Renaming an image file is one of the most common file-management tasks, but the exact steps depend on whether you are using Windows, Mac, iPhone, Android, or a web browser.
If you only need to change the name of one or several images, you usually do not need to edit the image itself. Renaming changes the file name while leaving the image's contents, dimensions, and format completely unchanged.
For example:
IMG_4821.jpgtofamily-trip-paris.jpgScreenshot_2026-09-14.pngtowebsite-homepage.pngDSC_1024.jpegtoproduct-blue-shirt.jpeg
How to Rename a PNG File
To rename a PNG file on a computer, locate the image in your file manager and change its file name.
On Windows
- Open File Explorer.
- Find the PNG image you want to rename.
- Right-click the file.
- Select Rename.
- Enter the new file name.
- Press Enter.
For example: image123.png to company-logo.png
Keep the .png extension if Windows is displaying file extensions.
On a Mac
- Open Finder.
- Locate the PNG image.
- Click the file once.
- Press Return.
- Enter the new name.
- Press Return again.
Renaming a PNG file does not convert it into another image format. A file named logo.png remains a PNG image regardless of what you name it.
How to Rename a JPG File
To rename a JPG image, change the file name without changing the .jpg extension.
For example: DSC_4521.jpg to vacation-beach.jpg
On Windows, right-click the JPG file and select Rename. On Mac, select the file in Finder and press Return.
You can also rename a JPG or PNG online if you are working with multiple images or prefer not to manually rename each file. Use the MacroToolkit Image Renamer to rename your image files quickly in your browser.
How to Rename a JPEG File
JPEG files can be renamed in exactly the same way as JPG files.
For example: IMG_20260914.jpeg to product-front-view.jpeg
The .jpg and .jpeg extensions both commonly identify JPEG image files. Changing the file name does not change the underlying image format.
If you rename photo.jpeg to new-photo.jpeg, you have only changed the file name. You have not resized, compressed, edited, or converted the image.
How to Rename an Image File
The general process for renaming any image file is:
- Find the image file.
- Select the file.
- Choose Rename.
- Enter the new name.
- Keep the correct file extension.
- Save the new name.
A useful image filename should describe what the image contains. Instead of IMG_9382.jpg, you could use red-running-shoes.jpg. Instead of Screenshot_2026-09-14.png, you could use checkout-page-error.png. This makes files easier to identify when you have many images stored in the same folder.
How to Rename an Image Without Changing Its Format
You do not need to convert an image to rename it.
If your original file is sunset.jpg, you can rename it to beach-sunset.jpg and the file is still a JPEG image. Likewise, logo.png to company-logo.png remains a PNG.
The important part is to keep the appropriate file extension unless you intentionally want to convert the image. Simply renaming the extension does not change the actual pixel data or image encoding.
How to Rename Multiple Image Files
Renaming multiple images individually can become tedious when you have dozens or hundreds of files.
For example, you might have:
IMG_1001.jpgIMG_1002.jpgIMG_1003.jpgIMG_1004.jpg
And want names that are easier to understand:
product-01.jpgproduct-02.jpgproduct-03.jpgproduct-04.jpg
For a small number of images, your computer's built-in rename function is usually enough. For larger batches, a dedicated image renaming tool can save significant time.
How to Rename a PNG or JPEG Online
If you do not want to install software, you can rename images using an online image renamer.
A browser-based image renaming tool is useful when you need to quickly change filenames before:
- Uploading images to a website
- Organizing a project
- Preparing product images for an online store
- Sharing files via email or messaging
The basic process is:
- Open the image renaming tool.
- Select your PNG, JPG, or JPEG files.
- Enter the desired filename or naming pattern.
- Rename the files.
- Save the renamed images.
Can You Rename a JPG to JPEG?
Yes. You can rename the extension from .jpg to .jpeg, but this does not convert the image. For example, photo.jpg to photo.jpeg. Both extensions are commonly used for JPEG images.
However, simply changing the extension is not the same as converting an image. If you need to convert a PNG into a JPEG, for example, you need an actual image conversion process rather than simply renaming the file.
Can You Rename a JPEG to JPG?
Yes. A JPEG file can generally use either .jpeg or .jpg as its filename extension. For example, picture.jpeg to picture.jpg. This changes the filename extension, but it does not change the image data or re-compress it in any way.
If instead you need to convert a JPG image to PNG format (for transparency or lossless editing), use the JPG to PNG Converter.
Can You Rename a PNG to JPG?
Simply renaming image.png to image.jpg does not convert a PNG into a JPG. The extension tells software how a file is intended to be interpreted, but changing the extension alone does not change the underlying image encoding.
If you need an actual PNG-to-JPG conversion, use an image converter instead.
Does Renaming an Image Reduce Quality?
No. Renaming an image file does not change its image quality. Changing IMG_1234.jpg to product-photo.jpg only changes the filename. The image's pixels, dimensions, and compression remain the same because the image itself has not been edited or re-encoded.
Should Image File Names Have Spaces?
Spaces work on most modern operating systems, but descriptive filenames are often easier to manage when they use hyphens or underscores. For example, red running shoes.jpg could instead be red-running-shoes.jpg.
Hyphens are particularly useful for images that will be uploaded to websites because they produce clean, readable filenames and URLs. Avoid unnecessarily long filenames, repeated keywords, or names that do not describe the image.
What Should I Name My Image Files?
Use a short, descriptive name that identifies the image. For example, blue-cotton-shirt.jpg is more useful than IMG_7823.jpg.
For website images, a filename can describe the subject, product, location, or purpose of the image. Good examples include:
new-york-skyline.jpgblack-leather-wallet.jpghomepage-hero-banner.pngteam-photo-2026.jpg
The filename should describe the image naturally rather than repeating keywords unnecessarily.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I rename a PNG file?
Find the PNG file on your computer, right-click it, choose Rename, enter the new filename, and press Enter. Keep the .png extension if you want the file to remain a PNG.
How do I rename a JPG image?
Select the JPG file, choose Rename, and enter the new filename while keeping the .jpg extension. Renaming the file does not change the image itself or reduce its quality.
How do I rename a JPEG file?
You can rename a JPEG file through your computer's file manager by selecting the file and choosing Rename. Keep the .jpeg extension if you want to retain it. The process is identical to renaming a JPG file.
How do I rename an image file online?
You can use an online image renamer to change image filenames from your browser. MacroToolkit's Image Renamer lets you rename PNG, JPG, and JPEG files without manually changing each filename. No upload is needed and everything runs locally in your browser.
Does renaming a PNG change the PNG?
No. Renaming a PNG file does not alter its image contents, dimensions, or quality. The pixels and file data remain completely unchanged.
Does changing JPG to JPEG convert the image?
No. Changing .jpg to .jpeg only changes the filename extension. It does not perform an image conversion or re-encode the image data.
Can I rename multiple images at once?
Yes. Many operating systems provide batch-renaming features, and dedicated image renaming tools can make larger batches easier to manage directly in your browser.
Is there a free image renamer?
Yes. You can use a free browser-based image renaming tool to rename PNG, JPG, and JPEG files without installing any software.
If you only have one image to rename, your computer's built-in rename function is usually the quickest option. If you have multiple images or want a dedicated browser-based workflow, use the MacroToolkit Image Renamer to rename your files without manually editing each filename.