PowerShell Rename-Item
last modified February 15, 2025
In this article, we will cover the Rename-Item cmdlet in
PowerShell. This cmdlet renames files, directories, and other items in
the file system. It is essential for file management tasks.
Rename-Item basics
The Rename-Item cmdlet changes the name of a specified item.
It works with files, folders, registry keys, and other item types. The
cmdlet doesn't move or delete items, only renames them. It requires the
path of the item and the new name as parameters.
Basic Rename-Item usage
The simplest way to use Rename-Item is with the path and new
name. This example renames a single file. The original file must exist,
and the new name must not conflict with existing items. The cmdlet doesn't
produce output unless the -PassThru parameter is used.
Rename-Item -Path "C:\temp\oldfile.txt" -NewName "newfile.txt"
This command renames oldfile.txt to newfile.txt in the C:\temp directory. If successful, no output is displayed. Use -PassThru to see the renamed item.
Rename multiple files with wildcards
You can rename multiple files using wildcards in the path parameter. This example adds a prefix to all .txt files in a directory. The -WhatIf parameter can preview changes before executing. This is useful for batch operations.
Get-ChildItem "C:\temp\*.txt" | Rename-Item -NewName { "backup_" + $_.Name }
This command adds "backup_" prefix to all .txt files in C:\temp. The $_ variable represents each file in the pipeline. The operation is performed on all matching files.
Rename with confirmation prompt
For safety, you can add a confirmation prompt before renaming. Use the -Confirm parameter to enable interactive confirmation. This prevents accidental renames. The prompt shows both old and new names before proceeding.
Rename-Item -Path "C:\temp\important.docx" -NewName "critical.docx" -Confirm
This command prompts for confirmation before renaming important.docx. The user must type 'Y' to proceed or 'N' to cancel. This adds safety for important files.
Rename and force overwrite
By default, Rename-Item won't overwrite existing files. The -Force parameter overrides this safety check. Use with caution as it may cause data loss. This is useful when you need to replace files intentionally.
Rename-Item -Path "C:\temp\temp.log" -NewName "archive.log" -Force
This command renames temp.log to archive.log even if archive.log exists. The existing archive.log file will be overwritten. Without -Force, the command would fail if archive.log exists.
Rename directory
Rename-Item works with directories the same way as with files. Specify the directory path and new name. The directory must exist, and the new name must be available. All contents remain unchanged inside the directory.
Rename-Item -Path "C:\projects\old_project" -NewName "new_project"
This command renames the old_project directory to new_project. The path to the directory changes, but all files inside remain intact. Directory renaming is instant and doesn't involve data movement.
Rename with regular expressions
You can use regex patterns for complex renaming operations. Combine Get-ChildItem with Rename-Item for pattern-based renaming. This example removes digits from filenames. The -replace operator handles regex matching.
Get-ChildItem "C:\temp\*.txt" |
Rename-Item -NewName { $_.Name -replace '\d+','' } -WhatIf
This command removes all digits from .txt filenames in C:\temp. The -WhatIf shows what would happen without making changes. Remove -WhatIf to execute.
Rename and keep extension
When renaming files, you often want to preserve the extension. This example demonstrates how to modify the basename while keeping the extension. The [System.IO.Path] class methods help handle extensions properly.
Get-ChildItem "C:\temp\*.jpg" |
Rename-Item -NewName { "resized_" + $_.BaseName + $_.Extension }
This command adds "resized_" prefix to all .jpg files while preserving extensions. The BaseName property contains the filename without extension. The Extension property contains the dot and extension.
Source
In this article, we have covered the Rename-Item cmdlet in PowerShell.
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