Image File Names for SEO: Best Practices (2026)

The filename of your image is the very first signal Google sees. Before it reads your Alt Text or scans your pixels, it reads your filename.

Image file names are one of the first signals Google reads, but they work best when combined with proper image size, compression, alt text, and indexing. This guide focuses on filenames only — for the complete workflow, see our Image Optimization Guide.

Ideal for: Content Uploaders and CMS Managers.

Last updated: Jan 2026

Reviewed using Google Image SEO documentation & John Mueller guidance.

TL;DR

• Rename images descriptively before upload
• Use hyphens, lowercase, and short phrases
• Filenames support image understanding — not magic rankings

If your homepage hero image is named DSC_8921.jpg, you just told Google exactly nothing.

Why Filenames Matter

Google recommends using descriptive filenames to help its systems understand images more effectively.

Image SEO Workflow (Recommended Order)

1. Resize image to correct dimensions
2. Compress image (WebP/AVIF)
3. Rename file descriptively (this guide)
4. Add alt text
5. Upload & index

Google’s John Mueller has explained that descriptive filenames help Google understand image content, especially for image search results. They provide context.

• Context: red-running-shoes.jpg tells the crawler exactly what the image is about.
• Keywords: It is a natural, non-spammy place to include your target keyword.
• User Trust: If a user downloads your image, a descriptive name builds trust.

Best Practices Checklist

1. Use Keywords, Not Gibberish

• ❌ Bad: img_29102.png
• ❌ Bad: screenshot_1.jpg
• ✅ Good: iphone-16-pro-review.jpg

👉 Fix this instantly: Use our Image Converter to rename and convert files in one step.

Visual Example: Before vs After

2. Hyphens, Not Underscores

Google treats hyphens (-) as space separators. It treats underscores (_) as joiners.

• red_shoe.jpg = Google sees "redshoe" (one word).
• red-shoe.jpg = Google sees "red shoe" (two words). Always use hyphens.

3. Keep It Short

Don't write a paragraph.

• ❌ Too Long: man-walking-dog-in-park-during-sunset-with-trees.jpg
• ✅ Just Right: man-walking-dog-sunset.jpg

👉 Pro Tip: Large filenames often mean large images. Always compress first.

4. Lowercase Only

Servers (especially Linux/Unix) are case-sensitive. Image.jpg and image.jpg are different files. To avoid broken links, always use lowercase.

How to Rename in Bulk

You don't need to manually click "Rename" on 100 files.

• Mac: Select files -> Right Click -> Rename -> Format.
• Windows: PowerToys PowerRename.

Conclusion

Renaming images takes 5 seconds but lasts forever in the search index. Make it a habit.

Quick Recap checklist:

• Rename file before upload
• Use keywords relevant to content
• Use hyphens (not spaces or underscores)
• Keep it lowercase and short

👉 Ready to optimize? Use our Image Converter to rename + compress in one step.

Read Next

• Image Optimization Guide (Pillar)
• Image Alt Text Best Practices
• Best Image Size for SEO