How-To: Mass rename files/folders in OS X

Have you ever had the need to rename several hundred files, in countless subfolders? Using nothing but Automator you can have it completed in minutes..

Using the method below you can:

  1. Find & Replace, in either the full name or just the file extension
  2. Add Date or Time
  3. Add additional text
  4. Change the case of the name
  5. Make Sequential
This comes especially handy if you need to change the extension of countless movies for instance.. So if you want to switch M4V’s to MP4’s for compatibility with media players:
  1. Launch ‘Automator’ from the Applications
  2. Chose Workflow from the menu
  3. Select ‘Files and Folders’ from the Actions panel on the left hand side
  4. Then drag a ‘Ask for Finder Items’ to the workflow
  5. Now, chose a ‘Get Folder Contents’, and tick the box to ‘Repeat for Each Subfolder’
  6. Then select a ‘Replace Text’ object from the actions menu.
  7. Change the selections depending on what you are wanting to achieve and then hit the ‘Run’ button.
That’s it, it really is as easy as that.. What’s more, to make it even easier I have uploaded the workflow template for you to download here.

Mike Hudson

Mike Hudson is a Lead Cyber Security Analyst living and working in Kingston Upon Hull. With extensive experience in Microsoft and Apple technologies, ranging from desktop OS’s to Server OS’s and hardware. By day working as part of an infrastructure team, and by night ridding the world of IT issues through blog posts..

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