What is Filer App?
Filer App is a Chrome extension that intercepts your file downloads and automatically renames and sorts them — so your Downloads folder stays organised without any effort.
Every time you download a file, Filer applies your custom rules to decide:
- What the file should be renamed to
- Which sub-folder inside Downloads it should go to
- How the date should be formatted in the filename
You can also install pre-built Persona Packs — curated sets of rules for common workflows like Student, Developer, Finance, and more.
Works instantly
No configuration required to get started. Download a file and Filer organises it automatically.
Fully local
Your files never leave your device. All processing happens locally in your browser.
Customisable
Create rules matched to your workflow. Name by source site, file type, date, and more.
30 languages
Full interface localisation in 30 languages including RTL support.
Installation
Filer App is available on the Chrome Web Store and takes less than a minute to install.
Open the Chrome Web Store
Go to the Filer App listing on the Chrome Web Store. Click Add to Chrome, then confirm by clicking Add extension in the popup.
Pin the extension
Click the puzzle icon (🧩) in your Chrome toolbar, find Filer App, and click the pin icon. This keeps the Filer icon visible in your toolbar for quick access.
Complete onboarding
Click the Filer icon to open the popup. The first-time setup takes about 60 seconds and helps you choose a persona pack and theme.
Grant download permissions
Filer needs permission to manage downloads. You'll be prompted during onboarding — click Allow access. This is required for file renaming to work.
chrome://extensions.
Quick Start
The fastest way to get value from Filer is to install a Persona Pack. Your first rule can be live in under two minutes.
Option A — Install a Persona Pack (Recommended)
Persona Packs are pre-built rule sets for common workflows. Open the extension popup → Options → Packs tab, and click Install on any free pack.
Option B — Create your first custom rule
Go to Options → Rules → Add Rule. Fill in:
- Rule Name — anything descriptive, e.g. "Stripe Invoices"
- Source domain — e.g.
stripe.com - Rename pattern — e.g.
stripe-invoice-{date} - Folder — e.g.
Finance/Invoices(relative to Downloads)
Click Save. The rule activates immediately — your next download from Stripe will be renamed and sorted automatically.
App Walkthrough
A screen-by-screen tour of Filer — from the popup to the full Options page.
1 — The Popup
Click the Filer icon in your Chrome toolbar to open the popup. It shows your recent downloads at a glance. When no files have been processed yet, you'll see the empty state below.
2 — After a Download
Once Filer processes a file, the popup shows a log entry with the renamed filename, source domain, matched rule name, and timestamp.
3 — Options Page: Rules
Click the gear icon (⚙) or go to Options → Rules to manage your naming rules. Drag to reorder. Toggle the switch to enable or disable individual rules.
4 — Creating a Custom Rule
Click + Add Rule to open the rule editor. Fill in the trigger, rename pattern, and destination folder — then save.
{date}, {original}, {domain}. A live preview shows what the filename will look like before you save.5 — Options Page: Packs
Browse and install Persona Packs under Options → Packs. Free packs are shown first. Pro packs are visible but grayed out until you upgrade.
6 — Options Page: Activity Log
The full Activity Log under Options → Activity shows your complete download history in a table with source, destination, and matched rule.
Naming Rules
Rules are the heart of Filer. Each rule tells Filer what to do when a file is downloaded from a specific source.
Rule anatomy
stripe.com
stripe-invoice-{date}
Finance/Invoices
stripe-invoice-2025-06-20.pdf → Downloads/Finance/Invoices/
Rule triggers
Rules activate when the download URL matches your trigger. You can match by:
| Trigger type | Example | Matches |
|---|---|---|
| Source domain | stripe.com | Any download from stripe.com or its subdomains |
| URL contains | /invoices/ | Any URL with this path segment |
| File extension | .pdf | Any PDF downloaded from anywhere |
| Filename contains | invoice | Files whose original name includes this string |
| Tab title contains | Figma | Downloads while a Figma tab is active |
Rule priority
When multiple rules match a download, Filer applies the highest-priority rule (listed first in your Rules tab). Drag rules to reorder them. Rules with more specific triggers should go above generic catch-alls.
Persona Packs
Persona Packs are curated collections of rules built for specific workflows. Install a pack and get a complete set of naming conventions instantly.
Free packs
The following packs are available to all users, free of charge:
| Pack | Best for | Included rules |
|---|---|---|
| Student | Students & academia | Lecture notes, research papers, assignments, syllabi |
| Developer | Software engineers | GitHub releases, npm packages, API specs, logs |
| Personal Health | Health management | Lab results, prescriptions, insurance, medical records |
| Finance | Personal finance | Bank statements, tax docs, invoices, receipts |
| Traveler | Frequent travellers | Boarding passes, hotel confirmations, visas, itineraries |
| Homeowner | Home & property | Utility bills, insurance, repair quotes, contracts |
Pro packs Pro
Pro users have access to additional specialised packs including Legal, Medical Professional, Freelancer, Designer, Researcher, and more. Browse the full catalogue under Options → Packs.
Installing a pack
Open Options → Packs
Click the Filer icon → Options → Packs tab.
Find a pack and click Install
Browse the free packs shown at the top. Click Install on any pack you'd like to activate.
Active immediately
Pack rules apply to all future downloads. You can view or disable individual pack rules under the Rules tab.
Template Library
The Template Library lets you browse and apply individual rule templates without installing a full pack.
Navigate to Options → Templates. Free templates are shown immediately at the top. Click any template to preview its pattern, then click Use this template to add it as a custom rule.
You can customise any template after importing — change the rename pattern, trigger domain, or target folder to fit your exact setup.
Activity Log
The Activity Log shows a history of every file Filer has processed, including the original name, renamed result, source, and which rule triggered.
Viewing activity
The Filer popup shows your last 5 downloads at a glance. For the full log, go to Options → Activity.
The full log shows:
- Renamed to — the final filename, and when it was downloaded
- Folder — the sub-folder inside Downloads where it was saved
- Source — the domain the file came from
- Rule — which rule (or pack rule) matched
Export CSV Pro
Pro users can export their full activity history as a CSV file. Free users see the export button as an upgrade prompt.
Retention
Free users retain 30 days of local history. Pro users retain full history with no expiry. History is stored locally and never sent to any server.
Themes
Filer includes five free themes and additional Pro themes. Switch at any time from Options → Appearance.
Free themes
| Theme | Description |
|---|---|
| Dark | Deep charcoal background with gold accents — the default |
| Light | Clean white with slate text |
| Midnight | Deep blue-black, easy on the eyes |
| Forest | Muted greens and earthy tones |
| Warm | Warm cream and amber tones |
Pro themes Pro
Pro users unlock additional themes including Ocean, Slate, Rose, and others. Browse under Options → Appearance → Pro themes.
Date Formats
The {date} variable in rename patterns uses the date format you configure under Options → Appearance.
| Format | Example output |
|---|---|
YYYY-MM-DD | 2025-06-20 |
DD-MM-YYYY | 20-06-2025 |
MM-DD-YYYY | 06-20-2025 |
YYYYMMDD | 20250620 |
DD MMM YYYY | 20 Jun 2025 |
Language
Filer's interface is available in 30 languages. Your language is selected during onboarding and can be changed at any time.
Go to Options → Appearance → Language and choose from the dropdown. The interface updates immediately. RTL languages (Arabic, Hebrew, Persian, Urdu) are fully supported with mirrored layouts.
Filename rename patterns are language-agnostic — only the Filer UI is translated, not your filenames.
Plans & Pricing
Filer is free to use with generous limits. Pro unlocks unlimited rules, all packs, advanced themes, and full activity history.
| Feature | Free | Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Custom rules | Up to 3 | Unlimited |
| Active packs | Up to 6 | Unlimited |
| Persona packs | 6 free packs | All packs |
| Themes | 5 free themes | All themes |
| Activity history | 30 days | Unlimited |
| Export CSV | — | ✓ |
| Priority support | — | ✓ |
Pricing
- Monthly: $4.99 / month
- Lifetime: $29.99 one-time (launch pricing)
To upgrade, go to Options → Account → Upgrade to Pro and choose your plan. You'll be redirected to Stripe to complete payment.
Licence Keys
After purchasing Pro, you'll receive a licence key by email. Enter it in the extension to unlock Pro features.
Complete purchase
Go to Options → Account and click Upgrade to Pro. Select your plan and complete checkout on Stripe. Keep the tab open.
Check your email
Your licence key will arrive within a few minutes at the email you used for checkout. It looks like: FILER-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX
Enter the key
Return to Options → Account. Paste your key into the licence key field and click Verify. Pro features activate immediately.
Pro Features
A detailed breakdown of everything included in Filer Pro.
Unlimited custom rules
Create as many rules as you need. Build a complete naming system across every service, file type, and project you work with.
All persona packs
Access every pack in the library — including Legal, Medical Professional, Freelancer, Designer, Content Creator, Photographer, and more. New packs are added with updates at no extra cost.
Pro themes
Unlock all themes in the appearance gallery. Pro themes include Ocean, Slate, Rose, Amber, and others added in future updates.
Full activity history
Your complete download history is retained with no time limit. Useful for auditing, finding old downloads, and tracking file usage patterns over time.
Export CSV
Export your entire activity history as a CSV file. Useful for accounting, auditing, and importing into spreadsheets or tools like Notion or Airtable.
Chrome Permissions
Filer requests the minimum permissions required to function. Here's what each permission is used for.
Filename Variables
Use these placeholders in your rename patterns. Filer replaces them automatically at download time.
| Variable | Replaced with | Example |
|---|---|---|
{date} | Today's date (your configured format) | 2025-06-20 |
{year} | Current year (4 digits) | 2025 |
{month} | Current month (2 digits) | 06 |
{day} | Current day (2 digits) | 20 |
{time} | Current time as HHMM | 1430 |
{original} | Original filename (without extension) | invoice_1234 |
{ext} | File extension | pdf |
{domain} | Source domain, sanitised | stripe-com |
Example patterns
stripe-invoice-{date} → stripe-invoice-2025-06-20.pdf
github-{original}-{year} → github-release-v2-1-0-2025.zip
{domain}/{date}-{original} → notion-com/2025-06-20-export.csvFrequently Asked Questions
Why isn't Filer renaming my files?
The most common reason is a missing permission. Go to chrome://extensions → Filer App → Details and confirm that "Allow in Incognito" is set if you're in incognito mode, and that "Site access" is set to On all sites. Also make sure at least one rule is active.
Will Filer work with files I drag into my browser?
Filer only processes files triggered via the browser's native download mechanism. Files dragged into apps directly or saved from other apps are not intercepted.
Does Filer move existing files in my Downloads folder?
No. Filer only acts at the moment of download. It does not scan, move, or modify existing files.
Can I use Filer on multiple devices?
Yes. Install Filer on each device and enter your licence key under Options → Account on each one. Rules are not automatically synced across devices — you'll need to set them up on each.
What happens if I exceed the 3-rule free limit?
You cannot add a 4th rule without upgrading. Your existing 3 rules continue to work. Upgrade to Pro for unlimited rules.
I lost my licence key. What do I do?
Contact us at the email below with your purchase email address. We'll look up your key and resend it.
Is my data backed up?
Your settings and rules are stored in Chrome's sync storage if Chrome sync is enabled, which means they may be available across devices. Activity history is local only and is not synced or backed up externally.
Does Filer work in Incognito mode?
By default, Chrome extensions are disabled in Incognito. To enable Filer in Incognito: chrome://extensions → Filer App → Details → toggle Allow in Incognito.
Support
Having trouble or have a question not covered here? We're here to help.
Email Support
Write to support@axiomgray.com. We typically respond within 1–2 business days. Pro users receive priority responses.
Report a Bug
Found something broken? Send us a description of the issue, your Chrome version, and what you expected vs what happened.
When contacting support, include:
- Your Chrome version (Help → About Google Chrome)
- Filer App version (shown in
chrome://extensions) - A description of the problem and steps to reproduce it
- Your operating system (macOS, Windows, Linux)