Folder Monitoring and Automatic Naming
Set up fixed rules or AI naming for new files entering a folder, choose review or automatic application, and learn about filters, run logs, and background settings.
When files keep downloading or arriving in the same directory, Renamio can watch that folder and name new files using fixed rules or AI naming instructions.
New tasks only generate naming suggestions by default. Once the results match your expectations, turn on “Apply renames automatically” to rename subsequent files automatically.
Create a Task in Three Steps
1. Choose a Folder
Open “Folder Monitor” in the app, click “New Task”, enter a task name, and choose a local folder. Set “Include subfolders”, “Ignore hidden files”, and “Excluded Names” as needed.
“Excluded Names” supports the * and ? wildcards. Separate patterns with new lines or commas; for example, ~$*. Do not create duplicate tasks for the same directory. When including subfolders, the watched area must not overlap with another task.
2. Set the Naming Method
Fixed Rules: Add existing rules or import a favorite rule set. Rules run in list order. You can also use “Generate with AI”, preview the results, and confirm the rules before adding them to the task. The generated fixed rules run locally.
For example, replace spaces in the filename with underscores:
| Original File Name | Rule | Result |
|---|---|---|
report draft.csv | Replace spaces with underscores | report_draft.csv |
Live AI: Fill in “Naming Instructions”, for example: “Extract the project name from the file name. Name the file project-document type, preserving the extension. Do not invent fields you cannot determine.” Configure the app’s AI service first. Background tasks cannot ask follow-up questions, so specify the field order and what to do when information is missing.
Turn on “Allow on-demand content access” only when naming requires document text or images. Live AI sends the information needed for naming to your configured model service. When content access is allowed, extracted text or images may also be sent to that service. Extracted text, image data, and complete model responses are not stored in monitor run logs; this does not mean the model service has not received that data.
3. Choose How to Confirm and Enable the Task
Leave “Apply renames automatically” off, save and enable the task, then add a new file. Once the file is stable, check Run Logs for suggestions awaiting confirmation and click “Apply suggestion” to rename it.
Once you are happy with the naming method, edit the task and turn on “Apply renames automatically”. Subsequent new files that meet the conditions will be renamed automatically. Turn off “Enable after saving” to save the configuration without starting the task.
Which Changes Trigger Naming?
Monitoring handles newly created files, files moved into the folder, and rename events. Editing the contents of an existing file alone does not trigger naming. Starting a task does not batch-process files already in the folder. To rename existing files, add them from the home screen.
After a file arrives, Renamio waits for writing to settle before trying to name it. Directories, excluded files, and temporary download files are not processed as ordinary files. Files that keep changing may time out; check the logs for the reason.
View Logs, Pause, and Resume
Pause or resume monitoring from the task list, or edit the task settings. Run Logs show states such as waiting, processing, awaiting confirmation, success, skipped, and failed, along with the original path, target name, and error reason.
Files whose names would not change are skipped. If the target name is already taken, the rename fails without overwriting the existing file. If a file changes again during naming, or is replaced after a suggestion is generated, applying the name may also fail. Process the latest version of the file again.
Successful renames are saved in rename history and can be undone there, depending on the file’s current state. Monitoring suppresses repeat events caused by its own renames to avoid repeatedly triggering the same operation.
Keep Monitoring Running in the Background
uTools plugin: Open “Plugin Settings” from the top-right menu, enable “Start with main program”, and disable “Exit to background terminates immediately”. Monitoring stops when uTools or the plugin exits completely.
Desktop app: Keep the Renamio process running. “Launch after login” in the task editor lets you enable startup at login, but monitoring does not continue after the app exits completely.