Add Dates to Filenames Automatically on Mac
Batchio's Date Insertion rule stamps file creation dates, modification dates, or the current date onto every filename in your batch. Pick a format string, choose where the date appears, and watch the live preview resolve every timestamp before you commit.
How do you add dates to filenames on Mac?
Adding dates to filenames is one of the most common organization tasks for photographers, writers, and anyone who works with large file collections. Without a dedicated tool, you would need to check each file's Get Info panel in Finder, copy the date, and type it into the filename manually. Batchio eliminates that tedium by reading timestamps directly from the file system and inserting them in whatever format you specify. You can process hundreds of files in a single operation.
The entire workflow happens inside one window. Drag your files in, add the Date Insertion rule, and the live preview column shows the resolved date next to every original filename. If the format does not look right, adjust the string and the preview updates in real time. Once you are satisfied, click Rename and the dates are written permanently. Full undo support means you can revert the entire batch if needed.
What date sources does Batchio support?
The creation date reflects the moment a file was first saved to disk. This is the best choice for photos imported from a camera or screenshots captured throughout the day because it preserves the original capture time regardless of how many times the file has been copied or moved. The modification date updates whenever the file content changes, making it ideal for documents, spreadsheets, and project files where the most recent edit matters more than the original save.
The current date option stamps today's date onto every file in the batch uniformly. This is useful for archival workflows where you want to record the date you organized or processed the files rather than when they were originally created. Unlike EXIF metadata dates, file system dates are guaranteed to exist for every file type on macOS, so the Date Insertion rule never encounters missing values when using these three sources.
How do custom date formats work?
Common formats include YYYY-MM-DD for ISO standard dates, DD.MM.YY for European conventions, and YYYYMMDD_HHmmss for compact, sortable timestamps. You can insert literal characters anywhere in the format string. For example, YYYY_MM_DD produces 2026_03_26, while [YYYY-MM-DD] wraps the date in brackets. The format field is completely freeform, so you can match any naming convention your team or project requires.
If you need time components alongside the date, add HH, mm, and ss tokens to your string. A format like YYYY-MM-DD_HH-mm produces 2026-03-26_14-30 for a file modified at 2:30 PM. Our custom date format guide covers format tokens, time components, and common date patterns for photo and document workflows.
Where can Batchio insert the date in the filename?
Prefix mode is the most popular choice for photo libraries because it makes files sort chronologically in Finder. A file named IMG_4021.jpg becomes 2026-03-26_IMG_4021.jpg when you use the format YYYY-MM-DD_ in prefix mode. Including a separator like an underscore directly in the format string keeps the date visually distinct from the original filename.
Suffix mode works well when the original filename carries important context and you want the date appended at the end. Replace mode is ideal when the original name holds no useful information, such as generic camera names like DSC_0001. In replace mode, you can combine Date Insertion with a numbering sequence to produce clean, ordered names like 2026-03-26_001.jpg. All three modes respect the file extension automatically, so you never need to worry about breaking file associations.
Ready to Date Stamp Your Files?
Download Batchio free on the Mac App Store. All 9 rule types included. Pro upgrade $4.99.
Coming Soon to the Mac App Store
Marcel Iseli is an indie app developer and the creator of Batchio. He builds native macOS utilities focused on productivity and file management, with a focus on lightweight, subscription-free tools.