Bulk Rename Files in OneDrive

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Bulk renaming, also known as mass renaming, can reduce the amount of time and efforts required to rename each file in Microsoft OneDrive. There are different methods – using Cloud File Renamer (CFR), Command Prompt, Windows PowerShell and third-party tools such as  Easy File Renamer (EFR) – which you can make use of to perform the renaming operation.

The easiest one of these methods is undoubtedly the use of Cloud File Renamer (CFR). The CFR uses official OneDrive API and renames your cloud files online. You don’t need to download files to your local machine to perform any action. Entire renaming operation is performed on cloud. It’s fast, secure, and 100% online. 

In only 3 steps, you can start renaming your OneDrive files 100% online:

  1. Signup with Microsoft/ Google/ Email to create an account on Cloud File Renamer website.

  2. Add OneDrive to the application and load your files

  3. Apply rules and rename your OneDrive files easily

 

Cloud File Renamer sees only the filenames. It never stores your files and passwords.

 

Ever wondered why one needs to bulk rename files on Microsoft OneDrive and how to easily accomplish this task? Read on.

 

Certain Scenarios when Bulk Renaming is Useful

  • Photographs transferred from Digital Camera: Bulk rename your photographs with meaningful file names. Digital cameras store photographs with default base names such as IMG001.jpg, IMG002.jpg
  • Downloaded Music: Bulk rename downloaded music files with more meaningful names. Downloaded music files often contain name of respective websites.
  • Set Music Playback Order: Bulk rename audio files to listen them in a desired playback order especially in case of digital audio player.
  • Remove Non-English Chars: Get rid of Non-English or unsupported characters from filenames while uploading them onto a web server.

 

Prerequisites

  1. Visit the Microsoft OneDrive cloud platform and log-in to your account.
  2. After you’ve logged-in, you’ll see all root folders in the panel of the right-hand side. Select the desired folders/ files that you want to rename in bulk. To select a folder/ file, move the cursor on its thumbnail and you’ll see a checkbox on the top-right corner. Mark it as checked.
  3. Download all of your selected folders/ files using the Download icon.

 

Rename Bulk File Extensions

Command Prompt is a powerful utility. You can perform bulk file rename operations using the command-line give in step # 5.

  1. As you’ve successfully downloaded all files/ folders to your computer, navigate to the desired location using File Explorer.
  2. Press Shift and right-click with your mouse.
  3. Select Open command window here from the menu options.
  4. Now you have Command Prompt opened up with the desired folder location.
  5. Rename bulk file extensions using the following command:

Specimen:

  • ren *.old_extension *.new_extension

Example:

  • ren *.rtf *.txt

 

Bulk Rename Characters in Files

Windows PowerShell will be greatly helpful, for instance when you want to replace some characters in multiple files or replace space with an underscore.

  1. Click the start button, click All Apps icon.
  2. Scroll down the list of all programs. Expand Windows PowerShell folder and open Windows PowerShell program shortcut.
  3. Go to the desired directory using the command given below:

Specimen:

  • CD “<Directory>”

Example:

  • CD C:\Users\USER_NAME\Desktop\Cloud Files
  1. Let’s perform bulk replacement using the below mentioned commands:

Specimen:

  • Dir | Rename-Item –NewName { $_.name –replace “character_to_replace”,”replace_with” }

Example # 1: Bulk replacing space character with an underscore

  • Dir | Rename-Item –NewName { $_.name –replace “ “,”_” }

Example # 2: Bulk replacing the word “image” with “picture”

  • Dir | Rename-Item –NewName { $_.name –replace “image“,”picture” }

 

Using Bulk Rename Utility

By using Easy File Renamer you can rename numerous files in one go. In it you’ll get a variety of options and features at one place without needing to learn any command-lines. The EFR can easy take up Onedrive files and rename them all at once. 

Features

  • Graphical user interface; no messing with command-lines
  • Takes pain out of renaming complicated commands
  • Replace characters in filenames
  • Greater flexibility in removing characters in filenames (Example: 3rd character from beginning, 2nd character from last, 2-4 character range)
  • Remove symbols or digits from filenames
  • Insert new text in filenames
  • Apply numbering to files (specify beginning and end, mode of numbering)
  • Append folder name
  • Change file extensions
  • Change text case (uppercase/ lowercase)
  • Automatically displays new file preview

Steps

  1. Open Easy File Renamer and select the location containing all of your Microsoft OneDrive downloaded files.
  2. Click OK after selecting folder in Browse for Folder dialog box.
  3. Fill up Match and Replace textboxes with appropriate values to replace characters in filenames.
  4. To remove certain characters/ words in file names, use the list boxes in the Remove section.
  5. To insert the current date, select a date format from the Auto Date section.
  6. With the Numbering section you’ll be able to number files with an increment of 1 or whichever value you specify.
  7. Use the drop down box in the Case section to change the case of file names.
  8. Click the Rename button.
Raza Ali Kazmi
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Raza Ali Kazmi works as an editor and technology content writer at Sorcim Technologies (Pvt) Ltd. He loves to pen down articles on a wide array of technology related topics and has also been diligently testing software solutions on Windows & Mac platforms. If you have any question about the content, you can message me or the company's support team.