1. Build the flow
Open Power Automate from the Start menu (on Windows 10, install it free from the Microsoft Store) and create a new desktop flow. You need two actions:
- 1Add Get files in folder. Set the folder to your Downloads and the file filter to the types you want, such as *.pdf.
- 2Add Move file(s). Use the files variable from the step above and choose a destination, such as Documents.
- 3Save, then run it. Every matching file in Downloads moves across.
2. The catch: it only runs when you run it
Power Automate Desktop has no trigger for “a file arrived”, and no built-in schedule. Making a desktop flow start by itself means wrapping it in a cloud flow (with a data gateway if it watches a local folder), and Microsoft lists that automatic triggering as a premium feature. For moving downloads around, that's a lot of machinery and a monthly licence.
3. The free workarounds
You can run the flow by hand whenever Downloads gets messy, or skip Power Automate and use a script on a timer instead. Our PowerShell guide has a script and the Task Scheduler steps. Both work, but neither shows you what will move first or lets you undo it.
4. The no-flow way
TidyFile does the same job as a set of rules: pick a folder, say which files go where, and it moves them the moment they arrive, with no flows, triggers or licences to set up. It previews what it'll do to the files already there, and every move can be undone from the activity log.
The TidyFile rule
Documents out of Downloads
- When a file
- in Downloads · type is pdf, docx, xlsx
- Then
- move to Documents\{year}
Tip: folders like Documents or Pictures mean your own folders. In TidyFile, click Browse to pick the folder, then add the rest, such as \{year}. A folder typed without a drive letter is created inside the watched folder instead.
Set it up once and TidyFile applies it in the background, to new files the moment they arrive. Preview what it'll do to the files already there, and undo anything from the activity log.
Questions
Is Power Automate Desktop free?+
Yes, to install and run flows yourself on Windows 10 and 11. Having a desktop flow start by itself, on a schedule or when something happens, goes through a cloud flow, which Microsoft lists as a premium feature.
Can Power Automate run a flow when a file is added to a folder?+
Not from Power Automate Desktop alone; it has no trigger for a file arriving. The usual route is a cloud flow with a file trigger (plus a data gateway for local folders) that calls your desktop flow, which needs a premium licence.
Can I run a Power Automate Desktop flow from Task Scheduler?+
Some people do, using the flow's run link or a shortcut, but it's an unofficial workaround and reports differ on whether it works without a licence. If you only need files moved on a timer, a PowerShell script in Task Scheduler is the more reliable free option.