How to batch rename
files on a Mac.

Use Finder for a simple batch rename

1. Select the files in Finder, then Control-click a selected file and choose Rename.
2. Choose Replace Text to swap a phrase, Add Text to add a prefix or suffix, or Format to give the files a common name and numbering.
3. Enter your text or formatting choices and click Rename.

These built-in options cost nothing and suit a one-off change. Apple documents them in its Finder renaming guide.

Combine rules in Nameglow

For a client handoff, you might want a project name, lowercase letters, hyphens and a sequence together. Nameglow applies those rules in one batch and shows the proposed name beside each original.

1. Download Nameglow for macOS 13 or later and drag the app to Applications.
2. Add the files and choose Client handoff.
3. Set the base name to Studio North. The recipe already uses lowercase, hyphens and a sequence beginning at 001.
4. Check the preview and any conflicts, then click Rename and confirm.

Save your settings as a recipe for the next delivery. The free version includes these controls and undo for up to 10 files at a time. Pro costs $19 USD once and supports up to 5,000 files per batch.

Number a photo collection

Choose Photo sequence and enter a collection name. With “Weekend Away,” Nameglow creates names such as weekend-away-001.jpg and weekend-away-002.heic, preserving each extension.

Sequence numbers follow the natural order of existing filenames. This version does not read EXIF capture dates, so choose another workflow if chronological camera metadata is essential.

Tidy filenames for web assets

The Web-friendly recipe converts Hero Image FINAL.png to hero-image-final.png by lowercasing the stem and normalizing spaces, underscores and hyphens. It keeps other punctuation. Check the preview against your own website’s naming conventions.

Renaming an asset does not update references in HTML, CSS, design documents or other apps. Update those links as part of your handoff or publishing workflow.

Choose the workflow that fits

One replacement or a quick numbering pass?

Start with Finder’s built-in Rename action.

Several rules you use for recurring deliveries?

Try Nameglow’s combined rules, live preview and saved recipes.

Photo metadata, regex or recursive folder renaming?

Nameglow version 1 does not support these operations.

Check the preview before applying a batch

Nameglow changes names in place and preserves file contents and extensions. It blocks detected filename conflicts and saves an undo for the most recent batch, including after relaunch. Another completed batch replaces that undo record.

Keep normal backups and remember that cloud-synced folders can propagate name changes. For folder-access prompts, unsupported files or interrupted batches, see the troubleshooting guide.