Rename a file and use name suggestions

Rename one selected item

1. Select exactly one item in the intended folder. Press Return or F2, or run the Rename action.
2. Edit the name in the inline field or Rename dialog. Use a descriptive base name and keep the extension unless you intend to change the file type association.
3. Confirm the name. If Pathem warns about an extension change, review the old and new extensions before proceeding.
4. Verify the item under its new name in the same folder. Renaming may change its sorted position; it does not mean the file moved into a different directory.

Try an on-device filename suggestion

1. Open Preferences > Layout and enable Suggest filenames when renaming (on-device AI) if it is not already enabled.
2. Use a local, downloaded file on a Mac with the required Apple Intelligence model available. A cloud placeholder must be downloaded before its contents can be used.
3. Start Rename or the available AI Rename action. Continue typing your own name if you prefer; a response should not replace what you typed by itself.
4. Read the proposed name. Choose Use Suggested Name only if you want to put it into the editable field.
5. Review the final field, including its extension, then choose Rename. Cancel closes the dialog without accepting the suggested name.

If renaming does not complete

Check for a read-only folder, an existing destination name, or a provider restriction. Avoid names containing a path separator; a rename field is not a destination-path field.

Do not navigate between unrelated local and remote locations while accepting a remote rename. If the operation context changed, cancel and start again in the correct folder.

If a long name is only partly visible, move the caret through the field to inspect it rather than shortening a meaningful name just to fit the dialog. Use Batch Rename for a deliberate multi-file naming rule.