Run Shortcut for Folder

Watch a Mac folder and trigger an Apple Shortcut

Use this Rule when an Apple Shortcut already performs your file-processing task and you want changes in a folder to start it. Rulr provides the event trigger, while the selected Shortcut remains responsible for what happens afterward.

When: A direct item is added to the watched folder. Do: Run an Apple Shortcut. The sample has no If Condition, no selected Shortcut, and a 30-second timeout. It does not automatically pass the changed item’s path as input; configure an input connection if your Shortcut needs that information.

Configure and try it

1. Import with Open this Rule in Rulr, then select the folder to watch. The sample uses Downloads and the added change type.
2. Choose an existing Shortcut in Run Shortcut. Run it manually in the Shortcuts app first so you know its setup and permissions are complete.
3. Review whether the Shortcut expects input and connect the relevant Trigger Variable if needed. Adjust the timeout for the actual task.
4. Enable the Rule and add a disposable file. Verify the Shortcut’s expected result, then repeat with a second item to check that separate arrivals behave as intended.

When extending this workflow, review the folder Trigger’s parameters and outputs separately from the Apple Shortcut’s own settings. The Mac automation guide explains combining existing Shortcuts with other Rule Actions.

Requirements and limits

Folder monitoring requires Rulr Pro. Folder access and any permissions requested by the chosen Shortcut must be available on this Mac.

The watcher covers direct children, not nested contents, and an event is not a download-completion guarantee. Multiple arriving items can produce multiple runs, so choose a Shortcut suitable for repeated invocation. For opening each new file directly, use Open New Files.

Does the Shortcut receive the new file automatically?

The sample has no Shortcut input connected. If your Shortcut expects a file path, connect the folder Trigger’s Item Path and confirm that the Shortcut accepts that value. The Rule starts the Shortcut; the Shortcut determines how the file is processed. For built-in routing without a separate Shortcut, use Sort Downloads.