By Marlo Anderson – The Tech Ranch
Renaming a pile of vacation photos one right-click at a time takes forever. In File Explorer, click a file and press F2. The name is selected and ready, so you just type the new one.
The Shortcut
- Click a file and press F2
- Type the new name
- Press Enter to save it
- Works on Windows 10 and Windows 11
The Tab Trick
While you’re renaming, press Tab instead of Enter. Windows saves the name and jumps straight to renaming the next file, so you can work through a whole folder without touching the mouse.
Bonus Tip: New Folder with Ctrl + Shift + N
Press Ctrl + Shift + N in File Explorer to create a new folder that’s already waiting for a name. It works on the desktop, too.
On a Mac?
Select a file in Finder and press Return to rename it. ⌘ + Shift + N makes a new folder.
More Keyboard Shortcuts, Explained
This is part of my Keyboard Shortcuts Explained series: quick, plain-English tips that make everyday computer work faster. Watch the whole series on YouTube and subscribe to The Tech Ranch so you don’t miss the next one. Short on time? Here’s the quick Short version.
Found this helpful? Give the video a thumbs up on YouTube. Got a shortcut you can’t live without? Tell me in the YouTube comments and it might show up in a future video.
