How to bulk rename audio files so that the file name matches the title metadata (preferably using Foobar2000)?

Question

I have some audio files for which I used Foobar2000 to get the proper tags (Title, Artist, Album, etc), so now they have their proper titles when loaded in Foobar and other players, but they still do not have the proper names as seen in Windows file manager under 'Names' column.

How to mass-change the names so that they match the titles? - And can I do that in Foobar2000?

(I know I can change them one by one in Foobar, copying from the file's Metadata to its Properties

but I do not want to do it one by one.)

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UPDATE after getting a comment indicating this answer for using Foobar2000.

The idea is to load files in Foobar, go to the files' Properties, Tools, Automatically fill values...

When I select %title% for source and %filename% under Pattern the preview looks fine, that is what I want to put for the file name

but when I press OK and Apply, the changes are not recorded in the expected place (File name column in Foobar and Name column in Windows).

This is probably because %filename% in this tool stands for a different thing than what I want to change here: for a metadata entry, which this tool can change (see below), and not for the entry under Properties tab (seen in one of my posted images above) which I try to change.

But this is odd, because the preview changes seem to show that when %filename% is put under 'Pattern', the change will be the one intended. What happens when the changes are applied is that a new column is created under Metadata tab, which matches the Track Title (while the File Name entry under the Properties tab remains unchanged).

But the odd thing is that if I go back to make new changes and put %filename% under Source, what the preview shows is not the newly created entry called FILENAME that matches the Title, but the File Name that I wanted to change in the first place.

Trying to edit that by putting a different source and %filename% under Pattern will just overwrite the new FILENAME column (under Metadata tab), while the File Name under Properties tab will not be changed.

Solution 1

Foobar2000 has a special renaming tool designed specially for this kind of thing. I'm pretty sure it's installed by default.

Please follow these steps:

• Select the relevent album(s) (if using the library view) or the individual files (if using the playlist view)
• Right-click and choose File operations -> Rename to...
• For file name pattern, enter %title% (or use the ... button to select this)
• Click Run
• Foobar2000 will do the renaming and show you the result

Solution 2

It is very easy to do with Mp3tag.

Load the files in it, select them, then go to 'Convert' and select 'Tag-Filename', then edit the string according to what info you want to have in the file name (only the %title% if need be).

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The answer was suggested by a comment from Vinayak.

Comments

[Vinayak]

Use only %title% for the format string

[nixda]

Once I answered a very similar question. Maybe it helps

[Admin]

@Vinayak - great. I was about to see that on second try. I'll put an answer with your info

[Admin]

@nixda - the Automatically Fill Values tool does not seem to be able to edit the 'File name' entry under Properties - Properties/tab, but the <FILENAME> entry under Properties - Metadata/tab. This is odd. See edit in my updated question

[Daniel B]

The tool you’re currently using is not designed to rename files. It works the other way around. See James’ answer for the real deal.

[Admin]

@nixda - I got another answer that works and involves a similar Foobar2000 feature.

[Daniel B]

Well, perhaps including the track number in the file name would be a good idea. :) Other than that, this is of course the way to go.

[CreativiTimothy]

Is there a way to do the reverse? For example. I want all my titles to match my file names which have already been named correctly.

[James P]

@CreativiTimothy: The Automatically Fill Values tool is more suited to that, see superuser.com/questions/634086/foobar-2000-change-tracks-tit‌​le/…