Python | os.rename() method (original) (raw)

Last Updated : 12 Jul, 2025

**OS module in Python provides functions for interacting with the operating system. OS comes under Python’s standard utility modules. This module provides a portable way of using operating system-dependent functionality.

To rename a file or directory in Python you can use **os.rename() function of OS module. This method renames a source file or directory to a specified destination file or directory. It takes two parameters - **source (current file name) and **destination (new file name).

**Syntax:

**os.rename(source, destination, *, src_dir_fd = None, dst_dir_fd = None)

**Parameters:

• **source: A path-like object representing the file system path. This is the source file path which is to be renamed.
• **destination: A path-like object representing the file system path.
• **src_dir_fd (optional): A file descriptor referring to a directory.
• **dst_dir_fd (optional): A file descriptor referring to a directory.

**Return Type:

This method does not return any value.

Using os.rename() function and Error Handling:

Let's see the program on how to use the os.rename function of the OS module and how to handle errors while using it.

**Code 1: Use of **os.rename() method.

Python3 `

Python program to explain os.rename() method

importing os module

import os

Source file path

source = 'GeeksforGeeks/file.txt'

destination file path

dest = 'GeekforGeeks/newfile.txt'

Now rename the source path

to destination path

using os.rename() method

os.rename(source, dest) print("Source path renamed to destination path successfully.")

`

**Code 2: Handling possible errors

Python3 `

Python program to explain os.rename() method

importing os module

import os

Source file path

source = './GeeksforGeeks/file.txt'

destination file path

dest = './GeeksforGeeks/dir'

try renaming the source path

to destination path

using os.rename() method

try : os.rename(source, dest) print("Source path renamed to destination path successfully.")

If Source is a file

but destination is a directory

except IsADirectoryError: print("Source is a file but destination is a directory.")

If source is a directory

but destination is a file

except NotADirectoryError: print("Source is a directory but destination is a file.")

For permission related errors

except PermissionError: print("Operation not permitted.")

For other errors

except OSError as error: print(error)

`

**Reference Material: https://docs.python.org/3/library/os.html#os.rename

In this article, we have covered using os.rename() function to rename a file or directory in Python. This is a very easy and straightforward way of renaming a file or directory in Python. OS module provides a list of functions used to interact with the operating system.