File renameTo() method in Java with examples

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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");
        }
    }
}