The quickest way to rename a Word document depends on whether it’s open. If the document is open in Word with Microsoft 365, select the file name on the title bar at the top of the window and type a new name. If it’s closed, select it in File Explorer, press F2, type the new name and press Enter. On a Mac, select it in Finder and press Return.
You can also use File, then Save As, but that creates a new copy rather than renaming the original. Below you’ll find step-by-step instructions for Windows, Mac, Word for the web, OneDrive and phones, plus what to do when Windows won’t let you rename a file.
Quick Answer
- Document open in Word (Microsoft 365): select the file name on the title bar, type the new name, and press Enter.
- Document closed on Windows: open File Explorer, select the file, press F2, type the new name, and press Enter.
- On a Mac: select the file in Finder, press Return, type the new name, and press Return again.
- In OneDrive on the web: select the file, choose Rename, and enter the new name.
- Keep the .docx ending as it is.
In This Guide
- Before you start
- Method 1: Rename an open document from Word’s title bar
- Method 2: Rename in File Explorer (Windows)
- Method 3: Save As or Save a Copy with a new name
- Method 4: Rename on a Mac
- Method 5: Rename in Word for the web and OneDrive
- Method 6: Rename on iPhone, iPad or Android
- File name rules and tips
- Which method should you use?
- Troubleshooting
- Frequently Asked Questions
Before You Start
This guide reflects Microsoft and Apple support documentation as of September 2026. It covers Word in Microsoft 365, Word 2024 and 2021, File Explorer in Windows 11, Finder on macOS, Word for the web, OneDrive, and the Word apps for iPhone, iPad and Android.
Two terms come up a lot:
- File name: the name you see in folders, such as “Budget Report.docx.” Renaming changes only this. Your text, formatting, comments and tracked changes stay exactly as they are.
- File extension: the few letters after the last period, usually .docx for Word (older files may be .doc). The extension tells your computer which app opens the file, so don’t change or delete it. Windows sometimes hides extensions. To see them, follow how to show file extensions in Windows 11.
What you need: access to the folder or cloud location where the document is stored, and permission to edit it. For files in a shared work or school library, your permissions may limit renaming.
Method 1: Rename an Open Document From Word’s Title Bar
Microsoft’s recommended approach for Microsoft 365 subscribers is to rename from inside the app. It’s the easiest option when the document is already open, because you don’t need to close it first. It works best for files saved to OneDrive or SharePoint, and the option may look different or be missing on older, non-subscription versions of Word.
- Open the document in Word.
- Select the file name on the title bar, at the top center of the Word window.
Expected result: a small menu opens that shows the file name, its location, and a link to version history. - Click in the file name box and type the new name. You don’t need to type .docx.
- Press Enter or click back in the document.
Expected result: the title bar shows the new name, and the file is renamed where it’s stored, not copied.
From the same menu, you can also choose a new location to move the file to, or open version history to see earlier versions. Microsoft explains this in its Rename a file guide.
Method 2: Rename in File Explorer (Windows)
This is the standard method for a closed document on Windows 11. Close the document in Word first, because Windows usually won’t rename a file that’s open in another program.
- Press Windows key + E to open File Explorer.
- Go to the folder that contains the document.
- Select the file once so it’s highlighted.
- Press F2, or select Rename in the toolbar at the top of File Explorer (it may show only as an icon), or right-click the file and choose Rename.
Expected result: the file name becomes an editable box, with the name selected but not the extension. - Type the new name and press Enter.
Expected result: the file shows its new name in the folder.
Other ways that work in the same place: click the name once, pause, and click it again (a slow double-click) to edit it. You can also rename from Word’s own Open dialog. Go to File, then Open, then Browse, select a document that isn’t open, and press F2.
Method 3: Save As or Save a Copy With a New Name
Use this when you want a second version of a document, such as a draft and a final. Before you use it to “rename,” remember that it creates a new file. The original stays in its folder under the old name until you delete it.
- In Word, select File, then Save As, or press F12 on Windows.
- Choose where to save the new copy.
- Type the new name in the file name box.
- Select Save.
Expected result: Word now shows the new file. Changes you make from now on go into it, not the original. - If you don’t need the old version, delete it from its folder.
Why you might see Save a Copy instead
AutoSave saves your changes every few seconds when a file is stored on OneDrive, OneDrive for work or school, or SharePoint. With those files, the File menu may show Save a Copy instead of Save As. Microsoft recommends choosing Save a Copy before you start editing. Otherwise, AutoSave writes your changes into the original too. See Microsoft’s page on what you should know about AutoSave.
Method 4: Rename on a Mac
Apple’s Finder is the standard way to rename a closed Word file on a Mac.
- Close the document in Word.
- Open Finder and go to the file.
- Select the file, then press Return. You can also force-click the name on a trackpad.
Expected result: the name becomes editable. - Type the new name and press Return.
To rename several files at once, select them, Control-click, and choose Rename. You can then replace text, add text, or apply a numbered format. Apple notes that you can’t use a colon in a name or start it with a period, and that you shouldn’t change the extension. The steps are in Apple’s Rename files, folders, and disks on Mac guide.
In Word for Mac, File, then Save As (or Save a Copy for cloud files) works as described in Method 3. With Microsoft 365, the title bar may also let you rename an open document, depending on your version.
Method 5: Rename in Word for the Web and OneDrive
Word for the web
- Open the document at office.com or from OneDrive.
- Select the file name at the top of the page.
- Type the new name and press Enter.
Expected result: the new name appears at the top and in OneDrive. Word for the web saves automatically, so there’s nothing else to save.
OneDrive on the web
- Go to onedrive.com and sign in.
- Select the file. In List view, check the circle to the left of the file. In Tiles or Photo view, check the circle in the upper-right corner of the tile.
- Select Rename from the menu.
- Enter the new name and confirm.
In a SharePoint document library at work or school, hover over the file, select the three dots (Show actions), choose Rename, enter the name and select Save. In SharePoint in Microsoft 365, sharing links keep working after a rename, but links that point straight to the old file address may not.
Method 6: Rename on iPhone, iPad or Android
On iPhone and iPad, Microsoft replaced Save As with Save a Copy. The Word app saves automatically as you work.
- Open the document in Word on your iPhone or iPad.
- Tap File, then Save a Copy.
- Choose where to save it and enter the new name.
- Confirm. Then delete the old copy if you don’t need it.
For a brand-new document, tap File, then Name to give it a name the first time. Microsoft covers this on its Where is Save As? page.
To rename the original rather than make a copy, use the app where the file is stored. For OneDrive files, the OneDrive app on Android and iPhone can rename files. For files on your device, use the Files app on iPhone or a file manager on Android. On Android, the Word app’s menus vary by version, so look for a Save a Copy or rename option under File or the three-dot menu.
File Name Rules and Tips
- Characters Windows won’t accept: the backslash, forward slash, colon, asterisk, question mark, double quote, less-than and greater-than signs, and the vertical bar.
- OneDrive extras: OneDrive may automatically rename files whose names begin or end with a space, end with a period, contain certain special characters, or sit in a folder path that’s too long overall. Microsoft says the file’s contents aren’t changed.
- Mac: no colons, and don’t start a name with a period (that hides the file).
- Be descriptive: put the subject first and a date in year-month-day order, such as “Lease Agreement 2026-09-15,” so files sort correctly.
- Spaces are fine in modern Windows, Mac and OneDrive. Use hyphens or underscores if you share files with systems that dislike spaces.
- Same name, different folders: two files can share a name as long as they’re in different folders.
If you’re renaming a batch of documents to send or archive, you may also want to zip the folder afterward so they travel together.
Which Method Should You Use?
| Situation | Best method | Creates a copy? |
|---|---|---|
| Document is open in Word (Microsoft 365) | Title bar file name | No |
| Document is closed on Windows | File Explorer, F2 | No |
| Document is closed on a Mac | Finder, Return | No |
| File is in OneDrive or SharePoint | Word for the web or OneDrive Rename | No |
| You want to keep the old version too | Save As or Save a Copy | Yes |
| You’re on iPhone or iPad | Save a Copy, or rename in OneDrive or Files | Save a Copy: yes |
Troubleshooting
Windows says the file is open in another program
Close the document in Word, and check for other open Word windows. Then try again. Or rename it from Word’s title bar while it’s open (Method 1).
The file no longer opens in Word after renaming
The extension was probably changed or removed. Turn on file extensions in File Explorer, rename the file so it ends in .docx (or .doc for older files), and try again.
Word’s Recent list shows the old name
The Recent list remembers the old location. Open the file from its folder once, and the new name will be added to Recent.
Links to the document stopped working
Other documents or shortcuts that point to the old name or path may break. Update those links, or share a fresh link from OneDrive or SharePoint.
OneDrive changed my file name
OneDrive renames items that contain unsupported characters, start or end with a space, end with a period, or have paths that are too long. Shorten the name or folder path and remove special characters.
I renamed with Save As and now have two files
That’s expected. Save As creates a new file. Delete the old one if you no longer need it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I rename a Word document while it’s open?
Yes, with Microsoft 365. Select the file name on Word’s title bar. File Explorer usually won’t rename a document while it’s open.
Does renaming change what’s inside the document?
No. Only the file name changes. Text, formatting, comments and tracked changes stay the same.
Is Save As the same as renaming?
No. Save As creates a new file with the new name and leaves the original in place. Renaming changes the existing file’s name.
Why don’t I see Save As in Word?
When a file is stored in OneDrive or SharePoint with AutoSave on, and in the iPhone and iPad apps, Word shows Save a Copy instead.
Do I need to type .docx when renaming?
No. In Word’s title bar and Save dialogs, the extension is added for you. In File Explorer, leave the existing .docx in place.
Can I rename several Word files at once?
On a Mac, select them, Control-click and choose Rename. In Windows File Explorer, selecting several files and pressing F2 gives them all the same base name with numbers added.
Summary
- Open documents: select the file name on Word’s title bar (Microsoft 365).
- Closed files on Windows: File Explorer, F2, new name, Enter.
- Closed files on Mac: Finder, Return, new name, Return.
- Cloud files: rename from Word for the web or OneDrive’s Rename option.
- Save As and Save a Copy make a new file, so delete the old one if needed.
Next step: once your files have clear names, run a final check with Microsoft Editor in Word before you share them.
Kermit Matthews is a freelance writer based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with more than a decade of experience writing technology guides. He has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Computer Science and has spent much of his professional career in IT management.
He specializes in writing content about iPhones, Android devices, Microsoft Office, and many other popular applications and devices.