01
Keep several folder routines visible and independently enabled
The rule library separates client-image preparation, archive cleanup, and approval-file naming while the selected routine shows its watched location and live state.
Watch FoldersWorkflows
Turn arriving files into a reviewed local routine.
Watch Folders monitors chosen local folders and applies a saved action when new files match explicit conditions. Match images, PDFs, video, audio, SVG, any file, names, sizes, or ages; then move, copy, date-rename, convert to JPEG, strip metadata, or run a saved workflow. A dry run lists current matches and destinations before the rule can be enabled.
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What it does
Watch a local folder for matching arrivals and run a previewed action or saved workflow on them.
Keep several independently enabled rules for different incoming folders.
Match by file kind, name fragment, minimum size, or age.
Move, copy, date-rename, convert, strip metadata, or run a saved workflow.
Choose a dedicated output subfolder for non-destructive processing.
Preview matching files, estimated size, destinations, and conflicts before enabling.
Keep destructive background actions behind Foldout's review-first safety preference.
Preview before automation
Make every watched folder rule explicit before it handles new arrivals.
Folder, conditions, action, output destination, current matches, and conflicts stay visible from rule creation through enablement.
02
Define exactly what arrives and what Foldout should do
Choose the watched folder, file kinds, name, size or age conditions, then select a move, copy, rename, conversion, privacy cleanup, or saved workflow action.
03
Preview every current match before enabling automation
The dry run counts matching files and estimated size, lists each filename and destination, and exposes conflicts before the rule is trusted with future arrivals.
Why it belongs
Why Watch Folders earns a place in the toolbox.
The practical details that make this job faster, clearer, or safer than doing it by hand.
The rule says exactly what it watches
Folder, file kind, name, size, and age remain visible together so a broad automation never hides behind a vague title.
Dry run comes before enable
The current match list and planned destination prove what the rule would do; changing behavior requires another preview before enablement.
A rule can call a complete workflow
Watch Folders can hand matching arrivals to a saved multi-step Foldout workflow instead of being limited to one transform.
How to use it
From opening the tool to saving the result.
- 01
Create a rule and choose the local folder to watch.
- 02
Define the file conditions and resulting action.
- 03
Preview the current matches, destinations, and conflicts.
- 04
Save and enable the rule for future arrivals.
Questions
Before you try Watch Folders
Does creating a rule process existing files immediately?
No. Preview is a dry run, and a newly enabled rule establishes a baseline so it acts on future arrivals.
Can a watch rule run a multi-step workflow?
Yes. Choose any compatible saved Foldout workflow as the rule action.
Can a changed rule remain enabled without another preview?
No. Behavior-changing edits invalidate the prior preview until the rule is reviewed again.
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