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Short answer
In Folder Rules, choose a supported folder, select Add rule, and set the file type and destination. Preview the rule before selecting Save rule. Saving can process matching files already in the folder as well as new arrivals.
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
Start with a sample folder
Put a few sample PDFs and a different file type in a test folder. In Folder Rules, select Choose folder and choose that folder.
Add a PDF rule
Select Add rule, enter a Rule name such as Copy PDFs, and set Item type to File. Enter pdf in File extensions (optional). Leave Include subfolders off for this first test.
Choose the action and output
Under Do this, choose Copy. Use Choose destination to select a separate folder outside the watched folder. Set If the name already exists to Keep both.
Preview, then save
Select Preview. Check that the matching files and destination are the ones you intended, then select Save rule. Saving applies the rule to matching existing and new items once they are ready.
Check and apply the same idea to Downloads
Open Activity and inspect the copied files in the destination. After the sample succeeds, add your actual supported Downloads folder and create a similarly narrow rule. Choose Move only if you want files removed from their old location and the destination is on the same volume.
Check your result
- Only the intended extension matched; the different sample file stayed out of the result.
- Activity reports the actual outcome and the destination files open correctly.
- Review existing Downloads files before saving a rule there.
If a download has not moved yet
Folder Rules waits for items that are still arriving or changing. Check Activity for a waiting reason, missing location, access problem or unsupported item before repeating the operation.
Rules keep running when the main window closes. Use Pause to stop new work or use the tray controls to exit.
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.
Choose an organizer for your files and rules
For a one-off tidy-up, selecting and moving files in File Explorer may be enough. Folder Rules is an option for recurring work in supported fixed local NTFS folders, with a Preview before saving and outcomes in Activity. The first matching rule controls the action; Move stays on the same volume.
Consider File Juggler when the rule needs conditions based on text inside documents or variables built from that text. Its documentation covers file-content conditions alongside Move, Copy and Rename. Check the supported document types for your specific rule.
DropIt offers a drag-and-drop target for processing selected files and folders, profiles, and automatic folder monitoring. Consider that workflow when you want to apply defined actions to a batch you drop onto a target. With any organizer, test copies first and check the destination, name conflicts and actual result before widening the rule.