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7 Powerful Folder Actions for Windows to Automate Your Workflow

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How to Set Up Folder Actions in Windows: A Step-by-Step Guide

Overview

Folder actions let Windows automatically run tasks when files change in a folder — for example: move, rename, compress, upload, or run a script. This guide shows three practical methods: File System Watcher with PowerShell, Task Scheduler triggered by an event, and third‑party automation tools.

Method 1 — PowerShell FileSystemWatcher (lightweight, scriptable)

  1. Create a script file: Save this as Watch-Folder.ps1 (example below).
  2. Edit paths/actions: Set \(watchPath and the action block to your needs.</li> <li><strong>Run persistent watcher:</strong> Launch PowerShell with execution policy allowed and run the script; keep the session open or run as background job/service.</li> </ol> <p>Example script:</p> <pre><div class="XG2rBS5V967VhGTCEN1k"><div class="nHykNMmtaaTJMjgzStID"><div class="HsT0RHFbNELC00WicOi8"><i><svg width="16" height="16" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path fill="currentColor" fill-rule="evenodd" clip-rule="evenodd" d="M15.434 7.51c.137.137.212.311.212.49a.694.694 0 0 1-.212.5l-3.54 3.5a.893.893 0 0 1-.277.18 1.024 1.024 0 0 1-.684.038.945.945 0 0 1-.302-.148.787.787 0 0 1-.213-.234.652.652 0 0 1-.045-.58.74.74 0 0 1 .175-.256l3.045-3-3.045-3a.69.69 0 0 1-.22-.55.723.723 0 0 1 .303-.52 1 1 0 0 1 .648-.186.962.962 0 0 1 .614.256l3.541 3.51Zm-12.281 0A.695.695 0 0 0 2.94 8a.694.694 0 0 0 .213.5l3.54 3.5a.893.893 0 0 0 .277.18 1.024 1.024 0 0 0 .684.038.945.945 0 0 0 .302-.148.788.788 0 0 0 .213-.234.651.651 0 0 0 .045-.58.74.74 0 0 0-.175-.256L4.994 8l3.045-3a.69.69 0 0 0 .22-.55.723.723 0 0 0-.303-.52 1 1 0 0 0-.648-.186.962.962 0 0 0-.615.256l-3.54 3.51Z"></path></svg></i><p class="li3asHIMe05JPmtJCytG wZ4JdaHxSAhGy1HoNVja cPy9QU4brI7VQXFNPEvF">powershell</p></div><div class="CF2lgtGWtYUYmTULoX44"><button type="button" class="st68fcLUUT0dNcuLLB2_ ffON2NH02oMAcqyoh2UU MQCbz04ET5EljRmK3YpQ CPXAhl7VTkj2dHDyAYAf" data-copycode="true" role="button" aria-label="Copy Code"><svg viewBox="0 0 16 16" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path fill="currentColor" fill-rule="evenodd" clip-rule="evenodd" d="M9.975 1h.09a3.2 3.2 0 0 1 3.202 3.201v1.924a.754.754 0 0 1-.017.16l1.23 1.353A2 2 0 0 1 15 8.983V14a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H8a2 2 0 0 1-1.733-1H4.183a3.201 3.201 0 0 1-3.2-3.201V4.201a3.2 3.2 0 0 1 3.04-3.197A1.25 1.25 0 0 1 5.25 0h3.5c.604 0 1.109.43 1.225 1ZM4.249 2.5h-.066a1.7 1.7 0 0 0-1.7 1.701v7.598c0 .94.761 1.701 1.7 1.701H6V7a2 2 0 0 1 2-2h3.197c.195 0 .387.028.57.083v-.882A1.7 1.7 0 0 0 10.066 2.5H9.75c-.228.304-.591.5-1 .5h-3.5c-.41 0-.772-.196-1-.5ZM5 1.75v-.5A.25.25 0 0 1 5.25 1h3.5a.25.25 0 0 1 .25.25v.5a.25.25 0 0 1-.25.25h-3.5A.25.25 0 0 1 5 1.75ZM7.5 7a.5.5 0 0 1 .5-.5h3V9a1 1 0 0 0 1 1h1.5v4a.5.5 0 0 1-.5.5H8a.5.5 0 0 1-.5-.5V7Zm6 2v-.017a.5.5 0 0 0-.13-.336L12 7.14V9h1.5Z"></path></svg>Copy Code</button><button type="button" class="st68fcLUUT0dNcuLLB2_ WtfzoAXPoZC2mMqcexgL ffON2NH02oMAcqyoh2UU MQCbz04ET5EljRmK3YpQ GnLX_jUB3Jn3idluie7R"><svg fill="none" viewBox="0 0 24 24" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path fill="currentColor" fill-rule="evenodd" d="M20.618 4.214a1 1 0 0 1 .168 1.404l-11 14a1 1 0 0 1-1.554.022l-5-6a1 1 0 0 1 1.536-1.28l4.21 5.05L19.213 4.382a1 1 0 0 1 1.404-.168Z" clip-rule="evenodd"></path></svg>Copied</button></div></div><div class="mtDfw7oSa1WexjXyzs9y" style="color: var(–sds-color-text-01); font-family: var(–sds-font-family-monospace); direction: ltr; text-align: left; white-space: pre; word-spacing: normal; word-break: normal; font-size: var(–sds-font-size-label); line-height: 1.2em; tab-size: 4; hyphens: none; padding: var(–sds-space-x02, 8px) var(–sds-space-x04, 16px) var(–sds-space-x04, 16px); margin: 0px; overflow: auto; border: none; background: transparent;"><code class="language-powershell" style="color: rgb(57, 58, 52); font-family: Consolas, "Bitstream Vera Sans Mono", "Courier New", Courier, monospace; direction: ltr; text-align: left; white-space: pre; word-spacing: normal; word-break: normal; font-size: 0.9em; line-height: 1.2em; tab-size: 4; hyphens: none;"><span class="token" style="color: rgb(54, 172, 170);">\)watchPath = ‘C:\WatchedFolder’
    \(filter</span><span> = </span><span class="token" style="color: rgb(163, 21, 21);">’*.*'</span><span> </span><span></span><span class="token" style="color: rgb(54, 172, 170);">\)fsw = New-Object System.IO.FileSystemWatcher \(watchPath</span><span class="token" style="color: rgb(57, 58, 52);">,</span><span class="token" style="color: rgb(54, 172, 170);">\)filter
    \(fsw</span><span class="token" style="color: rgb(57, 58, 52);">.</span><span>IncludeSubdirectories = </span><span class="token" style="color: rgb(54, 172, 170);">\)true
    \(fsw</span><span class="token" style="color: rgb(57, 58, 52);">.</span><span>EnableRaisingEvents = </span><span class="token" style="color: rgb(54, 172, 170);">\)true

    \(action</span><span> = </span><span class="token" style="color: rgb(57, 58, 52);">{</span><span> </span><span></span><span class="token" style="color: rgb(54, 172, 170);">\)name = \(Event</span><span class="token" style="color: rgb(57, 58, 52);">.</span><span>SourceEventArgs</span><span class="token" style="color: rgb(57, 58, 52);">.</span><span>Name </span><span> </span><span class="token" style="color: rgb(54, 172, 170);">\)changeType = \(Event</span><span class="token" style="color: rgb(57, 58, 52);">.</span><span>SourceEventArgs</span><span class="token" style="color: rgb(57, 58, 52);">.</span><span>ChangeType </span><span> </span><span class="token" style="color: rgb(54, 172, 170);">\)fullPath = \(Event</span><span class="token" style="color: rgb(57, 58, 52);">.</span><span>SourceEventArgs</span><span class="token" style="color: rgb(57, 58, 52);">.</span><span>FullPath </span><span> </span><span class="token" style="color: rgb(0, 128, 0); font-style: italic;"># Example action: move new files to Archive</span><span> </span><span> </span><span class="token" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255);">if</span><span> </span><span class="token" style="color: rgb(57, 58, 52);">(</span><span class="token" style="color: rgb(54, 172, 170);">\)changeType -eq ‘Created’) {
     \(dest</span><span> = </span><span class="token" style="color: rgb(163, 21, 21);">’C:\WatchedFolder\Archive'</span><span> </span><span> </span><span class="token" style="color: rgb(57, 58, 52);">New-Item</span><span> </span><span class="token" style="color: rgb(57, 58, 52);">-</span><span>ItemType Directory </span><span class="token" style="color: rgb(57, 58, 52);">-</span><span>Path </span><span class="token" style="color: rgb(54, 172, 170);">\)dest –ErrorAction SilentlyContinue Start-Sleep –Seconds 1 Move-Item –Path \(fullPath</span><span> </span><span class="token" style="color: rgb(57, 58, 52);">-</span><span>Destination </span><span class="token" style="color: rgb(54, 172, 170);">\)dest –Force }
    }

    Register-ObjectEvent \(fsw</span><span> Created </span><span class="token" style="color: rgb(57, 58, 52);">-</span><span>Action </span><span class="token" style="color: rgb(54, 172, 170);">\)action | Out-Null
    Write-Host “Watching \(watchPath</span><span class="token" style="color: rgb(163, 21, 21);">. Press Enter to exit."</span><span> </span><span></span><span class="token">[Console]</span><span>::ReadLine</span><span class="token" style="color: rgb(57, 58, 52);">(</span><span class="token" style="color: rgb(57, 58, 52);">)</span><span> </span><span class="token" style="color: rgb(57, 58, 52);">|</span><span> </span><span class="token" style="color: rgb(57, 58, 52);">Out-Null</span><span> </span><span></span><span class="token" style="color: rgb(57, 58, 52);">Unregister-Event</span><span> </span><span class="token" style="color: rgb(57, 58, 52);">-</span><span>SourceIdentifier </span><span class="token" style="color: rgb(57, 58, 52);">*</span><span class="token" style="color: rgb(57, 58, 52);">;</span><span> </span><span class="token" style="color: rgb(54, 172, 170);">\)fsw.Dispose()

Method 2 — Task Scheduler + Event Trigger (reliable, runs tasks)

  1. Create an event source (optional): Have your script write to Windows Event Log when folder changes occur.
  2. Open Task Scheduler: Create a new task → Triggers → On an event.
  3. Set event filter: Choose Log (Application or custom), Source (your script), and Event ID.
  4. Action: Configure to run a program/script (PowerShell, batch, exe) with arguments.
  5. Conditions/Settings: Set to run whether user is logged on, highest privileges if needed.

Alternative: Use a FileSystemWatcher PowerShell script that writes an EventLog entry; Task Scheduler reacts to that.

Method 3 — Third‑party automation tools (easy, GUI)

Best practices

Examples of actions to automate

Quick-start recommendation

If you want, I can generate a ready-to-run PowerShell watcher configured for a specific folder and action — tell me the folder path and desired action.

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