What's the Best Way to Batch Rename Files Sequentially Without Brackets?

March 24, 2026 5 answers
Asked by CreativeNinja89
I've been filming a lot of videos lately, and the camera creates really long and complex file names. I want to simplify these to something more manageable, like videofile00001, videofile00002, and so on. I tried using Windows' built-in renaming feature, but it always adds brackets, which I don't want. Since I have hundreds of clips, renaming them individually isn't feasible. Is there a straightforward and preferably free way to rename all of these files sequentially without those extra formatting bits? I'd appreciate any suggestions!

Answers

ScriptSavior
You could also just ask ChatGPT for a Python script to do this task! It can help you customize the renaming based on different parameters like date or original name.
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BulkRenamerPro
I've been using Bulk Rename Utility for years, and itโ€™s amazing! You can do all sorts of things like replace text, add prefixes or suffixes, and more. Totally worth checking out!
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FileGenius77
Iโ€™ve had great success with Windows Power Tools. It has a bulk rename feature thatโ€™s super easy to use.
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RenameMaster15
Try Directory Report! It does exactly what you're looking for and includes a preview feature so you can see the changes before applying them.
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TechWizard42
It sounds like you're looking for a simple solution! If you're okay using PowerShell, you can run a command like this: `dir *.mp4 | % {$i=1} {rename-item $_ -newname ("videofile{0:D5}.mp4" -f $i++)}`. This will rename your files to videofile00001.mp4, videofile00002.mp4, etc. Itโ€™s the fastest way. Alternatively, for a user-friendly GUI option, check out Bulk Rename Utility; it lets you batch rename without brackets as well.
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