3 Ways to Rename a Single File in Windows 10

Isabella Shinn

Updated: May 8, 2025

Renaming files in Windows 10 is a straightforward task, but there are multiple methods to achieve this. While the conventional method involves right-clicking on a file and selecting 'Rename', there are alternative approaches. This guide explores three ways to rename a single file in Windows 10.

• Way 1: Rename a File in File Explorer
• Way 2: Rename a File using Command Prompt
• Way 3: Rename a File with Windows PowerShell

Way 1: Rename a File in Windows 10 File Explorer

Renaming a file or folder in File Explorer is the most common approach. There are three methods to do this within File Explorer.

• Select the file you wish to rename by clicking on it, then click again to make the filename editable. Type in the new name and press the Enter key to confirm.
• Select the file and press the F2 key on your keyboard to make the filename editable. Then, type in the new name and press Enter.
• Right-click on the file, select Rename from the context menu, type in the new name, and press Enter.

Way 2: Rename a File using Command Prompt in Windows 10

This method is less commonly used but is effective for renaming files.

Step 1: Open the folder containing the file you want to rename.

Step 2: Select the file, click on the File tab, hover over Open Command Prompt, and then click on it to open.

Step 3: In the Command Prompt window, type ren "current_filename.ext" "new_filename.ext" and press Enter. The .ext represents the file extension.

Way 3: Rename a File with Windows PowerShell

Step 1: Open the folder that contains the file you wish to rename.

Step 2: Select the file, click on the File tab, hover over Open Windows PowerShell, and then click on it.

Step 3: In the Windows PowerShell window, type rename-item "current_filename.ext" "new_filename.ext" and press Enter.