OrbitStem Media Rename

by Pratik Prajapati

Description

OrbitStem Media Rename helps you rename files in the WordPress Media Library without breaking your site — and automatically cleans up filenames the moment files are uploaded.

Before you rename, you see an impact report showing where the file is used. After you rename, the plugin updates old file URLs across posts, custom fields, widgets, and site options — including data stored by page builders and block editors.

Rename any file safely

Stem Rename panel in the Media Library and attachment edit screen
Impact report with usage locations and risk level
File tree preview (main file, thumbnails, WebP/AVIF siblings)
SEO filename score with tips as you type
Site-wide URL replacement in posts, post meta, options, term meta, and user meta
Support for JSON-escaped, serialized, and HTML-encoded URLs
Post-rename verification scan
One-click rollback of the last rename
Quick-fill suggestions from title, alt text, or parent post

Auto-rename on upload (new)

Stop uploading files named IMG_4832.jpg or screenshot-3.png. Set rules once and every upload is cleaned automatically — before the file even touches disk.

Force lowercase — MyPhoto.JPG myphoto.jpg
Replace underscores and spaces with hyphens — my photo.jpg my-photo.jpg
Strip junk prefixes — IMG_4832.jpg 4832.jpg
Prepend parent post slug — upload from a post and get my-post-photo.jpg automatically
Custom prefix — add your own brand or year prefix to every file
Works with Classic Editor, Gutenberg block editor, and the Media Library
Multilingual support — accented characters (French, German, Spanish) are transliterated automatically

Privacy

This plugin does not contact external servers, track users, or collect personal data. All processing runs on your WordPress site.

Permissions

By default, only users with the manage_options capability can rename files. Use the orbitstem_rename_capability filter to change this.

Installation

Upload the orbitstem-media-rename folder to /wp-content/plugins/
Activate the plugin through the Plugins menu in WordPress
Open Media Library, select a file, and use the Stem Rename panel

Screenshots

Open Media Library and find the panel: Click any file in the Media Library to open Attachment details — the Stem Rename panel appears with an impact report, SEO score, file tree preview, and quick-fill suggestions.
Type a new name and rename: The SEO score updates live as you type. The file tree previews every thumbnail that will be renamed. Click Rename File and all references are updated across your site automatically.
Undo any rename instantly: The Undo last rename button restores the previous filename and reverses all URL updates with one click.
Auto-update URLs without breaking your design: The Update URLs everywhere on this site option replaces old file links in posts, custom fields, page builders, and site options — no manual fixes needed.
Auto-rename settings: Configure rules that fire on every upload — force lowercase, replace underscores with hyphens, strip junk prefixes like IMG_ and screenshot-, and add a custom prefix.
Custom prefix in action: Enter a custom prefix once and the live preview instantly shows the result. Every uploaded file gets the prefix automatically.
Post slug prefix: Upload an image directly inside a post and the post slug is prepended to the filename automatically — keeps your media organised by content.

Faq

Who can rename media files?

Administrators by default. Developers can change the required capability with the orbitstem_rename_capability filter.

To allow editors to rename files:

add_filter( 'orbitstem_rename_capability', function() {
    return 'edit_posts';
} );

To allow any user who has upload_files and can edit the specific attachment (authors, contributors):

add_filter( 'orbitstem_allow_editors_to_rename', '__return_true' );

Will renaming update URLs on my pages?

Yes, when Update URLs everywhere on this site is checked. The plugin searches posts, custom fields, and options for old file URLs and replaces them.

Can I undo a rename?

Yes. Use Undo last rename on the same attachment to restore the previous filename and optionally reverse URL updates.

Does this work with page builders?

Yes. URL updates run across all post meta and serialized or JSON-encoded builder data, not just post content. The plugin is compatible with:

Elementor
Divi Builder
Bricks Builder
Breakdance
WPBakery Page Builder
Beaver Builder
Oxygen Builder
WordPress Block Editor (Gutenberg)
Any plugin that stores media URLs in post meta, options, or serialized/JSON data

Reviews

Changelog

1.7.0

Added Auto-rename on upload — rules engine that cleans filenames before any file is saved to disk.
Force lowercase, replace underscores/spaces with hyphens, strip junk prefixes (IMG_, DSC_, screenshot-), prepend parent post slug, and custom prefix — all configurable from Media File Renamer.
Live preview on the settings page — see exactly what a filename will become before saving rules.
Gutenberg and block editor support for post slug detection — works via Classic Editor, media modal, REST API upload, and HTTP Referer fallback.
Multilingual filename handling — accented characters (French, German, Spanish, Cyrillic) are transliterated to ASCII automatically using remove_accents().

1.6.0

Added support for international filenames — French, Japanese, Chinese, and other languages.
Lowered minimum PHP requirement to 7.4.
Fixed media rename panel breaking on Windows after the first rename (path slash mismatch).
Store relative upload paths and auto-repair broken attachment meta when possible.

1.0.0

Initial release.