How to Use FileBot to Rename and Organize Media Files for Plex

FileBot matches your movie and TV files against online databases and renames them into a structure Plex can read, using its built-in {plex} naming standard. The basic flow is: drag files into the Original Files list, pick a datasource, let FileBot generate New Names, check the matches, then hit Rename. If you want this to run without you, the same tool exposes a CLI and an amc script for unattended workflows. This guide covers both paths, plus what to do when a match goes wrong.

Before you start

You need FileBot installed (native installers and packages exist for all major operating systems, per the FileBot site), and your media files somewhere on disk. A license is required for continued use — the site lists a 1-year universal license at US$8.00 and a lifetime universal license at US$80.00, sold through Paddle. Nothing in the source material says the tool is free, so plan on a purchase.

Decide which datasource fits your library:

Renaming a batch with the GUI

1. Drag your movie or episode files into the Original Files list area. FileBot accepts files dropped in bulk, so you can queue hundreds at once.
2. Right-click the New Names list area and select your preferred datasource (TheMovieDB, TheTVDB, or AniDB).
3. Review the generated names. FileBot matches each file against the database automatically. This is the step worth slowing down for — a wrong match here becomes a wrong match in Plex.
4. Hit Rename. FileBot moves and renames the files into the standard structure.

The key setting is the naming scheme. You can build a custom scheme with MediaInfo support and language preferences, or keep it simple and stick to the {plex} naming standard — which is what you want if Plex is the target, since it produces the folder and filename layout Plex expects.

Fixing a bad match

Automatic matching is good but not infallible, especially with ambiguous titles, multi-episode files, or anime with alternate season numbering. When a file lands on the wrong entry:

• Manually search the database from within FileBot and pick the correct result.
• Re-check the New Names list before renaming — the preview exists precisely so you can catch this.
• If you already renamed, use the internal history to revert the rename operation and start over.

Automating it with the CLI and amc script

For an unattended setup, FileBot offers a simple CLI for common cases and a built-in scripting engine for more complex ones. The site's example for a basic rename is:

filebot -rename *.mkv

For a full media-center pipeline, the amc script is the intended tool. Per the FileBot site, one filebot command with amc can extract archives, identify and organize media files, fetch additional artwork and metadata, and update Plex. That makes it suitable for a scheduled or watch-folder-driven workflow where files land in a directory and get processed without intervention.

Subtitles and artwork

Subtitles are handled the same drag-and-drop way: drop files onto the drop area and hit Download to fetch from OpenSubtitles. FileBot can find matching subtitles via file hash, and it includes an integrated subtitle viewer for srt files, plus manual search, preview, and encoding fixes. Artwork and cover images are fetched alongside the rename when you use the matching features.

What to verify after renaming

• Plex picks up the new files and matches them without manual correction.
• Multi-episode or specials files landed in the season/episode slots you expect.
• Subtitles are attached to the right files and display correctly (check encoding if they don't).
• If anything is off, revert via history rather than renaming by hand — it keeps the library consistent.