Renaming YouTube videos automatically refers to using software tools to change downloaded filenames based on video metadata (like title, channel name, upload date) instead of manually editing them. Downloaded videos often have cryptic filenames like "videoplayback.mp4". Automatic renaming utilizes tools that extract metadata directly from YouTube and formats the filename based on user-defined patterns, saving manual effort.

Specialized downloader applications or command-line tools enable this feature. For example, programs like yt-dlp or 4K Video Downloader let users set custom naming templates (e.g., "%(title)s.%(ext)s") during download, generating filenames like "How to Bake Bread - Chef Tutorial.mp4". Media centers like Plex may also automatically match and rename downloaded files using scraped metadata after download.

The major advantage is significant time savings and consistent file organization for large collections. However, success depends entirely on the tool's ability to accurately fetch metadata, which can fail for unavailable or poorly tagged videos. Importantly, automating downloads using third-party tools violates YouTube's Terms of Service; users should carefully consider copyright and ethical implications before proceeding, focusing only on content they have explicit rights to download.