How to Rename Photos by Date Taken on Windows (4 Ways)

Quick answer: the free way is PowerRename from Microsoft PowerToys. Select your photos, open PowerRename, switch the metadata source to EXIF, and put $DATE_TAKEN_YYYY-$DATE_TAKEN_MM-$DATE_TAKEN_DD in front of the name. If you want the date plus what is in the picture, use Zush.

Whatever you use, rename by date taken, not date created. Windows resets “Date created” when you copy a file to a new drive, so it is often the day you backed up, not the day you took the photo. Date taken lives inside the photo (EXIF) and stays put.

Which date format to use

Put the date first and write it year-month-day:

• 2026-08-30_lisbon_trip_001.jpg sorts correctly in File Explorer.
• 30-08-2026_lisbon.jpg does not, because it sorts by day first.

Add the time (2026-08-30_143512) if you shoot bursts, so two photos from the same day never get the same name.

The four methods

1. PowerRename (free, built by Microsoft)

1. Install Microsoft PowerToys from the Microsoft Store and make sure PowerRename is on.
2. Select your photos in File Explorer, right-click, and choose Rename with PowerRename (under Show more options on Windows 11).
3. Turn on Use regular expressions and set the metadata source to EXIF/XMP.
4. In Search for, type ^. This matches the start of the name.
5. In Replace with, type $DATE_TAKEN_YYYY-$DATE_TAKEN_MM-$DATE_TAKEN_DD_.
6. Check the preview and click Apply.

IMG_4382.jpg becomes 2026-08-30_IMG_4382.jpg. Keeping the original name at the end is deliberate: it guarantees no two photos end up with the same name.

To add the time too, use $DATE_TAKEN_YYYY-$DATE_TAKEN_MM-$DATE_TAKEN_DD_$DATE_TAKEN_HH$DATE_TAKEN_mm$DATE_TAKEN_SS_.

2. Bulk Rename Utility

Bulk Rename Utility reads EXIF data too and gives you more control over the format. It is free for personal use.

1. Open the folder in Bulk Rename Utility and select the photos.
2. In the Auto Date panel, choose Prefix and set the type to EXIF Date Picture Taken (or the equivalent EXIF option in your version).
3. Pick a format like Y-M-D and a separator.
4. Check the New Name column, then click Rename.

It can also generate a batch file that reverses the rename.

3. ExifTool (precise, command line)

ExifTool is the tool photographers trust for metadata. After installing it, open Terminal in your photo folder and run:

exiftool "-FileName<DateTimeOriginal" -d "%Y-%m-%d_%H%M%S%%-c.%%e" .

This renames every photo to its date and time taken, like 2026-08-30_143512.jpg. The %%-c part adds -1, -2 when two photos share the same second. Photos without a date taken are left alone.

Test on a copy of the folder first. There is no undo.

4. Zush: date plus what is in the photo

A date tells you when. It does not tell you which of the 400 photos from that day shows the tram, the beach, or the dinner. Zush for Windows reads the capture date and looks at each image, then combines the two:

How to set it up:

1. Install Zush from the Microsoft Store and drag in your photo folder.
2. Pick the Photographer Shoots Template, or build a pattern like {Capture Date}_{Event}_{Scene} from Naming Blocks.
3. Choose a date format and separator.
4. Review the names, edit any with a double-click, and click Rename.

Zush reads JPG, PNG, HEIC from iPhones, and RAW files such as CR3, NEF, ARW, and DNG. If a photo has no capture date, the Capture Date block stays empty instead of guessing. Rename History can restore the original names at any time.

Before you rename a big library

• Work on a copy first. Try any method on 20 photos before running it on 20,000.
• Check for missing dates. Screenshots, downloaded images, and edited exports often have no EXIF date. Sort by the Date taken column in File Explorer’s Details view to spot blanks.
• Keep RAW and JPEG pairs together. If your camera saves both, rename them in the same batch so DSC01877.ARW and DSC01877.JPG get matching names.
• Leave phone backups alone. Apps like OneDrive or Google Photos track files by name; rename copies, not the sync folder itself, unless you are sure.

FAQ

How do I rename photos by date taken in Windows 11?

Install Microsoft PowerToys, select the photos, open PowerRename, set the metadata source to EXIF/XMP, search for ^ with regular expressions on, and replace with $DATE_TAKEN_YYYY-$DATE_TAKEN_MM-$DATE_TAKEN_DD_. That adds the date taken to the front of every name.

Why is my photo’s created date wrong?

Windows sets “Date created” when a file is created on that drive, including when you copy it. Use “Date taken” from the photo’s EXIF data instead; it is set by the camera and does not change when you copy files.

Can File Explorer rename photos by date automatically?

No. File Explorer can sort and group by Date taken, but it cannot put that date into filenames. Use PowerRename, Bulk Rename Utility, ExifTool, or Zush.

What if some photos have no date taken?

Screenshots and downloaded images often have none. ExifTool and Zush leave the date empty rather than guessing; with PowerRename, check the preview and exclude those files, or rename them separately by modified date.