How to rename photos and videos by what’s in them
4 November 2026 · Mac and Windows
Your phone and camera name files by number: IMG_4821.MOV, IMG_4830.HEIC, DSC01234.JPG. There are three ways to fix that. Renaming by hand gives the best names but takes the longest. A batch rename is instant, but every name says the same kind of thing. Renaming by content gives each file its own name without typing.
The short answer
- A few files: rename them by hand.
- Hundreds of files, and a date or counter is enough: batch rename in Finder, File Explorer, PowerToys PowerRename, Lightroom Classic or Adobe Bridge. All free or already on your computer, except the Adobe apps.
- Hundreds of files, and you want to find a clip by what’s in it: rename by content, with a tool that looks at each file. That is what Shootpacked does.
1. By hand
On a Mac, click a file, press Return and type the new name. On Windows, click it and press F2. You choose every word, so the names are as good as you make them.
It is fine for ten files. A weekend shoot is often 300 or more, and opening each clip to see what is in it takes most of an evening.
2. In a batch, by date or counter
Every system has a way to rename many files at once with a pattern.
- Mac, Finder: select the files, right-click, choose Rename…, then Format. You get a name plus a counter or a date, like “Lisbon 001”.
- Windows, File Explorer: select the files and press F2. They all get the name you type with a number: “Lisbon (1)”, “Lisbon (2)”.
- Windows, PowerToys PowerRename: free from Microsoft. Find and replace across names, with regular expressions and the file’s date.
- Lightroom Classic: Library › Rename Photos, or rename while importing, with templates for date, sequence and camera details.
- Adobe Bridge: Tools › Batch Rename, with the same kind of templates.
Good for: putting files in order and keeping names unique. Not good for: finding “the clip where I talk about packing”. Every file gets the same kind of name, so you still open them one by one to see what they are.
3. By what’s in each file
This needs something that looks at the file: the picture, a few frames of a video, and what is said in it. Then it writes a name a person would write.
- IMG_4821.MOV → how I pack for Lisbon – take 2.mov
- IMG_4830.HEIC → tram 28 in Alfama, morning.heic
- IMG_4851.MOV → golden alley, walking shot.mov
Shootpacked does this inside the Claude desktop app on Mac and Windows. You drop the shoot into one folder and type pack. It names every photo, clip and voice note, and sorts them into albums: talking to camera, B-roll, photos and doubles. You can also sort by day or by person. You see every new name before anything moves, and one Undo puts everything back. Your originals stay on your computer.
It costs US$14.95 once (€13.95 in Europe) and needs your own paid Claude plan.
Which one to pick
| By hand | Batch rename | By content | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 300 files take | an evening | a minute | minutes, mostly waiting |
| Names say what’s in the file | yes | no | yes |
| Sorts into albums | by hand | no | yes |
| Cost | free | free (Adobe apps by subscription) | Shootpacked $14.95 once + a Claude plan |
Tips that help with any method
- Copy first, rename second. Rename a copy of the shoot, not the only one.
- Keep the extension. A clip must stay .mov or .mp4, or apps won’t open it.
- Put the date at the front if you want files to stay in shooting order: “2026-10-12 tram 28”.
- Avoid / \ : * ? " < > | in names. Windows doesn’t allow them, and some apps on a Mac stumble over them too.