How to Batch Rename Files in macOS 13 Finder

Renaming multiple files simultaneously in macOS 13 Ventura is a quick and efficient process using the built-in batch rename tool in Finder. Without installing third-party software, you can easily replace text, add prefixes or suffixes, or completely reformat file names with sequential numbers or dates.

Step 1: Select the Files in Finder

  1. Open Finder and navigate to the folder containing the files you want to rename.
  2. Select the files you wish to change. You can select all files by pressing Command + A, select a continuous group by holding Shift and clicking the first and last file, or select specific files by holding Command while clicking individual items.

Step 2: Open the Rename Tool

  1. Right-click (or Control-click) on any of the highlighted files.
  2. Select Rename... from the contextual menu. (Alternatively, click the three-dots action icon in the Finder toolbar and choose Rename.)

Step 3: Choose Your Renaming Option

A drop-down panel will appear at the top of the Finder window. Click the first drop-down menu to choose one of three renaming methods:

  • Replace Text: Ideal for changing specific words, typos, or characters across multiple files. Enter the text you want to remove in the "Find" field, and enter the replacement in the "Replace with" field.
  • Add Text: Useful for adding tags, project names, or dates. Type the text you want to include and use the adjacent drop-down menu to place it before name (prefix) or after name (suffix).
  • Format: Best for creating an entirely new, uniform naming structure.
    1. Choose a format style: Name and Index (e.g., File 1, File 2), Name and Counter (e.g., File 00001, File 00002), or Name and Date.
    2. Choose whether to place the number/date before or after the name.
    3. Enter your preferred text in the Custom Format field.
    4. Set the Start numbers at field to your preferred starting digit.

Step 4: Apply the Changes

  1. Check the Example text previewed in the bottom-left corner of the rename box to ensure the new format looks correct.
  2. Click the Rename button to apply the changes immediately.

If you make an error, press Command + Z immediately in Finder to undo the batch rename and revert all files to their original names.