A Network Drive is also commonly referred to as a Mapped Drive. A Network Drive facilitates exchange of data from a remote computer over a network connection. In order to access files stored on a network drive, remote network paths are used.
Where are Network Drives Used?
Network drives are extremely popular among the corporate world. They are widely used to share data among hundreds of computers within an organization. They may contain different types of information such as customer records and other data that may be required for team work.
- A network drive allows the employees to work in-office as well as remotely with central data access.
- Improves organizational productivity and efficiency.
- Keeping track record of up-to-date information is possible with a network drive. Just store the latest file version on a network drive and it will be available on all the PCs in real-time.
- Since a network drive is connected to an internal data server located within the premises of an organization, it provides heightened security and reduces the possibility of data leaks and Man-in-the-Middle attacks possible with public cloud storages.
Benefits of Regularly Renaming Files on a Network Drive
Setting up a network drive is not enough. As the network drive contents are commonly accessed by multiple users across the organization, there are chances of document mismanagement. With so many people working on a single network drive, there is the possibility of complete disorganization of data and chaos due to incorrect & poor file names by some employees. As a result, key information stored on the network drive is often lost and it impacts the efficiency and productivity of the business.
The solution is simple: Batch rename files on a network drive using a specialized software.
Steps: Renaming Files on a Windows 11 Network Drive
Prerequisites
In order to rename files on a network drive connected to a Windows 11 PC, it is important to map the network drive first.
A network drive is said to be mapped when it has a drive letter assigned. For example: An unmapped network drive path may look like \\server\somefolder. A mapped network drive path looks like a regular folder path such as G:\server\somefolder. You cannot bulk rename files on a network drive until it is mapped.
Step 1: Map your Network Drive in Windows 11
- Open up File Explorer.
- Click on This PC in the left-hand side panel.
- Click on the three dots (See More icon) on the toolbar and select Map network drive.
- The Map Network Drive wizard will launch.
- Specify a drive letter (for example: G:)
- Specify the folder path or click on Browse and select your remote folder.
- If you want to automatically connect to the network drive, make sure to select the Reconnect at sign-in option.
- Click on Finish.
Step 2: Bulk Rename Files on your Network Drive
- Download Easy File Renamer, a fast and efficient file renaming tool.
- Install the software by executing the setup file.
- Open up the software and then click the Settings option on the bottom-right corner of the application.
- Select the Show Mapped Network Drives option and then click on OK.
- You will need to restart your computer for the changes to take effect.
- Now open the Easy File Renamer program again and click on the System Renamer tab.
- To rename files on your network drive, click on the Files sub-tab. To rename folders, click on the Folders sub-tab.
- Click on Add Files or Add Folders depending on what you want to rename.
- Locate the remote network drive location from the Open dialog box and select your files/ folders.
- Your files or folders will be displayed in the Easy File Renamer window.
- From the left-hand side Rules drop-down boxes, choose your desired renaming rule. For example: To trim a set of characters from your file names, choose the Trim Text option, specify a length in number (for example, 5). To trim the first 5 characters, select Start of the name. To trim the last 5 characters, select End of the name.
- Click on Add Rule.
- You will get real-time new file/ folder name previews on the right-side list box.
- You can add more rules by repeating the same process over again, if required.
- Once you’ve added the rules, click the Rename button to start renaming.
