# How to rename filename **URL:** \ **Category:** Support\ **Created:** [November 9, 2012, 9:27am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/how-to-rename-filename/14098 "2012-11-09T09:27:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![stanray](https://community.mp3tag.de/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/85e7bf/32.png) [@stanray](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/stanray)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2012, 9:27am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/how-to-rename-filename/14098/1 "2012-11-09T09:27:27Z")
Hello, I've used MP3tag with great success organising my whole music library. But now I run into a seemingly simple task which I can't perform, because I probably doing something wrong, but I don't know what ☹ . Most of my filenames are like this: "02 - ", but some are like: "02; " or: "02. ". Now how do I rename all my filenames to the first mentioned format? Thanks Stanray ---
**Author:** ![ohrenkino](https://community.mp3tag.de/user_avatar/community.mp3tag.de/ohrenkino/32/4843_2.png) [@ohrenkino](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/ohrenkino)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2012, 9:31am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/how-to-rename-filename/14098/2 "2012-11-09T09:31:31Z")
> [@stanray](#): > > Now how do I rename all my filenames to the first mentioned format? > > Thanks > Stanray Well, you could perform a "Replace action" for \_FILENAME. that replaces the offending character with the correct one. Or you use the converter TAG-FILENAME and a mask like this: $num(%track%,2) - %artist% - %title% ---
**Author:** ![stevehero](https://community.mp3tag.de/user_avatar/community.mp3tag.de/stevehero/32/337_2.png) [@stevehero](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/stevehero)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2012, 10:04am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/how-to-rename-filename/14098/3 "2012-11-09T10:04:11Z")
> [@stanray](#): > > Most of my filenames are like this: "02 - ", but some are like: "02; " or: "02. ". Now how do I rename all my filenames to the first mentioned format? > > Thanks > Stanray You could run something like this: Begin Action Group **\_Script Test#TEST** **Action #1** _Actiontype 5:_ **Format value** _Field \_\_\_\_\_\_:_ **\_FILENAME** _Formatstring:_ **$regexp(%\_filename%,^\d+\s\*-\*\.\*;\*\s\*(.+),$num(%track%,2) - $1)** End Action Group **\_Script Test#TEST** (1 Action) Its gets all the text string after: '02 - ' '02; ' '02. ' And replaces it with TRACK padded with 2 numbers and then - $1 (What has been captured after the 3 things above. ---
**Author:** ![DetlevD](https://community.mp3tag.de/user_avatar/community.mp3tag.de/detlevd/32/123_2.png) [@DetlevD](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/DetlevD)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2012, 10:44am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/how-to-rename-filename/14098/4 "2012-11-09T10:44:32Z")
> [@stanray](#): > > ... Most of my filenames are like this: "02 - ", but some are like: "02; " or: "02. ". Now how do I rename all my filenames to the first mentioned format? ... This proposal does not need any tag-field value, but just the filename ... **Convert** | **Tag - Tag** | **ALT+5** _Select format string_ Field: **\_FILENAME** Format string: **$regexp($regexp(%\_filename%,'^(\d+)[;.-]+(.+)$','00$1 - $2'),'0\*(\d\d)(.+)','$1$2')** ... or ... **$regexp('00'%\_filename%,'^0\*(\d\d)[;.-]+(.+)$','$1 - $2')** Preview From: **01 - song one.mp3 02; song two.mp3 3. song three.mp3 04 song four.mp3 5 song five.mp3** To: **01 - song one.mp3 02 - song two.mp3 03 - song three.mp3 04 - song four.mp3 05 - song five.mp3** Testfiles ... [20121109.stanray.renumber.zip](https://community.mp3tag.de/uploads/default/original/2X/8/8ff2eef60e5768e77957f29aed491bfdf87e259d.zip) (1.77 KB) DD.20121109.1242.CET [20121109.stanray.renumber.zip](https://community.mp3tag.de/uploads/default/original/2X/8/8ff2eef60e5768e77957f29aed491bfdf87e259d.zip) (1.77 KB) ---
**Author:** ![stanray](https://community.mp3tag.de/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/85e7bf/32.png) [@stanray](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/stanray)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2012, 7:48am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/how-to-rename-filename/14098/5 "2012-11-12T07:48:02Z")
Thank you so much all, very helpful. Problem solved! Stanray ---
**Author:** ![faisdlair](https://community.mp3tag.de/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/f/c4cdca/32.png) [@faisdlair](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/faisdlair)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2016, 3:15pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/how-to-rename-filename/14098/6 "2016-03-21T15:15:47Z")
> [@DetlevD](#): > > This proposal does not need any tag-field value, but just the filename ... > > > > **Convert** | **Tag - Tag** | **ALT+5** > > > > _Select format string_ > > > > Field: > **\_FILENAME** > > > > Format string: > > **$regexp($regexp(%\_filename%,'^(\d+)[;.-]+(.+)$','00$1 - $2'),'0\*(\d\d)(.+)','$1$2')** > > ... or ... > > **$regexp('00'%\_filename%,'^0\*(\d\d)[;.-]+(.+)$','$1 - $2')** > > Preview > From: > **01 - song one.mp3 > 02; song two.mp3 > 3. song three.mp3** > To: > **01 - song one.mp3 > 02 - song two.mp3 > 03 - song three.mp3** > > > > DD.20121109.1242.CET Ok and what about 01 Hold on to Love To 01 - Hold on to Love (don't work) Thank you ---
**Author:** ![DetlevD](https://community.mp3tag.de/user_avatar/community.mp3tag.de/detlevd/32/123_2.png) [@DetlevD](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/DetlevD)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2016, 5:29pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/how-to-rename-filename/14098/7 "2016-03-21T17:29:11Z")
> [@faisdlair](#): > > Ok and what about > 01 Hold on to Love ... Both formatstrings work as designed, try again. DD.20160321.1929.CET ---
**Author:** ![faisdlair](https://community.mp3tag.de/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/f/c4cdca/32.png) [@faisdlair](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/faisdlair)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2016, 5:38pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/how-to-rename-filename/14098/8 "2016-03-21T17:38:22Z")
I tried it with both formatstrings and it makes no change ![](https://community.mp3tag.de/uploads/default/original/2X/9/906835a44a68c6337f0036ce88978655d69d32e0.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![faisdlair](https://community.mp3tag.de/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/f/c4cdca/32.png) [@faisdlair](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/faisdlair)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2016, 5:49pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/how-to-rename-filename/14098/9 "2016-03-21T17:49:00Z")
Ok i found the issue i placed originalfilename instead of filename it works now sorry for the mistake Thank you again Martin ---
**Author:** ![system](https://community.mp3tag.de/uploads/default/original/2X/c/ce7035d426cb755a7916793326d23b465222a407.png) [@system](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/system)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2026, 12:24pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/how-to-rename-filename/14098/10 "2026-02-09T12:24:10Z")
Closed on February 9, 2026, 12:24pm UTC