How to Rename Files in Linux

Technical writer

Linux Linux-System Sistema Linux O sistema Linux

23.01.2025

Reading time: 7 min

Visualize yourself as a Linux expert, skillfully navigating files and directories. One day, you find yourself needing to alter the names of numerous files. Perhaps you're organizing documents, changing photos names from a vacation, or managing code files for a project. Renaming each file manually seems daunting and time-consuming. What do you do?

The Linux environment offers various strong tools to make this task easy and effective. Whether dealing with a single file or a directory full of them, the system offers various ways to change files names quickly and easily.

Here, we'll explore a range of ways to rename files in the Linux environment.

Method 1: Via the mv Command

Changing file names in Linux is usually accomplished via the mv command, which is both simple and widely adopted. Besides changing file names, it can also be employed to move files.

The primary syntax is:

mv [options] source target

Where:

source is the existing name or path of the file or directory you aim to rename or move.
target refers to the updated name or destination path for the file or directory.

Changing a Filename with mv

Adhere to the following steps to change a filename with mv:

Launch your terminal application.
Enter the directory where the file you wish to change is located:

cd /path/to/directory

Employ mv to change the filename:

mv oldfilename newfilename

Update oldfilename to match the current name and newfilename to reflect the new name.

Check the directory files to ensure their names are changed:

ls

Other Options

To prevent existing files from being overwritten, apply:

mv -n oldfilename newfilename

For transferring files to another directory while modifying their names, utilize:

mv oldfilename /newpath/newfilename

To change directories name, apply:

mv olddirectory newdirectory

Method 2: Via the rename Command

For bulk files, rename surpasses mv in functionality. It can change multiple filenames in a single command and accommodates complex patterns with regular expressions.

Below is the standard format for employing the command:

rename [options] 's/oldpattern/newpattern/' files

Where:

's/oldpattern/newpattern/': A substitution pattern where oldpattern is the text you want to replace, and newpattern is the text you want to substitute in.
files: The files you want to apply the rename operation to.

rename Installation on Linux

Some Linux distributions don't come with this utility pre-installed. Employ the package manager for installation.

On Debian/Ubuntu:

sudo apt install rename

On CentOS/RHEL:

sudo yum install prename

Changing a Filename with rename

Launch the terminal and go to the target folder:

cd /path/to/directory

Next, run rename with a regex pattern to adjust multiple file names:

rename 's/oldpattern/newpattern/' *

Replace oldpattern with the pattern you want to modify and newpattern with the updated pattern.

To update all .txt filenames to .md in a directory, utilize:

rename 's/\.txt$/\.md/' *.txt

Additional rename Options

Start filename with a prefixed text:

rename 's/^/prefix_/' *

Append a suffix to the filenames:

rename 's/$/_suffix/' *

Real-time filename display while renaming:

rename -v 's/oldpattern/newpattern/' *

Update the filename even if the target file already exists:

rename -f 's/oldpattern/newpattern/' *

Previews the actions without executing any modifications:

rename -n 's/oldpattern/newpattern/' *

Method 3: Via Bash Script

To perform more advanced file name changes, consider using a bash script. This technique enables sophisticated file name changes and automates frequent renaming operations.

Open your terminal and create a new script file to start writing a bash script:

nano rename_files.sh

Proceed by adding this code to the script file:

#!/bin/bash
for file in *.txt; do
mv "$file" "${file%.txt}.md"
done

This script changes all .txt filenames to .md files.

Save the file and grant it executable permissions:

sudo chmod +x rename_files.sh

Run the script to change filenames:

./rename_files.sh

Method 4: Via the find Command with mv

find and mv together offer a precise way to update multiple file names based on detailed conditions. Using this method, you can pinpoint specific files based on criteria like name patterns, size, and modification date. Further commands can be combined to create powerful file modification operations.

Use this template to update file names with find and mv:

find . -name "oldpattern" -exec mv {} newpattern \;

Additional Options

Change the file names larger than 1MB:

find . -size +1M -exec mv {} newname \;

Modify file names in the last 7 days:

find . -mtime -7 -exec mv {} newname \;

Method 5: Via the mmv Command

The mmv command is a powerful tool designed to simplify batch renaming of files through its advanced pattern matching capabilities. This command allows you to change multiple filenames at once by specifying patterns and replacement strings. It makes it ideal for handling large numbers of files that follow a specific naming convention.

The syntax is:

mmv [options] source target

Changing a Filename with mmv

Get mmv ready for use by installing it through the default package manager:

sudo apt install mmv

Utilize mmv alongside patterns for effective filename modification:

mmv oldpattern newpattern

Additional mmv Options

Utilize this command to add a prefix to every file in a directory:

mmv '*' 'prefix#1'

Exhibit the names of files as they get modified:

mmv -v '*.txt' 'prefix_#1.txt'

Method 6: Via GUI

For those who favor a graphical interface, various Linux desktop environments offer tools for effortless file name changes. This approach is especially beneficial for users who aren't as familiar with command-line tasks.

Follow this procedure to change file names through a graphical tool:

Launch your file manager application. The name and appearance may vary depending on your desktop environment (e.g., Nautilus for GNOME, Dolphin for KDE, Thunar for XFCE).

Open the file manager/explorer and head to the folder with the files.

Right-click the file you plan to edit and pick "Rename" or "Edit Name" from the contextual menu that appears.

Type the new name, then press Enter or select "Rename" to apply the update.

Bulk file name change procedures may differ somewhat based on your file manager:

Hold the Ctrl key and click on each file you want to change to select them.

Select "Rename" by right-clicking on any of the files you've picked.

Confirm the updates and check that the files are adjusted as desired.

Best Practices for File Naming Conventions

Consistent file naming conventions can significantly improve the ease of managing files and enhance overall organization. This section outlines best practices for naming files.

Use Descriptive Names

Choose names that are clear and descriptive, highlighting the file's content, purpose, or creation date. For example, replace doc1.txt with project_report_Jan2025.txt.

Avoid Special Characters

Refrain from including special characters (such as !, @, #, $, %, ^, &, and *) in filenames, since they can cause complications in file management and scripts.

Use Underscores or Hyphens

Replace spaces with underscores (_) or hyphens (-) in filenames to ensure they work seamlessly across different systems and scripts. For instance, use project_report_Jan2025.txt instead of project report Jan 2025.txt.

Guidelines for Changing Filename in Linux

Backup First: Back up your files first before performing extensive name changes.
Test Changes: Test the changes on a handful of files first.
Careful Use of Wildcards: Use wildcards carefully to prevent unintentional file modifications.

Conclusion

There are several approaches to changing file names in Linux, each tailored to different user preferences. Single-file tasks suit mv; for bulk operations, choose rename or mmv. Advanced customization can be achieved with Bash scripts and command combinations, whereas GUI tools present a more user-friendly choice. This in-depth guide will ensure you’re capable of executing any filename changing task smoothly in a Linux environment.

By mastering these tools and techniques, you can significantly enhance your efficiency and productivity when managing files in Linux. Understanding how to use these commands not only saves time but also reduces the risk of errors that can occur with manual renaming.

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