How to Rename Files in Linux

Serena
11 Sep, 2025

Tutorial

This guide will illustrate how to retitle files in Linux.

Retitling files in Linux can be done in several ways, using either command-line tools or file managers. You will explore some of the common methods with examples here.

Let us follow the steps to rename files in Linux:

Using the ‘mv’ Command: The mv (move) command is the most common way to rename a file.
1. Syntax:
```
mv old_filename new_filename
```
2. Example:
```
mv report.txt checked_report.txt
```
  This renames ‘report.txt’ to ‘checked_report.txt’ in the current directory.
  Note: If you specify a different path, the file will be moved instead of just retitled.
Using the ‘rename’ Command: The rename utility is useful for retitling multiple files at once, particularly with patterns.
1. Syntax:
```
rename ‘s/old_pattern/new_pattern/’ files
```
2. Example:
```
rename ‘s/.txt/.bak/’ *.txt
```
  This retitles all ‘.txt’ files in the directory to ‘.bak’.
3. The availability of retitle depends on your Linux distribution. Install it if needed:
```
sudo apt install rename # Debian/Ubuntu
sudo yum install rename   # CentOS/RHEL
```
Using GUI File Manager: If you are using a desktop environment (GNOME, KDE, XFCE, etc.):
1. Open the file manager.
2. Right-click on the file.
3. Choose Rename and enter the new name.
Using ‘mmv’ (Multiple Move): The mmv tool lets bulk retitling of files with flexible patterns.
1. Example
```
mmv “*.jpg” “image_#1.jpg”
```
  This renames all ‘.jpg’ files with a prefix ‘image_’.
2. To install mmv:
```
sudo apt install mmv # Debian/Ubuntu
```