Advanced Media Rename Manager

Rename existing media files in your library with full control. Update SEO-unfriendly camera names, bulk rename product images, and let Switchboard automatically update all references throughout your site.

Use Cases#

• Rename “DSC_0001.jpg” to “summer-vacation-beach-sunset.jpg” for better SEO
• Bulk rename hundreds of product images with patterns like “product-{id}-{counter}.jpg”
• Clean up imported content with consistent, descriptive filenames

How It Works#

1. Select one or more files in the media library
2. Enter a new name or use pattern variables
3. Switchboard renames the file on disk
4. All references in posts, pages, and meta are updated automatically
5. Optional redirects prevent broken links from external sources

Where to Find It#

Single File Rename#

1. Go to Media → Library
2. Click any image to edit
3. Find the “Rename File” panel in the sidebar
4. Enter a new name and click Rename File

Bulk Rename#

1. Go to Media → Library (list view)
2. Select multiple files with checkboxes
3. Choose “Rename Files” from Bulk Actions dropdown
4. Click Apply to open the bulk rename modal

Settings#

Configure in Switchboard → Media → Advanced Media Rename Manager.

Default Renaming Pattern#

Set the default pattern for bulk operations. This pre-fills the pattern field when you open the bulk rename modal.

Default: {title}

Case Transformation#

Automatically converts all filenames to the selected case.

Maximum Filename Length#

Truncates filenames that exceed this limit. Default: 50 characters (excluding extension).

Excluded File Types#

Comma-separated list of extensions to exclude from renaming. Example: pdf,zip,doc

Behavior:

• Single rename: Returns an error “This file type is excluded from renaming”
• Bulk rename: Silently skips excluded files and continues with others

This is useful for protecting certain file types from renaming, such as legal documents or archived files.

Add Unique ID Suffix#

When enabled, appends a 3-character random ID to every renamed file to prevent filename conflicts:

summer-vacation-x7k.jpg

Create Automatic Redirects#

When enabled, creates 301 redirects from old URLs to new URLs after each rename. Requires the Redirection plugin to be installed.

Preserve Accented Characters#

Keep characters like é, ñ, ü in filenames instead of converting them to ASCII equivalents (e, n, u).

Pattern Variables#

Use these variables in rename patterns:

Pattern Examples#

Single File Rename#

The rename panel in the attachment edit screen shows:

1. New Filename — Enter your desired name
2. Current filename — Shows what it’s currently named
3. Options:
   • Update media title (checkbox)
   • Scan for references first (checkbox)
4. Rename File button
5. Undo Last Rename button (when available)

Scanning References#

Enable “Scan for references first” to see where the image is used before renaming:

• Posts containing the image
• Post meta fields referencing the file
• Options (widgets, theme settings)

This helps you understand the impact of the rename.

Bulk Rename#

The bulk rename modal provides:

Pattern Field#

Enter a pattern using variables. All selected files are renamed using this pattern.

Prefix and Suffix#

Add text before or after the pattern result:

Options#

• Update media titles — Match titles to new filenames
• Add category name as prefix — Prepends the media category

Progress Tracking#

Bulk rename shows:

• Progress bar
• File counter (45 / 100)
• Current file being processed
• Final success/failure summary

Undo Capability#

Made a mistake? Undo within 24 hours:

1. Edit the renamed attachment
2. Click “Undo Last Rename” in the rename panel
3. Confirm the action
4. Original filename is restored

What Gets Updated#

When you rename a file, Switchboard updates:

Automatic Redirects#

When enabled and the Redirection plugin is installed:

1. Old URL → New URL redirect is created
2. External links continue working
3. Search engine rankings are preserved
4. 301 (permanent) redirect status

Without Redirection plugin, no redirects are created, but internal references are still updated.

Best Practices#

SEO-Friendly Names#

Good filenames are:

• Descriptive (red-running-shoes.jpg not IMG_4521.jpg)
• Hyphen-separated (beach-sunset not beachsunset)
• Lowercase (avoid case sensitivity issues)
• Relevant to content (helps image search rankings)

Consistent Patterns#

For e-commerce or portfolios, use consistent patterns:

• Products: product-name-angle.jpg
• Blog: post-slug-featured.jpg
• Portfolio: project-name-01.jpg

FAQ#