Renaming files and directories using the Windows Command Prompt (CMD) can be a best way to organize your files, correct naming mistakes, or simply make your file system more readable. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced user, mastering the art of renaming is essential. Let’s dive into the basics!

Renaming a Single File

1. Open CMD: Press Win + R, type cmd, and hit Enter.
2. Navigate to the Directory: Use the cd command to move to the folder containing the file you want to rename.
3. Rename the File:
   • Syntax: ren "old_file_name" "new_file_name"
   • Example: ren "my_file.txt" "new_name.txt"

Advanced Techniques

Wildcards

• Use * as a wildcard to match any characters.
• Example: To rename all .txt files in a folder, use ren *.txt new_extension.txt.

Replacing Unwanted Characters

• Suppose you have a file named my_file-some-unwanted-text.txt.
• To remove the unwanted text and keep the base name, use:

  ren "my_file-some-unwanted-text.txt" "my_file.txt"

Renaming Multiple Files

• If you want to rename multiple files with similar names, use ? as a placeholder for characters.
• Example: To rename file1.txt, file2.txt, etc., to sample1.txt, sample2.txt, etc.:

  ren file?.txt sample?.txt

Caution: Backup First!

• Renaming multiple files can be risky. Always make a backup before running rename commands.
• Create a copy of the files in a temp folder, test your rename commands there, and then apply them to the original files.

Remember, practice makes perfect! Experiment with different scenarios, and soon you’ll be a renaming pro