Watched folders
Set up folders that auto-convert or compress files the moment they appear — Picmal processes them in the background, hands-off.
Watched folders process files as soon as they show up. Drop something in, and Picmal converts or compresses it — you don’t have to open the app.
- Open Settings → Watched Folders
- Click Add Folder and select a folder
- Configure the folder’s processing settings
- New files added to that folder are processed automatically
Per-folder configuration
Section titled “Per-folder configuration”Each watched folder has its own settings:
Processing mode
Section titled “Processing mode”- Convert — Convert files to a specific format
- Compress — Compress files in their original format
Output destination
Section titled “Output destination”| Option | Description |
|---|---|
| Same folder | Save processed files alongside originals |
| Output subfolder | Save into a “Processed” subfolder |
| Custom location | Save to a folder you choose |
File type filter
Section titled “File type filter”Choose which types of files to process:
- Images
- Audio
- Video
Presets
Section titled “Presets”Pick image, audio, and video compression presets independently for each watched folder.
Resize settings
Section titled “Resize settings”Each watched folder can have its own resize configuration. Choose from several resize modes:
- Percentage — Scale by a percentage of the original size
- Fixed dimensions — Resize to exact width and height
- Max dimensions — Fit within a maximum width and height, preserving aspect ratio
- Width only — Set a fixed width, height adjusts automatically
- Height only — Set a fixed height, width adjusts automatically
Naming
Section titled “Naming”Set a prefix and/or suffix for output files.
Additional options
Section titled “Additional options”| Option | Description |
|---|---|
| Process subfolders | Also watch files in subdirectories |
| Delete originals | Remove source files after processing |
| Process existing files | Process files already in the folder when you add it |
| Min file size | Skip files smaller than this (KB) |
| Max file size | Skip files larger than this (MB) |
| Remove metadata | Strip metadata from processed files |
| Compress after convert | When in Convert mode, compress the output file afterward |
Notifications
Section titled “Notifications”When a watched folder finishes processing, Picmal posts a native macOS notification with the file count and total savings. Manage delivery — banners, sounds, summaries — under System Settings → Notifications → Picmal.
Requirements
Section titled “Requirements”- Keep in menu bar must be enabled in Settings for watched folders to work in the background
- Pair it with Start at login if you want processing to resume after a reboot without you opening the app
- Use watched folders with your Downloads folder to auto-compress screenshots and photos
- Set up a “web export” folder that converts everything to WebP
- Combine with cloud sync folders (iCloud, Dropbox) for automatic optimization