How to Organise Downloads With EagleGet Categories
EagleGet sorts downloads into categories based on file type, so documents, software, media, and compressed files can land in different folders without you sorting them by hand. The feature is simple, but it only helps if you set the folders deliberately before your download library grows into a mess.
How categories work
When you add a download, EagleGet assigns it a category from its file extension. Each category has a default save folder. That is the whole mechanism: there is no content analysis, and a mislabelled file will be sorted by its extension, not by what it actually contains. If a file ends up in the wrong category, the fix is to change its category or its folder, not to fight the sorter.
Setting up folders that make sense
Before you start a big batch of downloads, decide on a folder layout and set each category to match it. A layout that works for most people is:
- Documents: a folder you already back up.
- Software/installers: a folder you can clean out after installing, since installers are easy to re-download.
- Media: a folder on the drive with the most free space, because media files are large.
- Compressed/archives: a folder you review regularly, since archives often contain files you meant to extract and then forgot.
Point media and archives at a drive with room to grow. Pointing every category at the system drive is the fastest way to fill it up and then wonder why downloads start failing.
Changing a download’s category or folder
If a single download is heading to the wrong place, change it for that task before it finishes, not after. Once a file is complete, moving it by hand is fine — EagleGet’s job is done at that point — but moving a partial file while it is downloading can confuse the resume logic. For a permanent change, edit the category’s default folder so future downloads of that type go to the right place automatically.
Keeping the library under control
Categories help with sorting, not with decluttering. Build two habits around them:
- Review the software folder monthly. Delete installers for programs you have already installed and no longer need. They are the easiest files to reclaim space from.
- Extract archives promptly. An archive that sits unextracted is a download you have not actually used yet. Extract it, verify the contents, and then decide whether the archive itself is worth keeping.
If your library outgrows a single drive, that is a storage question, not a category question. The buying guide best-external-drive-for-download-library covers how to choose a second drive for a download library.
FAQ
Why did my file go to the wrong category?
EagleGet sorts by file extension. A file with an unusual or misleading extension will be categorised by that extension. Change the task’s category or folder manually.
Can I create my own categories?
EagleGet’s category system is built around its standard file-type groups. If you need finer organisation, use distinct folders per category and subfolders inside them, rather than expecting the manager to invent new groups.
Should downloads go to the system drive?
Avoid it for large files. The system drive fills up, affects performance, and complicates backups. Use a data drive for media and archives.
What happens if I move a completed file?
Nothing bad. Once a download is complete, the file is yours to move, rename, or back up. Only partial files should not be moved while EagleGet is running.
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