diff --git a/src/recordpanel.cpp b/src/recordpanel.cpp
--- a/src/recordpanel.cpp
+++ b/src/recordpanel.cpp
@@ -23,7 +23,11 @@
 #include <QMessageBox>
 #include <QFileDialog>
 #include <QRegularExpression>
+#include <QCompleter>
+#include <QFileSystemModel>
+#include <QDirModel>
 #include <QtDebug>
+#include <ctime>
 
 #include "recordpanel.h"
 #include "ui_recordpanel.h"
@@ -71,6 +75,12 @@ RecordPanel::RecordPanel(Stream* stream,
     connect(&recordAction, &QAction::toggled, ui->cbTimestamp, &QWidget::setDisabled);
     connect(&recordAction, &QAction::toggled, ui->leSeparator, &QWidget::setDisabled);
     connect(&recordAction, &QAction::toggled, ui->pbBrowse, &QWidget::setDisabled);
+
+    QCompleter *completer = new QCompleter(this);
+    // TODO: QDirModel is deprecated, use QFileSystemModel (but it doesn't work)
+    completer->setModel(new QDirModel(completer));
+    completer->setCaseSensitivity(Qt::CaseInsensitive);
+    ui->leFileName->setCompleter(completer);
 }
 
 RecordPanel::~RecordPanel()
@@ -99,13 +109,75 @@ bool RecordPanel::selectFile()
     }
     else
     {
-        selectedFile = fileName;
-        ui->lbFileName->setText(selectedFile);
+        setSelectedFile(fileName);
         overwriteSelected = QFile::exists(fileName);
         return true;
     }
 }
 
+QString RecordPanel::selectedFile() const
+{
+    return ui->leFileName->text();
+}
+
+void RecordPanel::setSelectedFile(QString f)
+{
+    ui->leFileName->setText(f);
+}
+
+QString RecordPanel::getSelectedFile()
+{
+    if (selectedFile().isEmpty())
+    {
+        if (!selectFile()) return QString();
+    }
+
+    // assume that file name contains a time format specifier
+    if (selectedFile().contains("%"))
+    {
+        auto ts = formatTimeStamp(selectedFile());
+        if (!QFile::exists(ts) || // file doesn't exists
+            confirmOverwrite(ts)) // exists but user accepted overwrite
+        {
+            return ts;
+        }
+        return QString();
+    }
+
+    // if no timestamp and file exists try autoincrement option
+    if (!overwriteSelected && QFile::exists(selectedFile()))
+    {
+        if (ui->cbAutoIncrement->isChecked())
+        {
+            if (!incrementFileName()) return QString();
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            if (!confirmOverwrite(selectedFile()))
+                return QString();
+        }
+    }
+
+    return selectedFile();
+}
+
+QString RecordPanel::formatTimeStamp(QString t) const
+{
+    auto maxSize = t.size() + 1024;
+    auto r = new char[maxSize];
+
+    time_t rawtime;
+    struct tm * timeinfo;
+
+    time(&rawtime);
+    timeinfo = localtime (&rawtime);
+    strftime(r, maxSize, t.toLatin1().data(), timeinfo);
+
+    auto rs = QString(r);
+    delete r;
+    return rs;
+}
+
 void RecordPanel::onRecord(bool start)
 {
     if (!start)
@@ -124,22 +196,11 @@ void RecordPanel::onRecord(bool start)
     }
 
     // check file name
-    if (!canceled && selectedFile.isEmpty() && !selectFile())
-    {
-        canceled = true;
-    }
-
-    if (!canceled && !overwriteSelected && QFile::exists(selectedFile))
+    QString fn;
+    if (!canceled)
     {
-        if (ui->cbAutoIncrement->isChecked())
-        {
-            // TODO: should we increment even if user selected to replace?
-            canceled = !incrementFileName();
-        }
-        else
-        {
-            canceled = !confirmOverwrite(selectedFile);
-        }
+        fn = getSelectedFile();
+        canceled = fn.isEmpty();
     }
 
     if (canceled)
@@ -149,13 +210,13 @@ void RecordPanel::onRecord(bool start)
     else
     {
         overwriteSelected = false;
-        startRecording();
+        startRecording(fn);
     }
 }
 
 bool RecordPanel::incrementFileName(void)
 {
-    QFileInfo fileInfo(selectedFile);
+    QFileInfo fileInfo(selectedFile());
 
     QString base = fileInfo.completeBaseName();
     QRegularExpression regex("(.*?)(\\d+)(?!.*\\d)(.*)");
@@ -190,10 +251,9 @@ bool RecordPanel::incrementFileName(void
     }
     else
     {
-        selectedFile = autoFileName;
+        setSelectedFile(autoFileName);
     }
 
-    ui->lbFileName->setText(selectedFile);
     return true;
 }
 
@@ -220,7 +280,7 @@ bool RecordPanel::confirmOverwrite(QStri
     }
     else if (mb.clickedButton() == bOverwrite)
     {
-        selectedFile = fileName;
+        setSelectedFile(fileName);
         return true;
     }
     else                    // select button
@@ -229,14 +289,14 @@ bool RecordPanel::confirmOverwrite(QStri
     }
 }
 
-void RecordPanel::startRecording(void)
+void RecordPanel::startRecording(QString fileName)
 {
     QStringList channelNames;
     if (ui->cbHeader->isChecked())
     {
         channelNames = _stream->infoModel()->channelNames();
     }
-    if (recorder.startRecording(selectedFile, getSeparator(),
+    if (recorder.startRecording(fileName, getSeparator(),
                                 channelNames, ui->cbTimestamp->isChecked()))
     {
         _stream->connectFollower(&recorder);
diff --git a/src/recordpanel.h b/src/recordpanel.h
--- a/src/recordpanel.h
+++ b/src/recordpanel.h
@@ -62,7 +62,6 @@ private:
     Ui::RecordPanel *ui;
     QToolBar recordToolBar;
     QAction recordAction;
-    QString selectedFile;
     bool overwriteSelected;
     DataRecorder recorder;
     Stream* _stream;
@@ -90,7 +89,26 @@ private:
      */
     bool confirmOverwrite(QString fileName);
 
-    void startRecording(void);
+    /// Returns filename in edit box. May be invalid!
+    QString selectedFile() const;
+    /// Sets the filename in edit box.
+    void setSelectedFile(QString f);
+
+    /**
+     * Tries to get a valid file name by handling user interactions and
+     * automatic naming (increment, timestamp etc).
+     *
+     * Returned file name can be used immediately. File name box should also be
+     * set to selected file name.
+     *
+     * @return empty if failure otherwise valid filename
+     */
+    QString getSelectedFile();
+
+    /// Formats timestamp in given text
+    QString formatTimeStamp(QString t) const;
+
+    void startRecording(QString fileName);
     void stopRecording(void);
 
     /// Returns separator text from ui. "\t" is converted to TAB
diff --git a/src/recordpanel.ui b/src/recordpanel.ui
--- a/src/recordpanel.ui
+++ b/src/recordpanel.ui
@@ -19,6 +19,22 @@
      <item>
       <layout class="QHBoxLayout" name="horizontalLayout">
        <item>
+        <widget class="QLineEdit" name="leFileName">
+         <property name="sizePolicy">
+          <sizepolicy hsizetype="MinimumExpanding" vsizetype="Fixed">
+           <horstretch>0</horstretch>
+           <verstretch>0</verstretch>
+          </sizepolicy>
+         </property>
+         <property name="toolTip">
+          <string>You can use C `strftime` function format specifiers for timestamps in your file name.</string>
+         </property>
+         <property name="placeholderText">
+          <string>Enter file name or browse</string>
+         </property>
+        </widget>
+       </item>
+       <item>
         <widget class="QPushButton" name="pbBrowse">
          <property name="toolTip">
           <string>Select record file</string>
@@ -28,19 +44,6 @@
          </property>
         </widget>
        </item>
-       <item>
-        <widget class="QLabel" name="lbFileName">
-         <property name="sizePolicy">
-          <sizepolicy hsizetype="MinimumExpanding" vsizetype="Preferred">
-           <horstretch>0</horstretch>
-           <verstretch>0</verstretch>
-          </sizepolicy>
-         </property>
-         <property name="text">
-          <string>Select file...</string>
-         </property>
-        </widget>
-       </item>
       </layout>
      </item>
      <item>