In Windows, you can remove bracketed text from many file names at once with Microsoft PowerRename: select the files in File Explorer, open PowerRename, enable Use regular expressions, enter a pattern, leave Replace with empty, and review the preview before applying. For square brackets, use [[^]]*]; for parentheses, use ([^)]*).
Remove bracketed text with PowerRename
These steps apply to Windows and Microsoft PowerToys’ PowerRename utility. The patterns below are practical examples for PowerRename’s regex search; Microsoft documents the regex option and its grammar, but does not publish these exact bracket expressions as a recipe.
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In File Explorer, select the files you want to rename. Right-click the selection and choose Rename with PowerRename. The command is available when PowerRename is enabled in PowerToys. See Microsoft’s PowerRename documentation.
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Turn on Use regular expressions. With this setting enabled, PowerRename treats the Search field as a regular expression.
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Enter the pattern for the delimiter used in your names:
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Square brackets, including their contents, such as
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Parentheses, including their contents, such as
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Leave Replace with empty. PowerRename then removes the matched text.
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If a filename may contain more than one bracketed span, enable Match all occurrences. Otherwise, only the first occurrence is replaced.
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Keep the operation scoped to the filename, not the extension. Check the original and new name in the preview, and exclude any rows that should not change.
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Apply the rename only after reviewing the preview. If you need to reverse the last operation, Microsoft documents using File Explorer’s Undo Rename command or Ctrl+Z.
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What the patterns match—and what they do not
The square-bracket pattern matches an opening square bracket, any number of characters other than a closing square bracket, and the closing square bracket. The parentheses pattern works the same way for parentheses. Both also match empty pairs such as [] or ().
These expressions do not parse nested brackets as balanced structures. If your names use nested delimiters or a different bracket type, adapt the pattern and inspect the preview rather than assuming it will handle those names correctly. Also check whether removing text could make two files end up with the same name. The cited documentation does not establish how every name-collision situation is resolved.
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Keep the file extension intact
PowerRename provides scope controls for the filename and extension. Use the filename-only scope so the pattern applies to the name before the extension rather than to the extension itself. The interface also includes Apply to: Filename only and Apply to: Extension only; make sure the selected scope matches your intended change before committing.
PowerRename’s regular-expression behavior
PowerRename uses ECMAScript regular expressions by default. Its optional Use Boost library setting enables extended regex features, including lookbehind. The simple patterns in this guide do not require Boost. Microsoft advises enabling Match all occurrences when a regex operation should affect every match in a name. See Microsoft’s PowerRename regex guidance.
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Bulk Rename Utility is a separate alternative with controls for removing filename text and a RegEx control. Its manual says the controls run in the order displayed, which can matter when combining several rename operations. Its FAQ also documents importing old/new filename pairs and using a UNC path mapped to a drive letter. The cited documentation does not establish universal platform compatibility, so check the utility’s own requirements if you are considering it. See the Bulk Rename Utility manual and FAQ.
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