Organize media by its original date

Requirements and supported files

The desktop app runs on macOS, Windows, and Linux. The npm package requires Node.js 22 or newer.

By default, Foldnize scans .heic, .jpeg, .jpg, .png, .mov, .mp4, and .mp3 files. You can keep those defaults, replace them with comma-separated custom extensions, or extend them. Install ExifTool to read embedded metadata and FFprobe as an additional fallback for MOV and MP4 videos.

Safe desktop workflow

1. Choose the folder that contains your media. Foldnize restores the last selected folder and options locally on future launches.
2. Select Prefix, Replace, or Custom naming.
3. Enable Year/Month folders if you want a YYYY/MM/ structure.
4. Choose a file limit from 1 to 1000, keep the default of 50, or explicitly select No limit.
5. Keep Dry run enabled and review every proposed change. The file limit applies to the preview too.
6. Follow the live progress indicator to see the current file and completed total.
7. Disable Dry run only when the preview matches what you want.

Renaming modes

How Foldnize chooses a date

For images, Foldnize looks for original-date fields such as DateTimeOriginal and CreateDate. For MOV and MP4 files, it also reads QuickTime creation metadata and can use FFprobe as a fallback. Files without a parseable embedded date are skipped.

Collision and safety behavior

• Runs process and count at most 50 supported files by default.
• Dry run performs no file writes and uses the same file limit.
• Every real run requires explicit confirmation of its folder, mode, limit, and folder-sorting option.
• Cancel safely stops between files, after the current move or rename finishes.
• Name collisions receive -1, -2, and subsequent suffixes.
• Already formatted files are not renamed again.
• Empty source folders are not deleted after moves.
• Files remain on your machine and are never uploaded.

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