All tools
Name cleanup
Clean invalid characters in file names
Clean rules are built for messy file names from browsers, cloud drives, exports, and copied folders. They help make names readable before you add more structured rules.
Best for
Use this when file names contain invalid symbols, bracket notes, repeated spaces, or repeated underscores and hyphens.
Rename examples
Remove invalid symbols
file:name?.txt
filename.txt
Collapse spaces
report final.pdf
report final.pdf
Remove bracket notes
photo (copy).jpg
photo.jpg
Common use cases
- Prepare downloaded files for Windows and macOS naming rules.
- Remove bracketed labels from copied or exported files.
- Normalize repeated spaces, underscores, and hyphens.
How to use it
- 1Choose the clean rule.
- 2Select which cleanup actions should run.
- 3Preview the cleaned names before applying.
Limits and checks
- Use cleanup before sharing files across Windows, macOS, and cloud drives.
- Review whitespace normalization because multiple names can collapse into one output.
- Keep meaningful separators when the file name needs to stay readable.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Removing every separator and making long names harder to scan.
- Cleaning invalid characters without checking duplicate output names.
- Assuming a file name valid on macOS is also valid on Windows.
FAQ
Can it remove bracketed text?
Yes. The clean rule can remove bracket content and supports common Chinese and English bracket forms.
Should I clean before or after other rules?
For messy imported names, clean first. For generated separators, clean again at the end if needed.