Source: https://restorebunny.com/guides/photo-filenames-unicode-and-portable-delivery/

# Plan Portable Photo Filenames Without Losing Names

Balance readable filenames with stable IDs and preserve complete names in captions or inventories.

File formats & delivery2 min readUpdated 16 October 2026

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Quick answer

## The short version

A delivery filename needs to survive the recipient’s tools while retaining a reliable link to the archive. Use stable identifiers and a documented convention rather than relying on a long descriptive filename as the only record. Preserve complete personal names and language-specific spelling in captions and inventories.

## Define the job before editing

A delivery filename needs to survive the recipient’s tools while retaining a reliable link to the archive. Use stable identifiers and a documented convention rather than relying on a long descriptive filename as the only record. Preserve complete personal names and language-specific spelling in captions and inventories.

## Test the actual destination

Different devices and applications can handle naming conventions differently. Try representative filenames, including any non-Latin text that matters to the project, and confirm how they appear after download and extraction. Avoid silently stripping meaningful names from the only descriptive record.

## Make the decision from evidence

A short ID-based delivery name can be paired with a caption table that preserves full spelling. Keep a mapping when you rename files. Do not confuse filename changes with image edits; hashes can still identify byte-identical copies when their names differ.

## A worked planning example

Example: IMG-0217.jpg is paired with an inventory containing the person’s full correctly spelled name. The delivery set uses the stable ID, while the caption and README explain how names and descriptions are associated with each photograph.

## A practical checklist

1. Choose a stable naming convention.
2. Preserve full descriptions separately.
3. Test representative destination names.
4. Keep a rename mapping.

## Keep a traceable result

Keep the source file, the working copy and the delivery copy as separate items. Record the input and the changes you actually made so another person can understand the result later. These workflow examples are planning examples, not documented customer outcomes or proof of a successful restoration.

## FAQs

Should I remove accents from every person’s name?

Do not lose meaningful spelling in the descriptive record. If a restricted filename convention is needed, preserve the full name in a separate supported caption or inventory.

Should I replace my original with the edited copy?

Keep the source unchanged and save a separate working or sharing copy. An export, edit or AI interpretation can omit information that remains useful in the source.

## Sources

Preservation and technical guidance reviewed for this article.

- MDN Web Docs: [SHA-256 with SubtleCrypto.digest](<https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/API/SubtleCrypto/digest>)

## Related

- [Open the related free tool](<https://restorebunny.com/tools/image-hash-checker/>)
- [Check a Mobile Photo Export Before Sharing It](<https://restorebunny.com/guides/check-mobile-photo-exports-before-sharing/>)
- [Hand Over a Photo Archive to a New Custodian](<https://restorebunny.com/guides/handover-a-photo-archive-to-a-new-custodian/>)
- [Browse photo guides](<https://restorebunny.com/guides/>)
- [Free image tools](<https://restorebunny.com/tools/>)

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