AI File Sorter: Organize Your Files with Local AI and Visual LLMs

Introduction

AI File Sorter is a powerful, cross-platform desktop application designed to automate file organization using artificial intelligence. It intelligently categorizes files and can even suggest more descriptive filenames for images by analyzing their visual content. Built with a privacy-first approach, the application primarily uses local LLMs (Large Language Models) like LLaMa and Mistral, ensuring that your files and data never leave your device. It aims to reduce digital clutter, improve consistency, and make your files easier to find for review, archiving, or long-term storage.

Installation

Getting started with AI File Sorter is straightforward. For most users, the easiest way is to use the prebuilt packages or installers available for your operating system.

Linux: Prebuilt Debian/Ubuntu packages are available, which can be installed using sudo apt install ./aifilesorter_1.0.0_amd64.deb after installing runtime prerequisites.
macOS: Users can install dependencies via Homebrew and then build from source, or use provided binaries.
Windows: The recommended method involves using CMake with vcpkg, or the Qt online installer, after setting up Visual Studio 2022.

Detailed instructions for building from source and specific dependencies for various Linux distributions are available in the official GitHub repository.

Examples

Using AI File Sorter involves a simple, guided process:

Select a Directory: Point the application to the folder or drive you wish to organize.
Analyze Files: The app scans files, and for images, analyzes their content locally using a visual LLM.
Review Suggestions: A review dialog presents suggested categories, subcategories, and optional filename changes for images. You can sort, adjust, or approve these suggestions.
Confirm & Sort: With "Dry run (preview only, do not move files)" enabled, you can inspect planned moves without altering your files. Once satisfied, click "Confirm & Sort!" to execute the organization.
Undo Last Run: The application saves a persistent undo plan, allowing you to revert the last sorting operation via "Edit ? Undo last run" if needed.

Key features include customizable sorting rules, two categorization modes ("More refined" for detail or "More consistent" for uniformity), and the ability to define category whitelists to constrain model output.

Why Use It

AI File Sorter stands out for several compelling reasons:

Intelligent Automation: Moves beyond rigid rules, learning your organization patterns over time to provide more consistent and relevant categorization and naming suggestions.
Privacy-First: By utilizing local LLMs, it ensures that your sensitive files, filenames, images, and metadata are processed entirely on your device, with no data uploaded or telemetry sent.
Enhanced Discoverability: Reduces clutter and applies meaningful names, making it significantly easier to locate files later.
Cross-Platform Support: Available on Windows, macOS, and Linux, providing a consistent experience across different environments.
Flexibility and Control: Offers various categorization modes, category whitelists, and the option to use remote LLMs (like ChatGPT or Gemini) with your own API keys for advanced scenarios, while always requiring your approval before any changes are applied.
Visual Content Analysis: A unique feature that analyzes image content to suggest descriptive filenames, transforming generic names into something meaningful.