Smart Downloader — auto-sort by category

About

Smart Downloader watches every file you download in Chrome and routes it into the right subfolder of your Downloads directory — automatically. Stop drowning in a single flat Downloads folder with hundreds of mixed files.
HOW IT WORKS
The extension hooks into Chrome’s download system and decides where each file should go before it is written to disk. You define an ordered list of rules matched against the URL, filename pattern, file extension, or MIME type. The first matching rule wins, so your most specific rules should be near the top.
KEY FEATURES
• Smart defaults — ready-made rules for installers, documents, images, audio, video, archives, configs, source code, fonts, and more.
• Path templates — use placeholders such as {host}, {Y}, {M}, {date} in destination paths and rename patterns. Examples:
  - Films/{Y}-{M}  →  Films/2026-05
  - Dev/Releases/{host}  →  Dev/Releases/github.com
  - {date}_{name}{ext}  →  dated files without cluttering the root of Downloads.
• One-click presets — switch whole rule sets for common workflows (e.g. designer, developer, musician, student, movie collector).
• Drag-and-drop rule order, quick search, color tags, and filtering by rule type so a long list stays manageable.
• Built-in test zone — paste a URL and filename to see which rule matches and the exact path Chrome will use.
• Dry-run mode — log what would happen without changing real download paths; ideal for tuning rules safely.
• Toolbar popup — at-a-glance stats and recent activity so you know the extension is working.
• Import / export — back up or share your rules and settings as JSON.
• Optional “existing files” workflow — a separate open-source companion (installed outside the Web Store) can apply the same rules to folders you already have on disk; the extension only uses this if you install that helper.
• Interface follows your system light / dark preference.
PRIVACY
100% local. No analytics, no remote servers, no telemetry. Rules, settings, and history live in chrome.storage.local on your device. The extension only processes information needed to route each download (such as filename, URL, and MIME type) for downloads you start yourself.
WHERE FILES GO
Everything stays under Chrome’s main Downloads folder (the one set in Settings → Downloads). The extension only changes the subpath inside it. Subfolders are created automatically when the first file lands there.
PERMISSIONS IN PLAIN LANGUAGE
• Downloads — to detect new downloads and suggest the target subfolder, and to open a file’s location from the popup when possible.
• Storage — to save your rules, settings, history, and statistics locally.
• Native messaging — optional; only relevant if you install the separate companion for reorganizing existing folders. Without it, this does nothing.
COMPATIBILITY
Built for Chromium-based browsers using Manifest V3 (Chrome and others that support MV3 extensions).
Smart Downloader is free and open source (MIT). Feedback and contributions are welcome.