Give your files names you can actually find.
Finder is useful when you know the naming pattern. Local AI helps when a folder contains unrelated documents called Scan001.pdf, untitled.docx, and document (3).pdf. Here is how to choose and use each approach.
Free download · In-app purchase for full features · Apple Silicon · macOS 14+
The quick answer
Rename a batch in Finder
- Open the folder and select the files you want to rename.
- Control-click the selection and choose Rename.
- Choose Replace Text, Add Text, or Format.
- Check the filename example, then apply the change.
For example, Add Text can give project assets the same client prefix. Format can number a set of photos. These operations apply the pattern you specify; they do not read an invoice to discover its vendor or subject.
Apple’s Finder renaming instructions explain the available options.
Suggest names from document contents with OCDify
- Install OCDify from the Mac App Store on an Apple Silicon Mac running macOS 14 or later.
- Complete the approximately 2.4 GB local model download, allowing at least 3 GB free space.
- Select a folder and define the categories that should receive your documents.
- Review Smart Rename suggestions. Previews do not change your filenames.
- With Full Unlock, enable applied Smart Rename while organizing. Check History to review or undo a rename.
The model reads supported document text locally. It can suggest a descriptive name for a generic filename while preserving the extension. It keeps already meaningful names. The precise suggestion depends on the document; the examples below are illustrative.
| Original name | Document text | Suggested name |
|---|---|---|
| Scan001.pdf | Studio rent invoice for October | studio-rent-invoice-oct.pdf |
| untitled.docx | Northwind campaign project brief | northwind-project-brief.docx |
| Proposal_Northwind.pdf | Northwind proposal | Existing name kept |
Try Smart Rename in the interactive feature tour. The browser uses sample data; the actual language model runs in the Mac app.
What to check before renaming
Choose a naming convention you can search: client or vendor, document subject, and date when it matters. Keep the file extension. Review important documents and retain backups for files you cannot easily recreate.
OCDify’s seven-day History lets you undo a move, a rename, or both. Undo refuses to overwrite an existing file, and the file must still be at its recorded location. Organization only affects top-level files inside folders you explicitly select.
Supported content analysis includes readable PDF, DOCX, TXT, Markdown, RTF, EPUB, CSV, XLSX, and PowerPoint documents. Scanned or protected documents may not have extractable text. Local OCR is coming soon. Media grouping uses file extensions rather than AI understanding of photos or audio.
Questions about renaming files
How do I rename multiple files on a Mac?
In Finder, select the files, Control-click the selection, and choose Rename. Use Replace Text to change a shared word, Add Text to add a prefix or suffix, or Format to give files a consistent base name with a counter. Review the example before applying the change.
Can AI rename files based on their contents?
Yes. OCDify reads supported documents with a local language model on Apple Silicon and suggests descriptive names for generic filenames. Rename previews are included free; applying Smart Rename requires the one-time Full Unlock. Meaningful names are kept, and document contents are not uploaded.
Can OCDify rename scanned PDFs?
The current OCDify release needs extractable document text. A scanned PDF without a text layer may be skipped. On-device OCR is coming soon and is not part of the current release.
Make the rest of the folder easier to find
Automatically organize your Downloads, learn how local file analysis stays private, or compare file organizers for Mac.
Start with one folder.
Download OCDify free from the Mac App Store and get started on your work documents.
Free download. In-app purchase for the full feature unlock.
Apple Silicon · macOS 14+