Xiaomi’s modern smartphones have become powerful multimedia centers, where thousands of photos, documents and application installation packages are stored. With the amount of information on internal memory or microSD card, standard sorting by date of creation ceases to be effective. Users often face the need to quickly find the right document among hundreds of files with names like IMG_20231015_143022.jpg or Screenshot_2023-10-15-14-30-22-841_com.miui.gallery.png.
File renaming is a basic skill of a digital hygienist that allows you to structure data in a way that is convenient for you. In the Android operating system, which runs the MIUI shells and the new HyperOS, this process is implemented quite simply, but has its own nuances depending on the type of file manager. Standard Explorer from Xiaomi has advanced functionality compared to the basic file manager from Google, which often puts newcomers to a bewilderment.
In this article, we will explore all the ways to change document names, explore the hidden capabilities of system utilities, and answer questions that arise when working with secure system directories, learn not just to change names, but to do it massively, and understand why some files refuse to be edited.
Using the standard Xiaomi conductor
Most Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones have their own file manager preinstalled, which usually has a yellow folder icon, which is the most powerful data-sharing tool in the system, and to start renaming, you need to open the app and go to the section where the target object is located, such as the Images, Documents or Downloads category.
Once you find the right file, don't rush to open it right away. To call the context menu, you need to do a long-term finger tap on the icon or file name. The screen will change color, and at the bottom of the display will appear a toolbar with additional options, and this is where the feature we're looking for hides.
⚠️ Warning: Don't confuse long-term tapping with the usual short tap.A short tap will just open the file to view and you'll have to go back to find it again in the list.
In the bottom menu that opens, you need to find a button that says "More" (often indicated by three dots) or immediately see the "Rename" button. In new versions of the HyperOS shell, the interface may be slightly different, but the logic remains the same: object allocation -> call the action menu -> choice of operation.
- 📁 Press and hold your finger on the file until the menu appears.
- ✏️ Select the "Rename" item in the bottom bar or drop-down list.
- ⌨️ Enter a new name using the on-screen keyboard.
- ✅ Click “OK” or tick to save the changes.
jpg,.pdf) is usually saved automatically, but if you choose to change it, the system will issue a warning that you may not be able to open the file. The extension tells the system which program to open the document, and changing it without converting the format can lead to errors.
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Use the Latin alphabet to name important work files – this ensures that they are displayed and opened correctly on any device, including old computers and TVs.
Work with the Google Files Manager
Many users prefer to replace Xiaomi’s standard tools with Google’s lighter and more versatile counterparts.The Files by Google app is often already installed on the system or easily downloaded from the Play Market store.The interface here is minimal, and sorting algorithms work somewhat differently than in the native explorer.
The renaming process in this app also starts with the object being highlighted. However, unlike the standard manager, it often uses a three-point menu located directly to the right of the file name in the list, or a separate menu button in the top right of the screen after highlighting, depending on the application version and display settings.
Once you select "Rename," a small dialog box will open, and Google Files' feature is that it often suggests renaming not just one file, but a series of similar objects if you've highlighted multiple elements at once, a handy feature for photographers who process series of images.
It’s worth noting that Google’s app has stricter security rules, which can restrict access to Android system folders, which are sometimes available in Xiaomi’s standard Explorer after special permissions are obtained. If you don’t see the rename button, check if the file is part of the system process or a secure application folder.
- 🔍 Find the file in the category “Downloads” or “all».
- 🖱️ Click on three dots next to the file name or highlight it with a long tap.
- ✍️ In the menu that appears, select the option “Rename».
- 💾 Confirm the new name by pressing the save button.
Another useful feature is the ability to quickly search for files inside the application before renaming. If you have thousands of documents in your memory, use the search bar at the top, type in part of the old name, find the file and immediately rename it without going through endless lists.
Mass renaming of several files
When you need to organize dozens of photos from an event or a package of documents to work with, manually renaming each file individually becomes tedious. Fortunately, file managers on Android allow you to perform group operations, although the functionality of mass renaming with templates (for example, “Photo 001”, “Photo 002”) in standard applications is often limited.
In standard Xiaomi Explorer, you can select multiple files by holding one and swiping the others, or selecting one by one. Once you select a group of files, if you try to rename them, the system will offer two options: rename only the first dedicated file or apply a new name to all the allocated objects at once. In the second case, all the files will receive the same name, but they will be added numerical indexes in parentheses to avoid duplication.
⚠️ Note: When you rename the files with the same basic name, they will be like (1), (2), (3). Make sure that you are satisfied with this numbering, since you cannot automatically add a unique prefix to each file using standard means. For more flexible mass renaming, such as adding a date or unique prefix to each file in the list, it is recommended to use third-party management apps such as Total Commander or the following: FX File Explorer: These programs allow you to use renaming masks and regular expressions, which greatly speeds up the work with large data archives. ☑️ Preparation for mass renaming Make backup of important dataSelect all target files in one folder Check that the names do not contain prohibited characters Make sure there is free space on the disk: 0 / 4 However, for most household tasks, standard functionality is sufficient. If you just need to remove extra characters from the title or add a generic tag, selecting the group and then renaming the first file (followed by manually editing the rest if you need a unique name) remains the quickest way. Rename system folders and access to Android Starting with the Android version 11 And above, Google's security policy has been tightened a lot, and Xiaomi users have been affected. Android/data and Android/obb, where game caches and application data are stored, is closed by default even for the built-in Explorer. Trying to rename a file inside these directories may cause an error or simply fail. To access these hidden areas, Xiaomi's standard Explorer will request special permissions when you go to a secure folder. You will be asked to click on the "Allow All Files Management" or similar button, and then the system security menu will open. You will need to find your file manager in the list and switch the switch to the "On" position. Once you have full permissions, you will be able to rename files in previously inaccessible folders. However, you should do this with extreme caution. Changing the file name or configuration can lead to the game's not work. Default Access Type Required Actions Change Risk DCIM/Pictures Complete No Low Download Full No Low Android/data Limited Special. Resolution Medium System root Closed Root Rights Critical If a standard Explorer refuses to open access even after a request, you can use the System Access application or similar utilities from Play Market that act as an intermediary for granting rights. This allows you to “drop” the read and write permission into protected areas. Rename problems: prohibited characters and errors Sometimes users face a situation when the name is not renamed or the reason is not used. The Linux file system underlying Android is less character-driven than Windows, but still has a number of limitations, especially if you plan to transfer files to your computer. The forbidden characters in file names include: /, \,:, *,?, ", <, >, |. Using any of these characters will lead to a saving error. Also avoid using reserved names such as CON, PRN, AUX, although modern managers usually block them automatically. Why is the file not renamed? If the file is used by another application in a free memory, try to block the application again, or block the file name again. Although renaming doesn't require you to make a copy of the file, the file system needs to update the index. If the phone's memory is full, the operation may not work. 100-200 MB of space and try again. ❌ Avoid using slashes and colons in the name. 🔄 Close applications that use the file before renaming. 💾 Check the availability of free space on the internal drive. 📱 Restart the device if the problem is systemic in nature. Name length should also be considered. Although modern file systems support very long titles, some older applications may not display or see files with a longer name properly. 255 The optimal file name length for maximum compatibility is up to 50-60 Frequent questions and answers (FAQ) Can I rename a file if it is in the Mi Cloud? Yes, but the changes will only apply once synchronized, so if you rename a file in Explorer, it will change locally, and then it will update in the cloud, and if you change the name directly in the Mi Cloud app or through the web interface, the change will download to your phone the next time you connect to the Internet. What happens if you rename a file extension, like.jpg to.png? The file doesn't convert automatically. You just change the label that the system tells you how to open the file. As a result, the image can stop opening in the gallery because the internal data structure is left behind. JPEG, The system is waiting PNG. Use special applications to convert. How do you rename a folder if your phone says "No rights"? It's probably a system folder. Changing its name requires a Root right (a superuser right) that cancels the warranty and can disrupt banking applications. Without Root rights, you can't change system directories. No, renaming does not delete the file or change its location.If you can't find the file by the new name, search Explorer or sort files by date of change - the renamed file will be considered "modified" at the current date and time. 💡File renaming is a safe operation that does not affect the content of the document, but requires care when working with system extensions and paths.