What kind of rename workflow do you currently use?
I’m curious how other Mac users deal with folders full of files that need to be renamed in bulk. Do you use Finder, Automator, Shortcuts, shell scripts, a dedicated renamer, or some wonderfully cursed combination of all of them?
I kept hitting the same wall: existing tools could handle simple renames, but they often became awkward as soon as the folder tree got large, the rules became more specific, or I needed to protect certain files from the operation. I wanted something that could handle all of that without making me feel like I was steering a tugboat through a cupboard.
For context, I’ve been an artistic director for 24 years—16 of them as a freelancer—mostly working on GUI design, with some development on the side. After repeatedly running into apps that were almost right but never quite worked the way I wanted, I decided to make my own.
Kraken is a macOS renamer currently available as a TestFlight beta (built 3 on it's way for Apple's approval): https://testflight.apple.com/join/W9nutVp9
The current build lets you:
- Work with multiple root folders, at any depth, with very large file counts
- Preview rename changes before touching anything
- Disable folders or files so they are excluded from renaming, with the state cascading through their contents
- Lock enabled or disabled states so cascading cannot override an intentional choice
- Use guided rename presets or build powerful, reusable node-based presets by connecting rename operations visually
- Pin root folders and use swipe gestures in the Content View
- Generate a safe dummy folder tree filled with fake files for testing
There are still plenty of barnacles below deck: the preset system is not finished, metadata extraction is incomplete, and some rename operations need more testing. I’ve got more than 100 TODOs on the list, because apparently one app was not enough work.
The beta currently requires macOS 26.0 or later. It has no ads, no tracking, no analytics, and does not upload your folder contents to a server.
If you try it, I’d genuinely like to know what feels useful, what feels confusing, and what you currently use instead. Honest criticism is very welcome; I’m trying to build the tool I wanted to have in the first place, not pretend it arrived fully grown and wearing a tiny captain’s hat. If I can make it fulfilling your needs, then that's cool!
Also, bear with me if I’ve made a mistake here. I’m not perfectly used to social media etiquette and all its unwritten rules—I only discovered this subreddit recently (I've already said that on others).
