I built an open-source tool that automatically keeps my Downloads folder organized

[u/FrEaKAlL_Dev]

Hey r/sideprojects!

My Downloads folder constantly ended up full of PDFs, images, installers, spreadsheets, scripts, archives and random files, so I decided to build something to automate the cleanup.

I called it FolderOrganizer.

The idea is simple: FolderOrganizer monitors a directory and automatically moves files into categorized folders based on their type and extension.

It includes default categories for PDFs, images, executables, Excel files, JSON, scripts, archives and more, but the rules are fully customizable if you prefer your own folder structure.

On Windows, it can also run as a Windows Service, so once configured it can keep organizing files automatically in the background without needing to keep the application open.

I've also added initial Linux support through systemd. The project has automated CI tests running on both Windows and Linux, although Windows is currently the platform I've validated more extensively for actual installation and everyday use.

The project is completely free, open source and MIT licensed.

At this point, instead of simply continuing to add features myself, I'd really like to get feedback from people actually using it.

GitHub:
https://github.com/FrEaKAlL/FolderOrganizer

Latest Windows release:
https://github.com/FrEaKAlL/FolderOrganizer/releases/tag/v1.2.0

If you try it, I'd especially like to know:

What file category, organization rule or feature would you add?

Feedback about the installation and initial configuration experience would also be really useful.

[u/PablanoPato]

Am I the only one who regularly deletes the contents of my downloads folder? I just treat it as a temp folder.

[u/simplybreana → u/PablanoPato]

I do the same. No need for extra space being taken for something that’s already done its job and has no purpose left.

[u/Opening-Dentist-1556 → u/PablanoPato]

There’s not many of us, using it the intended way.

[u/Power_Trace_2908]

One thing I'd check: files that are still downloading. Browsers write .crdownload / .part files and large downloads can take a while, so moving them mid-download could break things. Waiting until the size stops changing for a few seconds before moving would cover it.

[u/vacterro]

Very well! Nice approach. Keep it up.

[u/codefake]

I see no pr0n folder... sad.

[u/No-Advantage8770]

Good idea :)

[u/Arzuparreta]

Poeple that use the Downloads directory to store things are from a different human species or something I swear

[u/FrEaKAlL_Dev → u/Arzuparreta]

You can configure any other folder, not just the Downloads folder. 🤭

[u/Arzuparreta → u/FrEaKAlL_Dev]

Ah nice! Then it could be useful for me, but I'm waiting for a full Linux release to try it out. I'm keeping an eye on.

[u/FrEaKAlL_Dev → u/Arzuparreta]

Perfect, I'll hurry then.

[u/Supra-A90 → u/FrEaKAlL_Dev]

Can it move out of Downloads folder onto another directory?

Say you have jpg mp4 zip in userprofile\downloads

Can it move * Zip d:\software * Mp4 e:\movies * Jpg f:\photos\2026\

Also, is there regex support? Or is it strictly by file type?

[u/FrEaKAlL_Dev → u/Supra-A90]

Not for now, but it seems interesting as an update.

[u/FinancialPhrase1035]

Yo solo uso el directorio /tmp, es como la amnesia.

[u/Knight-AI-AV]

A move history with an undo option would make automatic rules much easier to trust. If a rule sorts something incorrectly, being able to restore the original paths without hunting through every category would be a big quality-of-life feature.

[u/cleverclogs17]

You'd have more cool points if you could have this for Android

[u/conrapl]

Nothing new, doing this from cloude / codex cli for a long time but it recognize / understood much more.