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Sort Downloads Automatically on Mac

On Folder Change

  1. A direct item in ~/Downloads is Added.

Match Download Type

AND
  1. The changed item name from Folder Contents Changed matches (?i)\.(png|jpe?g|heic|webp)$

Move Images

  1. Move Item Path to ~/Pictures/Inbox, and Use a Numbered Name if the name already exists

Match Download Type

AND
  1. The changed item name from Folder Contents Changed ends with .pdf

Move PDFs

  1. Move Item Path to ~/Documents/PDF Inbox, and Use a Numbered Name if the name already exists

Match Download Type

AND
  1. The changed item name from Folder Contents Changed matches (?i)\.(zip|7z|tar|gz)$

Move Archives

  1. Move Item Path to ~/Downloads/Archives, and Use a Numbered Name if the name already exists

Sort new downloads into folders by file type

This Rule separates common downloads into image, PDF, and archive destinations. It is useful for an inbox workflow where pictures should go to a visual review folder, documents to a reading queue, and compressed files to an archive folder.

When: A direct item is added to the watched Downloads folder. If: Its filename matches one of three branches. Do: Move that item’s path to the corresponding destination. The image branch matches PNG, JPEG, HEIC, and WebP names; the PDF branch checks .pdf; the archive branch matches ZIP, 7z, TAR, and GZ names.

Configure and try it

  1. Import with Open this Rule in Rulr and select the source folder on your Mac.
  2. Review all three Move File or Folder Actions. The sample paths are Pictures/Inbox, Documents/PDF Inbox, and Downloads/Archives; select destinations that exist and suit your workflow.
  3. Keep each Action connected to the Trigger’s Item Path Variable and review the numbered-name conflict option.
  4. Add disposable examples of an image, PDF, and archive. Confirm that each reaches its intended folder. Add an unrelated text file and check that it stays in Downloads.

Compare the other Mac file automation tasks before adding more branches. Folder Contents Changed provides the Item Path used by the move Actions; the Mac automation guide explains how event outputs and Conditions connect.

Requirements and limits

Folder monitoring and moving files require Rulr Pro. Allow access to each folder involved. The Rule matches names, without inspecting file contents, unpacking archives, or sorting files already in the folder.

The watcher is not recursive, and an added-item event is not a guarantee that a download is complete. Try the browsers and download tools you normally use. For a narrower workflow with one destination, use Organize Downloaded PDFs.

Will this clean up old downloads or delete files?

The sample moves new matching items; it does not delete downloads or scan an existing backlog. Files that match none of the three branches stay where they are. For sorting incoming photos and videos into separate folders, use Import Media.

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