until the exported ZIP has been extracted and checked for completeness.
Use Padded Counters
Choose enough digits for the full collection so alphabetical sort follows the intended numeric sequence.
Define the Input Sort
Numbering follows an order; confirm it before converting camera frames, scenes, pages or dataset images.
Plan for Missing Metadata
Include a dependable original-name or counter fallback when EXIF, ID3 or PDF fields are absent or wrong.
Audit Collision Warnings
Do not blindly allow overwrites. Prefer unique suffixes or manual decisions when two filenames would collide.
Protect Personal Metadata
Avoid exposing addresses, GPS locations, private document titles or client identifiers in filenames and reports.
Review OCR Suggestions
Treat OCR and content-based names as drafts because scans, accents and page order can cause incorrect text extraction.
Choose Portable Characters
Use simple filenames and check Windows reserved names, control characters, path lengths and Unicode edge cases.
Save a Rename Report
Export the old-to-new CSV or JSON map for team communication, automated relinking and later recovery.
Inspect Extracted Output
Extract into a separate folder, compare file counts and open sample files before replacing production assets.
Frequently asked questions
What is a bulk file renamer?
It applies a consistent naming transformation to multiple files in one operation. You can add text, replace substrings, number files or construct names from available metadata instead of changing each name manually.
How can I rename multiple files online?
Select files or a folder, choose a rename mode, configure the rule, inspect the before-and-after preview, resolve warnings and download the renamed copies individually or in a ZIP.
Is MyToolSpace Bulk File Renamer free?
The current page advertises free browser-based renaming without an account. Separately advertised automation and API plans may have their own pricing and access rules.
Does the website directly rename files on my computer?
No. The browser prepares newly named downloadable copies; the originals in your existing folders are not rewritten directly. Extract the ZIP to the desired location after checking the result.
Do I need to install desktop software?
No installation is described for the core online renamer. A compatible browser supporting file selection and downloads is required.
Can I rename hundreds or thousands of files?
The page describes large-batch workflows and optimisations, but practical capacity depends on the device, browser, file count and file sizes. Split a very large batch if performance degrades.
Can I upload an entire folder?
The page lists folder selection and nested-folder support. Browser and mobile capabilities vary, so use an alternative picker or smaller batches if a folder chooser is unavailable.
Can I rename PDFs, images, audio, video and archives together?
Yes, the naming workflow is designed for mixed file types. Metadata-dependent rules only use fields available for each file, and a new filename never converts the contents into another format.
Can I add the same prefix to every filename?
Use a pattern or template rule to prepend the desired project, client or category label. Preview whether the result contains repeated prefixes or illegal characters.
Can I add a suffix before the file extension?
Use a suffix or template based on the base filename. Confirm that the suffix appears before .jpg, .pdf or another extension rather than altering the extension itself.
How do I remove unwanted words from filenames?
Use a Pattern remove or find-and-replace operation, checking all preview rows. Short matches may occur inside unrelated filenames and should be reviewed.
Can I rename files using regular expressions?
The page references regex find-and-replace in its FAQ and troubleshooting. Test patterns carefully because regex syntax and capture-group handling can differ between implementations.
Can I convert filenames to lowercase or uppercase?
Yes, case transformations include lowercase and uppercase, alongside other naming styles. Check case-sensitive downstream file paths and systems before publishing.
How do I make filenames SEO-friendly?
Use concise names that accurately describe asset content, usually with readable hyphen-separated words. Update site URLs and references; a filename alone does not guarantee search rankings.
Can I number files automatically?
Sequential mode provides counters with configurable ordering, start and step options. Keep a stable source order before applying the sequence.
What is zero padding in file numbering?
Zero padding adds leading zeros to keep a consistent number width. A four-digit width expresses 7 as 0007, helping filenames sort predictably.
What does {counter:4} mean?
It is a documented template example for a padded counter with minimum width four. Verify the live preview for the exact numbering output and starting value.
Can I rename files using the original filename?
Yes. Include a filename token in a template to preserve the original base name alongside a date, prefix or counter.
What happens when metadata is missing?
The page explains that absent token values may become empty. Add a fallback name or unique counter to avoid blanks and collisions.
Can I use EXIF photo dates?
Metadata mode can read supported EXIF date fields. Inspect them because editing and sharing may strip EXIF or change which date is available.
Can I rename photos by camera model?
The tool lists camera make and model among EXIF fields. Availability depends on the photo and successful metadata parsing.
Can I rename music with ID3 tags?
Yes, supported audio metadata includes artist, album, track and other fields. Correct inconsistent tags before constructing a large batch of names.
Can I rename PDF files by author or title?
The tool lists PDF title, author, subject, keywords and page count as possible fields. These properties are not guaranteed to be complete or truthful.
Can I rename files using Word or Office metadata?
The page describes Office document properties such as author and title. Test representative DOCX and other files because embedded properties vary.
Can I make filenames from image text using OCR?
Smart mode describes OCR extraction of visible characters from compatible images. Review the result, especially where scans are blurred, handwritten or multilingual.
Does smart renaming recognize objects in photographs?
The page explicitly does not claim AI object recognition. Its described smart naming is based on actual OCR or readable document content, not semantic photo classification.
Which languages can OCR handle?
The page currently describes OCR in thirteen languages but does not make every script or scan quality equally reliable. Check the active options and test representative inputs.
Can I rename documents using content inside them?
For compatible text, Markdown, CSV, code and Word documents, smart mode can derive names from meaningful words near the beginning. Confirm that introductory boilerplate did not create an irrelevant name.
How are duplicate output filenames handled?
The preview flags conflicts; the page describes append-counter, skip, overwrite and error-style choices. Unique counters or review are generally safer than overwriting.
Will the tool show the old and new filenames together?
Yes, the page describes a live original-versus-proposed preview with warnings, which should be checked before export.
Does the tool validate Windows filename restrictions?
It describes cross-platform checks for reserved names, incompatible symbols, long paths and invisible or control characters. Destination-specific limitations can still matter.
Can I create separate folders while renaming?
Yes, output ZIP organisation can group files by type, extension, month, initial letter or a token-based rule.
Troubleshooting
| Problem | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| My new filenames are empty or only numbers | A template field produced no text, missing metadata collapsed to empty or a removal pattern erased the base names. | Restore a filename token or literal prefix, add a fallback counter and inspect several preview rows before export. |
| The preview flags duplicate filenames | Different files received identical name components, often because counters reset or metadata values repeat. | Append a unique padded counter, use a project discriminator or resolve collisions manually instead of risking overwrites. |
| Windows reports an invalid filename | The generated name includes reserved characters, a device name, a trailing period or an unsupported path pattern. | Replace illegal characters, shorten paths and use the cross-platform preview warnings to revise the rule. |
| The output filenames are too long | Metadata tokens and original names may be combined into extremely long bases or deeply nested folders. | Shorten the literal text and tokens, reduce folder depth and test the full destination path. |
| EXIF capture dates do not appear | Source images may have no EXIF, privacy tools may have stripped tags or the parser may not recognise the format. | Inspect source metadata, try compatible images and use a safe fallback or manually supplied date. |
| Music artist or album names are wrong | ID3 tags can be missing, inconsistent or embedded in unexpected versions. | Correct audio metadata first or use a naming template that does not rely on unreliable tags. |
| PDF title or author tokens are blank | The PDF may not contain core properties or may have been regenerated without them. | Use a consistent document prefix, original filename and counter instead of unverified fields. |
| OCR gives random characters | The image may be blurred, skewed, very small, low contrast or in an unsupported script. | Improve image clarity, choose the correct OCR language where available and manually review proposed names. |
| OCR processing is unusually slow | Large or numerous image files consume browser CPU and memory during local recognition. | Process smaller batches, close competing heavy tabs and avoid OCR for files already named adequately. |
| Sequential numbers do not follow file order | The chosen queue sort differs from the intended capture, track or page sequence. | Reorder or sort inputs before applying the sequence and verify first and last filenames. |
| Counters appear as 1 instead of 001 | Counter padding width may be unset or the wrong token syntax is being used. | Select the numbering padding option or use a supported padded token such as {counter:3}. |
| Find-and-replace changed unrelated words | A broad match or regular expression matched more filename content than intended. | Narrow the rule, escape regex metacharacters where needed and inspect the highlighted preview. |
| Some filenames did not change | The rule might not match certain source names, those queue items may be excluded or the output equals the original. | Check match scope and selected files; adjust the rule only where changes are intended. |
| File extensions changed unexpectedly | A case transformation or replacement may have touched the suffix as well as the base name. | Restore extensions according to the actual formats and keep any extension formatting rule deliberate. |
| Renaming did not change originals on disk | The webpage generates downloadable renamed copies rather than directly changing existing filesystem entries. | Download and extract into a separate folder, verify everything and replace originals manually only when appropriate. |
| ZIP file is missing expected files | The queue may contain excluded entries, duplicate conflicts or a download may have been interrupted. | Compare selected and exported counts, resolve conflicts and repeat packaging in smaller groups if necessary. |
| Folder picker omits some subfolders | Browser directory selection may vary by platform, permissions or device. | Try a compatible desktop browser, choose the correct root folder or import missing groups separately. |
| Browser becomes unresponsive with thousands of files | Large queues, OCR, metadata parsing or ZIP generation may exceed available CPU or RAM. | Reduce batch size, limit resource-heavy features and restart with a smaller, representative set. |
| Accents or emoji render strangely | Unicode normalisation, font support or filename encoding may differ between systems. | Use portable characters where suitable and test ZIP extraction on the destination operating system. |
| Renamed web images return 404 errors | HTML, CSS or CMS references still point to the previous asset filenames. | Update references, check case-sensitive paths, redeploy assets and add redirects where appropriate. |
| Metadata-based names expose private information | EXIF, Office or PDF properties may contain locations, internal authors or sensitive titles. | Use less sensitive tokens, review previews and rename reports, and share only approved exports. |
| ZIP extraction creates conflicting names | The destination folder may already contain files with the chosen output names. | Extract into a new location, compare against existing files and decide explicitly which versions to keep. |
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