Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to frequently asked questions about RenameClick features, billing, AI providers, supported file types, and troubleshooting.
General
What is RenameClick?
RenameClick is a desktop workspace for cleaning up messy folders. Drop in PDFs, screenshots, camera photos, Office documents, or mixed downloads; the app reads available text, visual content, and metadata, then suggests filenames, folders, and search matches before anything is written to disk.
What platforms does RenameClick support?
RenameClick runs on macOS, including Apple Silicon and Intel Macs, and on Windows.
Can I install RenameClick with Homebrew or WinGet?
Yes. The command-line install options are:
- macOS:
brew install --cask renameclick - Windows:
winget install 9NWF30K6GFQG -s msstore
You can also install from the homepage Download button or from Microsoft Store.
Is RenameClick free?
The free plan lets you test real batches: AI analysis and preview are unlimited, and 30 successful rename or move operations are included each month. Pro removes the apply limit.
Does RenameClick work offline?
Yes when the Local provider is selected. The first setup downloads the bundled model once, about 4 GB. After that, local renaming, categorization, and search run on your machine unless you switch to a cloud provider.
Files & Processing
How many files can I process at once?
The default batch limit is 30,000 files. You can raise it to 500,000 in Local AI Settings, but new presets are easier to check on a small sample before running a huge folder.
What file types are supported?
- Images: JPG, JPEG, PNG, GIF, WebP, BMP, SVG, HEIC, HEIF, TIFF, TIF
- Documents: PDF, DOC, DOCX, TXT, MD, CSV, RTF, ODT
Can I process files in cloud folders like OneDrive, Google Drive, or iCloud?
Yes, if the cloud provider's desktop sync app makes the files available in Finder or File Explorer. Drag the synced files or folder into RenameClick, or use Auto Flow on the local synced folder. Browser-only cloud folders are not supported.
Does AI analysis spend credits?
No. Credits are only used when RenameClick successfully applies a rename or move to disk. Generating suggestions, reviewing them, editing names, and searching by content do not spend credits.
What happens with scanned PDFs?
If a PDF has no extractable text, RenameClick renders the first page as an image and analyzes that image. This helps with receipts, medical scans, and exported paperwork where the text layer is missing.
Is processing sequential or parallel?
Processing is sequential: one file at a time. That keeps the local model stable and makes failures easier to review in large batches.
How fast does renaming work?
Processing speed depends heavily on your GPU: the more powerful the graphics card, the faster RenameClick can analyze files. For example, an RTX 4060 processes about 1 file in ~0.7 seconds, so 1,000 files take about 700 seconds - about 12 minutes.
Local processing still runs one file at a time for stability. Large images, multi-page documents, CPU fallback, LM Studio CPU inference, or cloud provider/network choice can change the real result.
Renaming
Will my original files be destroyed?
No. RenameClick is review-first. Suggestions stay inside the workspace until you click Apply, and applied operations can be undone.
Are file extensions preserved?
Yes. A .pdf remains a .pdf, a .jpg remains a .jpg, and the generated name changes only the filename stem.
Can I rename files based on metadata?
Yes. Format patterns can combine AI-generated names with file dates and EXIF placeholders such as $exif{date}, $exif{camera}, $exif{city}, $exif{country}, or any raw EXIF field. EXIF placeholders work for images with EXIF data; file date placeholders work for all supported files.
What happens if two files get the same suggested name?
RenameClick makes duplicate suggestions unique by appending suffixes such as _1 and _2.
Can I edit the suggested names before applying?
Yes. Click a suggested name to edit it inline, or use Find & Replace when the same cleanup needs to be applied across the whole batch.
Can I just rename files without sorting them?
Yes. Use Rename only. Files stay in their current folder, and RenameClick only changes the selected filenames when you apply.
Can I undo a rename?
Yes. Undo restores the original names and locations for the last applied operation.
Custom Instructions
Can I use my own prompts?
Yes. Custom Instructions are your own naming prompt. For example, an invoice workflow can ask RenameClick to extract the vendor, invoice number, and date, then format the result as Vendor_InvoiceNumber_Date. The prompt controls the filename output; sorting still uses the file content and selected sorting preset.
Why are Format and Language disabled when I use a custom prompt?
Because the custom prompt controls the final filename structure. Keeping the Format and Language selectors active at the same time would create conflicting instructions.
Can I use Custom Instructions with Categorization?
Yes. Custom Instructions affect filenames. Sorting presets still decide folders from file content, metadata, or existing destination folders.
Categories & Organization
How does categorization work?
When categorization is enabled, the selected sorting preset decides the destination folder:
- AI categories choose from a saved category list after reading file content.
- Metadata folders build paths from dates, EXIF fields, raw metadata fields, and fixed text.
- Match folders scans the selected output folder and routes files into its existing subfolders.
Can I just sort files without renaming them?
Yes. Use Categorize only / Move to folder. Files keep their original names, and RenameClick moves them into folders chosen by AI categories, metadata folders, or Match folders.
Can I create my own categories?
Yes. Create an AI category preset with your own category names and short descriptions, or build a metadata folder preset with levels such as Location / Year / Month / Day.
Can I sort files based on metadata?
Yes. Metadata folder presets create folder paths from structured file data. A photo import, for example, can use Location, Camera, LensModel, capture date, and a fixed Archive folder. Missing values can fall back to a folder such as _Unsorted.
What is Match folders?
Match folders is for continuing a folder structure you already use. If the output folder contains Client - Brightline Dental, Client - Northstar Legal, and Receipts 2026, RenameClick reads those folder names and chooses the best existing destination for each new file.
What happens if AI can't categorize a file?
AI category presets return null, so the file stays uncategorized. Match folders leaves uncertain files at the output folder root. Metadata folder presets use the fallback configured for the missing level.
AI Search
What is AI Search?
AI Search finds files by meaning instead of exact filename. Describe the document, photo, invoice, or screenshot you need, and RenameClick checks the indexed content for likely matches.
Can AI Search rename or move files?
No. AI Search is read-only for renaming. From search results you can reveal files in Finder or Explorer, exclude results, or move files to trash.
Are search results saved?
Yes. Search results persist across app restarts so you can continue reviewing them later.
Auto Flow
Can I automate renaming and categorization?
Yes. Auto Flow watches folders for new or changed files. Choose a source, choose a destination, turn on Watch, and incoming files can be renamed, categorized, and moved automatically. You can run it fully automatic with Auto Apply, or keep Auto Apply off and review suggestions before applying.
Can I run multiple watch rules?
Yes. Each row has its own source, destination, format, prompt, language, and sorting preset. One row can sort invoices into AI categories while another builds photo folders from metadata and a third matches documents into an existing client archive.
Does Auto Flow process incomplete downloads?
No. RenameClick waits until file size and modification time stop changing before a watched file is processed. The stability delay is configurable per Auto Flow rule, and 0-byte placeholder files are ignored until they receive content.
Providers & Models
What AI providers are supported?
Local (built-in, free, offline), OpenAI, Google Gemini, Alibaba Cloud (Qwen), LM Studio, and Ollama.
Which provider should I use?
Start with Local if your machine can run the bundled model. It is private, free to analyze with, and works offline. Use OpenAI, Google, or another provider when you need faster cloud processing or your hardware is below the local requirements.
How much RAM does the local model need?
The bundled model uses about 4 GB of RAM or VRAM while active.
Can I use my own local models?
Yes, through LM Studio or Ollama. Start a compatible local server, make sure the model can handle the content you want to process, and connect RenameClick from Provider Settings.
What if the model struggles with my specific requests?
The default local model is intentionally small, so you should not expect miracles from it. It handles the vast majority of renaming and sorting tasks well, but some specialized workflows need a smarter and larger model.
In those cases, use LM Studio or Ollama as providers and choose a model that fits your PC resources, from Qwen3-VL-8B-Instruct-GGUF up to Qwen3-VL-30B-A3B-Instruct, or newer and stronger models as they become available.
Credits & Billing
How do credits work?
AI analysis is free. A credit is consumed only after RenameClick successfully applies a rename or move to disk. The free plan includes 30 apply operations per month; Pro is unlimited.
When do credits renew?
Credits renew monthly on the same day of the month as your initial usage.
Settings & Data
Can I transfer settings to another machine?
Yes. Export a .rclick file and import it on another device. The export includes presets, prompts, categories, provider choices, and Auto Flow configuration.
Where is my data stored?
Workspace data and settings are stored locally. File content is not sent to a remote provider unless you explicitly choose one.
Is my data private?
With the Local provider, processing happens on your machine. Cloud providers receive file content only during active processing after you select that provider.