How It Works

Before:
IMG_20250102_143022.jpg
↓
Pattern: IMG_(\d{8})_(\d{6})\.jpg
↓
After:
2025-01-02_14-30-22.jpg

Extract date and time components using regex capture groups

Common Regex Patterns

Remove Numbers from Filenames

Pattern: \d+

Replace with: (empty)

Example: "file123name456.txt" → "filename.txt"

Extract Date from Filename

Pattern: (\d{4})(\d{2})(\d{2})

Replace with: $1-$2-$3

Example: "photo20250102.jpg" → "photo2025-01-02.jpg"

Convert to Lowercase

Pattern: ([A-Z])

Replace with: $1 (use case conversion feature)

Example: "MyFile.TXT" → "myfile.txt"

Remove Special Characters

Pattern: [^a-zA-Z0-9._-]

Replace with: _

Example: "file@name#.txt" → "file_name_.txt"

Regex Features

  • Full regex pattern support
  • Capture groups and backreferences
  • Case-sensitive and case-insensitive matching
  • Global and single match options
  • Real-time pattern validation

Windows Compatibility

  • Works with all Windows file types
  • Handles Windows path limitations
  • Preserves file extensions
  • Compatible with Windows 10/11

Advanced Processing

  • Preview regex results before applying
  • Batch process hundreds of files
  • Undo functionality available
  • Pattern testing and validation

Ready to Use Advanced Regex Patterns?

Rename your Windows files with powerful regular expressions using our free online tool

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Why Use Regex for File Renaming?

Regular expressions (regex) provide powerful pattern matching capabilities that go far beyond simple text replacement. When renaming files, regex allows you to handle complex patterns, extract specific parts of filenames, and apply sophisticated transformations that would be impossible with basic find-and-replace operations.

Our free online regex renaming tool supports full regex syntax, including capture groups, backreferences, and advanced pattern matching. This makes it perfect for organizing files with complex naming patterns, extracting metadata from filenames, and creating consistent naming conventions across large file collections.

Common Use Cases

  • Photo Organization: Extract dates from camera filenames and reformat them
  • Document Management: Standardize complex document naming patterns
  • Media Files: Clean up downloaded media files with inconsistent naming
  • Code Files: Organize source code files with consistent naming conventions
  • Archive Files: Extract and reformat information from archive filenames
  • Backup Files: Standardize backup file naming with date extraction

Regex Pattern Examples

  • Date Extraction: (\d{4})(\d{2})(\d{2}) → $1-$2-$3
  • Number Removal: \d+ → (empty)
  • Special Character Cleanup: [^a-zA-Z0-9._-] → _
  • Case Conversion: Use built-in case conversion features
  • Extension Handling: \.([^.]+)$ to work with file extensions

Best Practices

  • Always test regex patterns with a small batch first
  • Use capture groups to preserve important parts of filenames
  • Preview results before applying changes
  • Keep patterns simple and readable when possible
  • Document complex patterns for future reference
  • Use the undo feature if results aren't as expected