Batch file-renaming in Windows

Here's a nice trick I didn't know about until today, courtesy of Lifehacker: Windows has the built-in ability to rename whole batches files at once. Just highlight all of the files and press F2 (or right-click on them and choose Rename), and type in the new name. I suspect that the reason I never figured this one out is that when you press F2, your highlighted selection goes away, but rest assured  that once you type in a new name and press enter, all of your files will be renamed (with "(1)," "(2)," "(3)," etc. tacked onto the end). The functionality is pretty limited, but for, say, renaming a bunch of DSC####.jpg files to something more meaningful, like an event's date or name, can go a long way in keeping things organized. If you need more power, I recommend reading the comments over at Lifehacker, where readers recommend all manner of free and cheap apps for getting the job done.

Tags: batch, bulk, lifehacker, rename, tip, windows