How to rename a file in Ubuntu

Renaming a file in Ubuntu is a simple task that can be done in a few different ways. Here are three of the easiest methods:

Method 1: Using the GUI

The easiest way to rename a file in Ubuntu is to use the GUI. To do this, follow these steps:

  1. Open the file manager.
  2. Right-click on the file that you want to rename.
  3. Select Rename from the context menu.
  4. Enter the new name for the file.
  5. Press Enter.

Method 2: Using the Terminal

You can also rename a file in Ubuntu using the Terminal. To do this, follow these steps:

  1. Open the Terminal.
  2. Navigate to the directory where the file that you want to rename is located.
  3. Type the following command:
mv old_file_name new_file_name

For example, to rename a file called my_file.txt to new_file.txt, you would type the following command:

mv my_file.txt new_file.txt
  1. Press Enter.

Method 3: Using the rename command

The rename command is a more powerful command that allows you to rename multiple files at once. To use the rename command, follow these steps:

  1. Open the Terminal.
  2. Type the following command:
rename old_file_name new_file_name *.txt

For example, to rename all files with the .txt extension in the current directory to new_file.txt, you would type the following command:

rename old_file_name new_file.txt *.txt
  1. Press Enter.

Which method should you use?

The best method to use depends on your needs. If you only need to rename a single file, then the GUI is the easiest way to do it. If you need to rename multiple files, then the rename command is the most efficient way to do it.

Here are some additional tips for renaming files in Ubuntu:

  • You can use spaces in the new file name, but you need to enclose the new file name in quotes. For example, to rename a file called my file.txt to my new file.txt, you would type the following command:
mv my_file.txt "my new file.txt"
  • You can use the -i option with the rename command to rename files interactively. This means that the rename command will prompt you for confirmation before renaming each file.
  • You can use the -v option with the rename command to see a list of all the files that are being renamed.

The mv command can be used in Ubuntu to rename files. Files and folders can be moved or renamed with the mv command, which stands for move.

Renaming a file can be done using the syntax shown below:

mv old-filename new-filename

Make sure you are in the current directory where the file is present before running the above command. You can navigate to the directory via cd /your-path-where-file is present.

For instance, you would issue the command below to rename a file named “your-old-file.txt.txt” to “your-new-file.txt”:

mv your-old-file.txt your-new-file.txt

Using the mv command, you can also move a file to a different directory by supplying the new name and the target path.

mv /path/to/your-old-file.txt /path/to/new-destination/your-new-file.txt

The mv command will replace any existing files with the same name as the new file name, so use caution while using it.

Related Posts: