How to Batch Rename DWG Files in AutoCAD

Published June 2026  |  74mph Solutions

Renaming 400 DWG files one at a time in Windows Explorer is one of those tasks that looks trivial - until you're on file 47 and have already made three mistakes. Whether you're reorganising a project archive, preparing a client handover, or migrating to a new drawing numbering standard, batch renaming DWG files is a task that should take minutes, not an afternoon.

Hurricane's DWG File Renamer handles this without requiring AutoCAD to be open. It works directly on the file system, processing your entire file list in seconds.

What the Hurricane File Renamer Can Do

Hurricane's renaming engine supports several independent operations that can be combined in a single pass:

• Find and replace text - replace any part of the filename with a different string
• Add a prefix - prepend a project code, client code, or date to all filenames
• Add a suffix - append a revision letter, date stamp, or version number
• Sequential numbering - number the files in sequence (01, 02, 03 … or 001, 002, 003 …)
• Change case - convert filenames to upper or lower case for consistency
• Strip characters - remove specific characters or spaces from filenames

Common DWG Renaming Scenarios

Client Handover: Add a Project Code Prefix

Your internal filenames are descriptive but the client requires their project number at the start of every filename:

Hurricane adds the prefix to all selected files in one operation. Select your files, enter ABC2024- as the prefix, click Run. Done.

Rebranding: Replace Old Company Code with New

After a merger, all your drawing files use the old company code OLDCO - they need to be updated to NEWCO:

Find: OLDCO → Replace with: NEWCO. Applied to all 800 drawings in the project folder simultaneously.

Standardising to a New Numbering System

Your firm adopted a new drawing numbering standard. Old files are named like A-101.dwg, new files should be A0101.dwg. Hurricane's find-and-replace handles the text transformation, and sequential numbering can re-sequence an entire folder if needed.

Adding a Revision Suffix Before Archive

Before archiving a set of issued drawings, append the revision letter to every filename:

Add -RevC as a suffix - applied to all files in seconds.

Sequential Numbering for a New Project Set

You have 60 drawings exported from a BIM model with generic names. You need them numbered 001 through 060 with a consistent prefix:

Hurricane handles prefix + sequential number in one pass, with control over the starting number and zero-padding.

Does AutoCAD Need to Be Open?

No. The File Renamer operates entirely at the Windows file system level. It renames the .dwg files directly - no need to open AutoCAD or any other application. This makes it very fast even for large file sets.

Preview Before Renaming

Hurricane shows you a preview of the proposed renaming before it executes - so you can verify the before/after filenames are correct before committing. This prevents the kind of error that's annoying to undo across 300 files.

What About References and XRefs?

If your drawings use external references (xrefs) and you rename the xref files, the host drawings will lose the reference path. Hurricane does not automatically update xref paths - for xref-heavy workflows, rename files within your CAD or project management system so that references are tracked. The File Renamer is most useful for standalone drawing files or for renaming files before referencing them.

Works with AutoCAD LT, BricsCAD, and More

Since the File Renamer works at the file system level, it's CAD-application-agnostic. It works equally well whether your team uses full AutoCAD, AutoCAD LT, BricsCAD, or any other application that uses DWG format.

Related: Batch Update Title Blocks  |  How to Batch Plot AutoCAD  |  Hurricane Features