Namexif

Anyone with a digital camera knows how easy it is to end up with a slew of images with meaningless file names; they're often a string of numbers and letters that tell you absolutely nothing about the image. Namexif is a simple utility that can rename images based on their EXIF data, creating new file names based on the date and time the image was created. We think that this is a great way to quickly assign meaningful file names to large batches of images.

Using Namexif is a piece of cake thanks to its wizard-style interface. First, select either individual files or entire directories of files that you want to rename. Next, select the format for the new file name; all of the options include the year, month, date, hour, minute, and second, with varying combinations of dashes and periods. You can optionally have the program include the original file name and/or a specific suffix to the end of the file name. Time can also be shifted to account for time zone changes or erroneous EXIF data. Once you've decided on a file name format, click Next, and the program quickly renames the images. Any images that don't have EXIF data assigned won't be renamed. Namexif has a brief online Help file that explains its features, but the program itself is pretty straightforward; just follow the steps in the wizard and your images will be renamed with useful date information in a matter of moments.

Namexif installs a desktop icon without asking and leaves a Start menu icon behind upon removal.