First Run Onboarding

When you launch Media Sort for the first time, the application starts directly in the media grid view. Here is what to expect and how to configure your workspace.

Startup Behavior

On first launch, Media Sort automatically opens your system’s default Pictures directory (e.g., ~/Pictures on Linux, ~/Pictures on macOS). If you have no files there, the grid will be empty. Use the folder picker to select a different directory. On subsequent launches, Media Sort reopens the last folder you worked in (controlled by the Reopen last opened folder setting).

You can also pass a directory path as a command-line argument to open it directly:

media-sort-gui /path/to/your/media

If you previously used the legacy WPF version (v2.x), Media Sort will silently migrate your settings (pinned folders, dark mode, hotkeys, window position) from the old config.json into the new config.toml format. No manual action is required.

1. Select a Root Directory

To choose a directory containing the media files (images, videos, audio) you want to sort:

• Click the Open folder button under Folder in the control panel on the left to open the native folder picker dialog.
• Alternatively, press O to open the native folder picker dialog.
• Press Enter to open the currently selected folder in the folder tree.
• Media Sort will recursively scan the selected folder and all subfolders for supported media formats, presenting them in a structured grid.

2. Set Up Pinned Folders

Pinned folders are your target destinations for sorting. By pinning folders, you assign them quick action shortcuts for moving selected media with a single keystroke.

• Navigate to your target directory using the folder tree panel.
• Press F to pin the selected folder, or press P to open a folder picker and pin any directory on your system.
• Once pinned, these folders are assigned quick-key shortcuts: press Alt+1 through Alt+9 to move the selected media file directly to the corresponding pinned folder.
• Use Ctrl+W and Ctrl+S to reorder pinned folders, which changes which folder each number key targets.

3. Customize Your Setup

Open the Settings dialog by clicking the Open button under Settings in the control panel to configure:

• Theme: choose between Dark, Light, Dracula, Nord, Catppuccin, and more
• Keybindings: remap all shortcuts to your preferred layout
• Language: switch between English, German, and Japanese
• GIF animation: toggle animated GIF playback in the grid and preview