Bulk Rename Utility — Rename Hundreds of Files at Once Without Writing a Single Line of Code
In a word: 15 renaming rules that can be freely combined — rename hundreds of files in seconds.
Have You Ever Manually Renamed 100 Files?
You have 200 photos from the company party, all named IMG_7382.jpg, IMG_7383.jpg — meaningless numbers. You want to rename them all to a uniform format like CompanyParty-001.jpg. You open the folder, select the first one, F2, type the new name, Enter. Then select the second one…
By the 15th file, you accidentally skip a number. Everything after is off. You take a deep breath and start over.
If you have a photographer friend, they’ll tell you one number: every time they come back from a shoot, at least 300 photos need renaming. If done one by one, just renaming files takes an entire afternoon.
Bulk Rename Utility was born for this scenario. It provides 15 renaming rules — replace characters, delete characters, add prefix/suffix, auto-numbering, date format, case conversion, regular expressions — which can be stacked in any combination. Select 300 files, combine 3-5 rules, click “Rename,” and it’s all done.
How to Use Bulk Rename Utility?
Step 1: Don’t Look at the Interface Yet, Just Drag Files In
The first time you open Bulk Rename Utility, you might want to close it — the interface is very dense. But don’t panic. First, try this: drag 5 test files from a folder into its file list. You’ll see each file has two columns: “Original Name” and “New Name.”
Now, each section in the interface corresponds to one renaming rule. You only need to learn 3-4 commonly used ones; the rest can be ignored forever.
Step 2: Combine These Core Rules
Replace
Replace all “IMG_” in filenames with “CompanyParty-”. Supports normal replace and regex replace. For example, if you downloaded素材 with website watermarks like [SomeSite] in the filenames, use this rule to remove them all at once.
Numbering
Add sequential numbers to files. Can start from 001 or from 1000, with step values of 1, 2, 5, or any number. Numbers can be placed at the beginning, middle, or end of filenames.
Append
Add a uniform prefix (like [Reviewed]) or suffix (like _v2) to all filenames. Or both.
Remove
Delete N characters from a specified position in the filename. For example, if the first 4 characters are all unwanted date prefixes like 20250101_, set “Remove 9 characters from position 1” to chop them off.
Step 3: A Practical Example
Suppose you have a batch of files:
IMG_7382.jpg
IMG_7383.jpg
IMG_7384.jpgYou want to rename them to:
2025Party_Beijing_001.jpg
2025Party_Beijing_002.jpg
2025Party_Beijing_003.jpgSteps:
- Replace: Replace
IMG_with2025Party_Beijing_ - Numbering: Start from 1, 3 digits (001), placed at the end (prefix checked, suffix unchecked)
- The “New Name” column at the bottom right shows a preview — confirm it looks right
- Click “Rename” at the bottom right
Total time: 15 seconds.
Professional Media and User Reviews
| Source | Review |
|---|---|
| Lifehacker | ”Looks like the cockpit of a 747, but once you learn 3 sections, it’s indispensable” |
| PCWorld | ”The most powerful free batch renamer for Windows” |
| TechRadar | ”Steep learning curve, but rewards you with unparalleled control” |
What Real Users Say
“Essential tool for retouchers, bar none. Every shoot yields 500 RAW files. Batch rename them to ‘clientname_date_number’ format in 10 seconds. The interface looks intimidating, but learn it once and benefit for life.” — Wedding Photographer, Xiaohongshu
“When archiving audit workpapers, I needed to standardize naming across dozens of folders and hundreds of files according to auditing standards. Bulk Rename Utility can recursively process files in subfolders — no need to go into each folder individually.” — Auditor, Zhihu
“I used to write Python scripts to rename files, but eventually realized the time spent writing the script was enough to rename 10 batches with BRU. For non-programmers, this is the ultimate batch file renaming solution.” — Data Engineer, V2EX
“The only thing to note: there’s no undo button! No undo! Always, always check the preview before executing.” — Video Editor, Bilibili comments
Comparison with Similar Tools
| Dimension | Bulk Rename Utility | Advanced Renamer | PowerToys PowerRename | System Built-in Rename |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Rules | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 15 types | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 14 types | ⭐⭐ 3 types | ⭐ 1 type |
| Rule Combination | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Any stacking | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Any stacking | ⭐⭐ Find/Replace only | Not available |
| Real-time Preview | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Shows new name | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Shows new name | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Shows matches | Not available |
| Regex Support | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Supported | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Strong | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Supported | Not supported |
| Subfolder Processing | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Recursive | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Recursive | ⭐ Current folder only | Not supported |
| Undo Function | Not available (major flaw) | ⭐⭐⭐ Available | Not available | ⭐ Manual undo |
| Interface Friendliness | ⭐⭐ Intimidating but efficient | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Modern and intuitive | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Extremely simple | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Minimalist |
| Installer Size | 6MB | 12MB | Part of PowerToys | System integrated |
| Price | Free | Free/Pro | Free | Free |
Selection advice:
- Need the most powerful renaming, don’t mind learning curve → Bulk Rename Utility (most rules, most flexible)
- Want powerful features + friendly interface → Advanced Renamer (free version sufficient, better experience)
- Only need simple find/replace filename → PowerToys PowerRename (right-click menu, sufficient and convenient)
- Just renaming 3-5 files → System built-in F2 rename
Download and Installation Guide
Official Download (Recommended)
Bulk Rename Utility’s only official website is bulkrenameutility.co.uk (UK developer Jim Willsher’s personal site):
| Version | Download Address | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Installer | bulkrenameutility.co.uk/Download.php | Standard installation, Start Menu shortcut |
| Portable | Select Portable ZIP on same page | Extract and use, recommended for beginners to try first |
Safety Note: The official domain
bulkrenameutility.co.uklooks a bit long, but it’s the only official distribution channel. Again, avoid downloading from third-party Chinese download sites — search results for “batch rename tool localized version” often point to packaged installers that may include bundled promotion software. The official site is entirely in English, and the software itself has an English interface, with no fully localized version available (the functional English vocabulary is minimal, so the actual usage threshold is low).
1-Minute Quick Start
- Open bulkrenameutility.co.uk, click to download the Portable ZIP version
- Extract to any folder, double-click
Bulk Rename Utility.exe - Navigate to your target folder using the top address bar (or drag files directly into the list)
- First, test with 5 inconsequential files: check a rule section, adjust parameters
- The “New Name” column at the bottom right shows a real-time preview. Confirm it looks right, then click “Rename” at the bottom right
Quick Reference: Common Rules Cheat Sheet
| What You Want to Do | Section to Use | How to Set |
|---|---|---|
| Remove first 5 characters from filename | Remove | First n = 5, From = 1 |
| Add text at the beginning only | Add(7) Prefix | Enter the text to add |
| Number starting from 001 | Numbering(10) | Mode = Suffix, Start = 1, Pad = 3 |
| Replace all “old” with “new” | Replace(3) | Find = old text, Replace = new text |
| Convert everything to lowercase | Case(4) | Select Lower |
| Insert date in filename | Auto Date(8) | Select date format |
FAQ
Q: Can I undo after renaming? No. This is Bulk Rename Utility’s biggest and most criticized flaw. Always check the new name preview column before executing. Recommendation: When using a rule combination for the first time, test on 2-3 copy files first to confirm it works, then process real files in batch.
Q: Can it process files in subfolders? Yes. Check “Subfolders” in the menu, then choose whether to rename only files or both files and folders.
Q: Can it rename photos based on EXIF information (shooting date)?
Yes. Use the Auto Date(8) section, select “Shooting Date” mode, and it can extract the shooting date from JPG/RAW files and embed it in the filename. For example, IMG_7382.jpg → 2025-01-15_001.jpg.
Q: The interface is too complex. What should I do? If you only occasionally need batch renaming, you can start with PowerToys’ PowerRename (accessible directly from the right-click menu) — it has just one line of interface, very simple. BRU is more suitable for people who truly have frequent renaming needs (photographers, auditors, data managers).
Bulk Rename Utility is an assembly line for filenames — throw hundreds of messy names in one end, and they come out the other end perfectly organized.