How to Rename a SharePoint Folder or File Using REST API with Power Automate

Last Updated:

Feb 20, 2023

Short notes on how rename a SharePoint folder or file using the SharePoint REST API.

1. How to Rename a Folder 📁

In the example below I have a document library called “Another Demo Library”. There is a folder called “This is the folder” which has the item ID of 72 that I want to rename. The flow will rename this folder (item ID 72) to “Renamed Folder”:

Here is the code used in the API request using the POST action:

USAGE

Method: POST

Uri:

_api/web/lists/GetbyTitle('<Document Library Name'>)/items(<item-ID>)/validateUpdateListItem

Body:
{
  "formValues": [
    {
      "FieldName": "FileLeafRef",
      "FieldValue": "<new-folder-name>"
    }
  ]
}

Here is the example code for the API request using the POST action:

_api/web/lists/GetbyTitle('Another Demo Library')/items(72)/validateUpdateListItem

{
  "formValues": [
    {
      "FieldName": "FileLeafRef",
      "FieldValue": "Renamed Folder"
    }
  ]
}

And here is the HTTP request used in the flow:

This is the HTTP request to rename a folder

Here is the folder being renamed to “Renamed Folder”

2. How to Rename a File 📄

Here is one method to rename a file in three steps:

Check Out file
Rename the File
Check In the File

You can also simply rename the file without using the Check In and Check Out actions. You’ll see this in Example 2: Renaming a File.

How does it work using the Check In and Check Out actions?

Flow to check-out the file, rename the file and then check-in the file. — Click above to see larger image

We can use the SharePoint item ID to check-out the file, rename the file and then check-in the file.

USAGE

Method: POST

Uri:

_api/web/lists/GetbyTitle('<Document Library Name'>)/items(<item ID>)/validateUpdateListItem

Body:

{
  "formValues": [
    {
      "FieldName": "FileLeafRef",
      "FieldValue": "<filename>"
    }
  ]
}

_api/web/lists/GetbyTitle('Documents')/items(8)/validateUpdateListItem

Body:
{
  "formValues": [
    {
      "FieldName": "FileLeafRef",
      "FieldValue": "TEST123ABC.docx"
    }
  ]
}