Attribute Changer

Though there are certain system attributes of your files and folders that you can change just by using the Properties dialog, most of them are usually off limits.

Attribute Changer can unlock your files and folders properties and make them editable for you—from the more standard system properties (such as read-only, hidden, system, etc.) to traditionally untouchable ones like the date and time stamps.

Attribute Changer has no traditional interface that pops up every time you click on an icon—the program ‘installs’ on your context menu and, from there, you can open the program’s main window easily. There you will find all its most obvious functions, such as the Properties tab (to tweak all the file’s system attributes and stamps), and others not so straightforward, like changing the filename or the filters provided to make the most of the program’s batch processing capabilities. Thus, you can capitalize or lowercase all your filenames in one single operation, change all the date and/or time stamps of the files in a certain folder or matching a specific set of conditions, and even modify or remove EXIF data stored on your photos.

The program can also create random date and time stamps for you files, apply sequential stamps to them, synchronize dates and times, or add/subtract a given amount of days, months, years, hours, minutes, etc., to the existing date and time values.

As seen, Attribute Changer is a powerful tool capable of changing sensitive system attributes and other data in large amounts of files and folders in a snap. If you’re not too sure about the consequences or the possible outcome of a certain operation (especially when using wildcards to make your target files), you can always check the Simulation mode box to see the results without really changing anything. You can always count on the Reporting tab to display any failed actions.

Regardless being a free tool, Attribute Changer offers much more functionality than many other similar commercial utilities, not to mention your operating system’s lame options. This is an excellent addition to anyone’s context menu.