Rename Item - PowerShell

Overview

Rename-Item is a versatile PowerShell command used to rename files, folders, and other items in the Windows file system. It allows you to easily change the names of items, move them to different locations, and perform other operations related to file management.

Syntax

Rename-Item -Path <Path> -NewName <NewName> [-Force] [-WhatIf] [-PassThru]

Parameters

  • -Path: Specifies the full path to the item you want to rename. This can be a file, folder, or any other item in the file system.
  • -NewName: Specifies the new name you want to give the item.
  • -Force: Overwrites the existing item if it already exists with the new name.
  • -WhatIf: Reports what would happen if the command were executed without actually making any changes.
  • -PassThru: Returns the renamed item as an object.

Options/Flags

There are no additional options or flags available for Rename-Item.

Examples

Simple Rename

Rename-Item -Path "C:\Users\JohnDoe\Documents\myfile.txt" -NewName "newfile.txt"

Rename with Overwrite

Rename-Item -Path "C:\Users\JohnDoe\Documents\myfile.txt" -NewName "newfile.txt" -Force

Rename and Move

Rename-Item -Path "C:\Users\JohnDoe\Documents\myfile.txt" -NewName "newfile.txt" -NewLocation "C:\Users\JohnDoe\Desktop"

Common Issues

Item Already Exists

If the new name you specify already exists in the same location, you will get an error unless you use the -Force option.

Insufficient Permissions

If you do not have sufficient permissions to rename the item, you will get an access denied error.

Invalid Path

If the path you specify is invalid or does not exist, you will get a path not found error.

Integration

Rename-Item can be used in conjunction with other PowerShell commands to perform complex file management tasks. For example, you can use it in a ForEach-Object loop to rename multiple items in a directory:

Get-ChildItem -Path "C:\Users\JohnDoe\Documents" | ForEach-Object { Rename-Item -Path $_.FullName -NewName "newname_$_.Extension" }
  • Get-ChildItem: Gets a list of items in a directory.
  • Move-Item: Moves an item to a new location.
  • New-Item: Creates a new item in the file system.