Watched folders

Let Filarr import on its own the files that land in a folder of your computer, such as Downloads or a scanner folder, and keep them up to date.

On this page
Documentation sections

A watched folder is a folder of your computer that Filarr keeps an eye on. Each new file that lands there is imported into Filarr and encrypted, without you doing anything. It suits a Downloads folder, the folder where your scanner saves its pages, or the screenshots folder.

Open Settings → Watched folders. The page offers two tools:

  • Per-folder rules link one folder of your computer to one Filarr folder, with their own filters and tags. Filarr keeps following the files: a change updates the imported copy and, if you wish, a deletion is repeated in Filarr.
  • The Downloads inbox imports everything that arrives in the folders you choose into a single Filarr folder, to sort later. Nothing is followed after the import.

Add a per-folder rule

  1. Click Add a watched folder.
  2. Give the rule a Rule name, "Screenshots" for example.
  3. Under Computer folder to watch, click Pick… and choose the folder. It must exist on this computer, and it cannot be a folder of your Filarr vault.
  4. Tick Include subfolders if the files arrive in subfolders too.
  5. Under Import into Filarr folder, choose where the files will land.
  6. If you like, limit what comes in: Restrict to extensions (empty means everything) and Max file size (MB). Larger files are skipped, and programs are always blocked.
  7. Choose what happens to the original under After import: Keep source file, Securely delete source, or Move to subfolder… (for example processed/).
  8. Pick Automatic tags to tag every file this rule imports. This option needs the Solo plan or above.
  9. Turn on Enable mirror, under Mirror deletions, if a file deleted from the computer folder should also be deleted in Filarr.
  10. Click Save.

With Mirror deletions, the Safety threshold protects you from a mass deletion: if too many of the imported files disappear at once (a drive that was unplugged, for example), Filarr pauses the rule and shows Paused (safety). Check your drive, then click Resume anyway if all is well.

Each rule has its own buttons:

  • Pause and Resume stop and restart the watching;
  • Scan now imports the files that were already in the folder;
  • Edit changes the rule.

Deleting a rule stops the watching only: the files already imported stay in Filarr.

The number of rules depends on your plan: 1 with the free plan, 3 with Solo, as many as you want with Pro, Teams and Enterprise. See Plans and limits.

Set up the downloads inbox

  1. Under Filarr inbox, choose the Filarr folder where every imported file will land.
  2. Under Folders to watch, click Add a folder and pick your Downloads folder, or any other.
  3. If you like, set Filter by extension, and turn on Delete source file to remove each file from its original folder once it is in Filarr.
  4. Turn on Enable watching.

From then on, only new files are imported. To bring in the files already present, click Scan next to Run a scan now.

The inbox shows its state (Active or Inactive), the last file imported and how many files it brought in.

Sort what comes in

  • An automation rule with the Imported from the computer trigger can move or tag each imported file, for example PDFs to one folder and images to another.
  • If your Filarr inbox is named like "Downloads" or "Inbox", the To tidy page suggests a place for each file waiting there.