File renameTo() method in Java with examples

Last Updated : 28 Jan, 2019

The renameTo() method is a part of File class. The renameTo() function is used to rename the abstract path name of a File to a given path name. The function returns true if the file is renamed else returns false

Function Signature:

public boolean renameTo(File destination)

Syntax:

file.renameTo(File destination)

Parameters: The function requires File object destination as parameter, the new abstract path name of the present file.

Return Value: The function returns boolean data type. The function returns true the file is renamed else returns false

Exception: This method throws following exceptions:

Security Exception if the method does not allow write operation of the abstract pathnames.
NullPointerException if the destination filename is null.

Below programs will illustrate the use of renameTo() function:

Example 1: Try to rename the file program.txt to program1.txt

// Java program to demonstrate 
// the use of File.renameTo() method 
  
import java.io.*; 
  
public class GFG { 
  
    public static void main(String args[]) 
    { 
        // create an abstract pathname (File object) 
        File f = new File("F:\\program.txt"); 
  
        // create the destination file object 
        File dest = new File("F:\\program1.txt"); 
  
        // check if the file can be renamed 
        // to the abstract path name 
        if (f.renameTo(dest)) { 
  
            // display that the file is renamed 
            // to the abstract path name 
            System.out.println("File is renamed"); 
        } 
        else { 
            // display that the file cannot be renamed 
            // to the abstract path name 
            System.out.println("File cannot be renamed"); 
        } 
    } 
} 

Output:

File is renamed

Example 2: Try to rename “program1.txt” to “prog.txt”, “prog.txt” is a existing file in the f: drive .

// Java program to demonstrate 
// the use of File.renameTo() method 
  
import java.io.*; 
  
public class GFG { 
    public static void main(String args[]) 
    { 
        // create an abstract pathname (File object) 
        File f = new File("F:\\program1.txt"); 
  
        // create the destination file object 
        File dest = new File("F:\\prog.txt"); 
  
        // check if the file can be renamed 
        // to the abstract path name 
        if (f.renameTo(dest)) { 
  
            // display that the file is renamed 
            // to the abstract path name 
            System.out.println("File is renamed"); 
        } 
        else { 
            // display that the file cannot be renamed 
            // to the abstract path name 
            System.out.println("File cannot be renamed"); 
        } 
    } 
} 