Filed under: Tips and tricks, Mac 101
Mac 101: A simple trick to rename files
There are many ways to rename files in OS X but most people use one of two approaches: either click-pause-click or click-return. And if you're used to using one style, the other style can prove a welcome surprise for your Mac-fu arsenal. In click-pause-click, you move your cursor to a file or folder, select it, wait a second and then click again on the name. A text edit field appears over the name and you can rename the file as desired. This is the renaming style I've most used over the years but there's a far easier way, and that's click-return. In click-return, you select a file or folder and then press the return key. Without having to wait, or worse, accidently open a file by double-clicking when you meant to rename, the text edit field instantly appears.
Thanks, Steven.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
arkowi said 8:10AM on 4-26-2007
when I first switched (back) to macs about years ago, the click-return method of OS X was very un-inutitive because in a Windows world that would open the file. I kept trying to use it to open files for several weeks...and saying "damn, i wanted to open that file!" at the same time I was very annoyed by the click-pause-click method. then one day, my savage brain figured out i could use the click-return method for easy renaming.
that is a good tip for mac 101.
-arkowi
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Chirp said 8:22AM on 4-26-2007
i like to use enter instead of return because it's easier to get to when i come off the mouse.
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Tim said 8:28AM on 4-26-2007
One thing I'd add to your great tip: to use the click-pause-click method, you have to be clicking on the *name* of the item, rather than its icon.
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K-T said 8:38AM on 4-26-2007
If you're clicking on the name below the icon, isn't it just "click-pause"? I've never needed another action. It does appear that you need to use one of the methods in the tip for list or column view, however.
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Utkarsh Sinha said 9:08AM on 4-26-2007
I had the same issue - of expecting 'enter' to open files when i made the switch.
But perhaps you should post about the fact that you can in fact use the keyboard to open files - using the "apple key" and "down key" simultaneously.
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CS said 9:54AM on 4-26-2007
Actually, it's click-pause-click on the filename, not the icon that triggers the renaming instance.
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Halopend@gmail.com said 9:21AM on 4-26-2007
"But perhaps you should post about the fact that you can in fact use the keyboard to open files - using the "apple key" and "down key" simultaneously."
Wow, I just found out that "Apple+up" will show the containing folder of whatever window is open, I knew about "Apple+Click" on the name at the top to show the hierarchy but this is quicker when you want to go up a folder.
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Leonard Nimrod said 9:53AM on 4-26-2007
Segue...
If you have many files/foders whose names require changing and the idea of doing them one at a time is an daunting take or using Terminal to do batches is even more complex then you may want to try File List. Though still only PPC, it runs fine with Rosetta, and is a very simple GUi that does complex name changes.
http://www.manytricks.com/filelist/
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Dennis said 9:47AM on 4-26-2007
Unfortunately, this is one of those things that totally aggravates old Mac OS users. It was only until recently that you could click on the name text, then move your cursor off the file to quickly be able to rename it. Having to wait, or click an extra key is unintuitive for the uninitiated.
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João Carlos de Pinho said 9:48AM on 4-26-2007
With Path Finder, you can immediately rename a file by option-clicking the filename. This is way better than click-pause-click or click-return. One more reason why Path Finder is way better than the Finder.
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walkerjs said 9:58AM on 4-26-2007
I learned about the efficiency of click-return pretty quickly once it became evident that I would need to rename files a lot as part my whole procedure to save out audio files because I use Audacity. Audacity on the Mac doesn't like to allow long file names so you have to save them in an 8.3 format (something.wav, etc.) so to rename them using Finder was crucial. Further the Option-arrow key combo along with Option-delete was very useful. So after saving the file to something.wav and I want to rename the file to 'Artist name - Song name - Album Name.wav' the Finder workflow (so to speak) is like this:
Copy the name I want the file to have from a text file that has this already entered.
click-return-option-arrow-option-delete-command-v-return
File is renamed with new name complete with extension.
Small thing, but if you are forced to rename many files (without writing a script) it's a great little rote to memorize if you have to rename many files in a day.
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Shahryar said 10:06AM on 4-26-2007
I just wish we could rename files from within applications instead of just finder (like in Windows). I hate when I'm trying to open or save something, and notice something's misspelled or located where it shouldn't be. I have to make a mental note to come back in finder to fix this, but I always forget.
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Karen Winkler said 12:48AM on 4-27-2007
I use screenshots (Command-Shift-4) a LOT. Then bring these png files into InDesign in a certain order . . .
In a folder, Icon view, I arrange them vertically in the order I want them.
Click on the top one to select it -- then the following keystrokes:
"[Enter]" (Edit name mode)
"[Up-Arrow]" (move cursor before the first character of the name)
"01-- [Enter]" (Add "01--" to the front of the name and accept)
"[Down-Arrow]" (Go to the next icon))
"[Enter] [Up-Arrow] 02-- [Enter] [Down-Arrow]"
"[Enter] [Up-Arrow] 03-- [Enter] [Down-Arrow]"
--Knotty
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Justin said 11:20AM on 4-26-2007
Doesn't click-quickly move cursor still work? I'm stuck in windows land at work, but I would swear that still works. Goes to show how often I rename files!
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sua said 10:43AM on 4-26-2007
Shahryar: I just wish we could rename files from within applications instead of just finder ...
From an Open File dialogue box, this can be done with Default Folder.
[url]http://www.stclairsoft.com/DefaultFolderX/index.html[/url]
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Joe Smith said 10:39AM on 4-26-2007
if you want to open the file or program, it's cmd-O instead of Enter.
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drg said 10:46AM on 4-26-2007
Default Folder:
url http://www.stclairsoft.com/DefaultFolderX/index.html
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Luzifer said 11:08AM on 4-26-2007
@ 4 and 7:
Absolutely true!
Why the hell did Apple change that behaviour?
Until Panther one could rename files in Icon-View by simply selecting it + a short pause (that is: Click + Pause). Worked perfektly every time! Even renaming a bunch of files was easy back then ...
Now with Tiger we have to do Click-Pause-Click. And as if this was not stupid enough, sometimes you have to do a third Click, for no visible reason, Annoying!
Please Apple, change that back in Leopard, since i still believe, this must be a Tiger-Bug!
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ThunkDifferent.com said 11:37AM on 4-26-2007
Thanks i'll start mixing up my afternoons with this trick & experiment with some others ways that readers said, or using scripts like this guy below:
http://www.bradrice.com/wposx/archives/41
-http://thunkdifferent.com
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drg said 12:03PM on 4-26-2007
16. @ 4 and 7: Actually, if I'm not mistaken, the speed shifting of an inactive tag to an active one might be controlled via the Keyboard & Mouse preference pane, under Mouse: the Double-Click Speed. If the clicking speed is adjusted at Fast, the name field will be more prompt to activate. However, I'm not an especially fast clicker so I have it adjusted a nudge lower, which necessitates a slightly more prolonged pause after my first click.
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