create subfolders, reorganize, change name or format

Let’s tell you how to sort the files in your folders with AIusing Claude Cowork. This is one of the options Claudewhich is like a AI agent capable of controlling elements of your computer and doing things for you autonomously, although asking for permissions at each step.

In this case, what we are going to ask of this function of the artificial intelligence is that you create two subfolders and put photos and screenshots in them, distinguishing what each one is and changing the format. It is an example of what you can do, because you can also ask it to move and manage files of any format.

Something you should know is that, for safety, Claude will not delete the original files unless you ask for it. In other words, we are left with two folders with copies of the originals. It will do all this without you having to touch anything, just by asking. Additionally, for security we can make it only touch elements in a specific folder.

Another thing you should remember is that Claude Cowork It is a payment option. You will need to have a subscription to one of the Pro versions of Claude to use it. To use it, you will also have to have the Claude desktop application downloaded, because it is the one that manages everything.

Manage files and folders with Cowork

The first thing you have to do is open the Claude application on your computer. In it, click on the tab cowork that you have at the top. Once in it, first click on Work in a folder to choose a desktop folder where you want to work.

With this, you can choose the precise place on your computer where you want Claude to do things, and you prevent the AI ​​from touching files in other folders that you don’t want it to manage. You can choose folders or subfolders, be it the downloads folder, the desktop folder, or any other folder on your hard drive.

When you choose one, Claude will ask you for permission to modify the files what’s in it. Here, you can allow it occasionally, only for this task, or do it always if you are going to do many tasks in the same folder. But the safest way to avoid accidents with files is to give it permission only when you are going to do a new action.

Once the folder has been chosen, it is time to write the prompt. With it, you will have to ask Claude to make any changes you want. Here, remember that you have to explain everything in detail so that the AI ​​can understand it better. For example, I have written the following:

“I want you to sort the images in this folder into two subfolders. One should be called “Photos” and you should save regular photos in it. The other is called “Shots,” and I want you to save screenshots in them.

You have to convert all screenshots to jpeg format.

You must rename all the images in the two subfolders, using as the name the date and time the images were taken.”

Obviously, you can create your own customized prompt to the files you want to manage and what you want to do with them. My prompt is just an example to perform several different tasks so you know it can be done.

When you launch the prompt, possibly your operating system will ask you for permission again to allow Claude to make changes to your folder, even if the AI ​​had already asked you to do so before.

Now, Claude will take a few minutes to analyze what you have asked of him and do it. In fact, you can start doing other things on the computer and leave it working for you in the background, although if you go to the Claude application you will be able to see all the steps it takes in the process.

That’s it. When you finish, you will have everything managed as you asked. In my case, the photos are renamed, formatted, and arranged in the two subfolders I asked Claude to create. He has kept the originals so that I can delete them by hand, a security measure to avoid unintentional deletions of elements on your computer.

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