Why this rule
Images are usually the most numerous files in Downloads, so moving them out does more for the folder than any other single rule. In Pictures they show up in the Photos app and Windows' image search.
Set it up in TidyFile
It takes about a minute:
- 1Add a new rule and choose the folder to watch: Downloads.
- 2Add the condition: type is jpg, jpeg, png, webp, heic, gif.
- 3Set the action: move to Pictures\Downloaded\{year}\{month}. Click Browse to pick the folder (your own Documents, Pictures and so on), then type the rest of the path after it. A folder typed without a drive letter is created inside Downloads instead.
- 4Save it. New files are handled as they arrive, and TidyFile previews what it would do to the files already there before moving any of them.
Variations
- Leave out gif if you save a lot of reaction GIFs and don't want them kept.
- Add “size larger than 2 MB” to catch only real photos and skip small web images.
More ready-made rules are in the rule library, and there's a full guide to sorting photos by date.
The TidyFile rule
Move images out of Downloads into Pictures
- When a file
- in Downloads · type is jpg, jpeg, png, webp, heic, gif
- Then
- move to Pictures\Downloaded\{year}\{month}
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
Can HEIC photos from an iPhone open on Windows?+
Yes, with Microsoft's free HEIF Image Extensions from the Microsoft Store. TidyFile moves them either way.
What month does {month} use?+
The file's modified date (or created date if that's missing), which for a fresh download is usually the day you saved it.