Match files to existing folders is for the moment when the folders already exist. You do not want to create another preset by hand. You want new files to continue the structure that is already in the output folder.
RenameClick Match folders scans the selected output folder, reads its top-level subfolders, and uses those folder names as the available destinations. AI then chooses the best existing folder for each file.
This is especially useful for client folders, project archives, case folders, vendor folders, and any workflow where the folder names are specific to the current destination.
Key takeaways
- Match folders uses the destination folder itself as the category source.
- It is ideal for continuing existing client, project, or archive structures.
- RenameClick scans top-level subfolders and AI picks the best existing folder.
- If no folder is a reasonable match, the file is applied to the output folder root.
- Use it when folder names change per project and static presets would be annoying to maintain.
What Match folders does
Match folders turns the selected output folder into the category list for that run. Instead of typing categories manually, RenameClick scans the output folder's existing top-level subfolders and uses their names as destinations.
- Select an output folder.
- Choose the Match folders sorting preset.
- RenameClick scans the output folder's existing top-level subfolders.
- AI reviews each input file and picks the best existing folder.
- You review and apply the moves.
This keeps the workflow flexible because each output folder can define its own category set.
Why existing folders are different from static presets
Static presets are great when the categories are stable: Invoices, Contracts, Receipts, Photos, Screenshots. But many real projects already have their own folder names.
A freelancer might have client folders. A legal team might have case folders. A designer might have project folders. Recreating those names as a manual preset every time creates busywork and gets stale.
The mental model
Match folders says: “Use the folders I already created here, and choose the best one for each new file.”
Real-world example: client folders
Imagine your output folder already has these subfolders:
Client - Brightline DentalClient - Northstar LegalReceipts 2026
Then you add a mixed batch:
| New file | Matched folder |
|---|---|
Brightline invoice.pdf | Client - Brightline Dental |
Northstar signed NDA.docx | Client - Northstar Legal |
Restaurant receipt.jpg | Receipts 2026 |
Where unmatched files go
Match folders does not invent a new folder. If none of the existing folders is a reasonable match, the file stays uncategorized and is applied to the output folder root.
That behavior is intentional. In an existing project structure, guessing a new folder name can create mess. Leaving uncertain files at the root makes them easy to review manually.
When to use Match folders
Use Match folders when the destination structure already carries the answer:
- Client deliverables into existing client folders.
- Vendor paperwork into existing vendor folders.
- Project files into existing project folders.
- Receipts and statements into an archive that already has year or account folders.
Use metadata folder sorting instead when the folder should come from date, EXIF, or another metadata field. Use AI categories when the folder list is stable and content-based.
Using Match folders in Auto Flow
Match folders also works as a row-level sorting preset in Auto Flow. That means one watched folder can keep routing new files into the current destination's existing subfolders.
A practical setup:
- Source: Client Uploads.
- Destination: Active Clients.
- Sorting preset: Match folders.
- Auto Apply: off until the folder matching is proven on real files.
For full setup details, see the categorization documentation.
FAQ
Can AI sort files into folders that already exist?
Does Match folders create new folders?
Is Match folders useful for client folders?
Can I use Match folders in Auto Flow?
Want to try this workflow?
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