How to Change File Names

When creating document files and image files, the computer will assign a file name if you fail to do so. Image files downloaded from your digital camera or created with your desktop scanner will often have a numerical file name. Microsoft Word documents will take the first sentence of the document as the file name if you fail to assign one. After the files accumulate on the computer it can be very difficult to locate files efficiently if the names are random. When organizing computer documents it is often necessary to rename files.

Instructions

1. 

   Locate the file on your computer. Right-click on its thumbnail.

2. 

   Click on "Rename." After right-clicking the thumbnail, a drop-down menu should appear. Choose "Rename."

3. 

   Click on the file name. After clicking "Rename," an edit box will appear around the file's current name and the text will be highlighted. If you place the cursor in the box without typing, the highlighting will disappear.

4. 

   Type in a new file name. If the old name is highlighted when you begin typing, the new name will replace the old name. If the area is no longer highlighted, the text you type will be added to the old file name at the location of the cursor. You can edit the text in the edit box.

5. 

   Click outside the edit box to remove the edit box and save the new name. If there is no text in the box, the file will revert to its name prior to your edit attempt.

Tips & Warnings

• If you are unable to rename a file, it may be because it is currently in use. Close the file before renaming.

References

• Renaming Multipe Files