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Short answer
Use Folder Rules to send matching downloads to a chosen folder. For a first test, copy PDF files: choose a folder, add a File rule for pdf, choose Copy and a separate destination, then Preview. Save rule starts checking both existing matches and new arrivals.
This guide covers Folder Rules. Check requirements and download options before you begin.
Before you start
- Folder Rules from Microsoft Store and Windows 11 24H2 or later on an x64 PC.
- A watched folder and separate destination on a fixed drive in this PC, outside OneDrive, other cloud/sync folders and network shares. The drive must use NTFS: check File system in the drive's Properties in File Explorer.
- A small test folder containing expendable sample files.
- Choose the scopeA sample Downloads folder.
- Match and previewFor example, PDF files only.
- Check a copyReview output before wider rules.
Start here
Prepare a small test folder
Put two sample PDFs and a JPG in a test folder. Create a separate folder beside it for the copied PDFs. In Folder Rules, select Choose folder and choose the test folder.
Match PDFs
Select Add rule. Use a Rule name such as Copy PDFs, set Item type to File and enter pdf in File extensions (optional). Leave Include subfolders off for this test.
Choose Copy and the destination
Under Do this, select Copy. Use Choose destination to select the separate PDF folder, outside the watched folder. Set If the name already exists to Keep both.
Preview before saving
Select Preview. Check that the PDFs match, the JPG does not, and the destination is right. Then choose Save rule. Saving can start work on matching files already in the folder.
Check the result, then adapt it to Downloads
Open Activity and the copied PDFs. When the test works, use Pause while reviewing the files already in your real Downloads folder and setting up its rule. Preview, save and Resume when ready. For files to leave Downloads, choose Move only when the destination is on the same volume.
Check your result
- Only the PDFs matched; the JPG stayed out of the result.
- Activity shows the actual outcome and the destination PDFs open correctly.
- Before saving a Downloads rule, you checked the matching files already there.
If a download has not moved yet
A file may wait while a download or another app is still writing it. Check Activity for that reason, an access problem or an unsupported item before trying again.
Pause stops new work and asks current work to cancel. Wait for the final Activity result before changing an affected file. Closing the main window leaves rules running; use Pause or the tray controls to exit when you need them to stop.
Scope and rule order
Every condition you set must match. File extensions uses entries such as pdf, jpg separated by commas; wildcard patterns belong in Name pattern under More conditions.
Rules run in order and the first matching rule controls the action. Put a specific rule above a broader one using Move up or Move down. Cloud/sync, removable and network watched folders are not supported.
Adapt the example to other file types
For photos, use extensions such as jpg,png and choose a separate photo folder. For PDFs whose names follow a pattern, add a Name pattern under More conditions. Preview each new rule on samples.
Folder Rules does not work out a destination by reading the meaning of a document. Use conditions that describe the filenames or other options actually shown.
For a one-time tidy-up, selecting files in File Explorer may be enough. Rules are useful when the same sorting job keeps coming back.