> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.memorylake.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# File & Folder Operations

> Create folders, upload files, rename, move, delete, and organize your document hierarchy

## Overview

This guide covers all the essential operations for managing files and folders in MemoryLake. You'll learn how to create, upload, organize, and maintain your document collection.

## Creating Folders

### Basic Folder Creation

<Steps>
  <Step title="Access the New Folder Option">
    You can create a new folder in several ways:

    * Click the "New Folder" button in the toolbar
    * Right-click on a folder in the tree and select "New Folder"
    * Right-click in the empty space to create at root level
  </Step>

  <Step title="Enter Folder Name">
    Type a descriptive name for your folder and press Enter or click Save.

    <Tip>
      Use clear, descriptive names that indicate the folder's contents. Good examples: "Q1-Reports", "Research-Papers", "Meeting-Notes".
    </Tip>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Verify Creation">
    The new folder appears in the tree immediately. You can now add files or create subfolders within it.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Uploading Files

### Single File Upload

<Steps>
  <Step title="Click Upload Button">
    Click the "Upload" button in the toolbar to open the file picker.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Select File">
    Choose a single file from your computer. Supported formats include PDF, Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, text/Markdown, and images.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Monitor Progress">
    Watch the upload progress in the task panel. The file appears in your tree once the upload completes.
  </Step>
</Steps>

### Multiple File Upload

<Steps>
  <Step title="Select Multiple Files">
    In the file picker, hold Ctrl (Windows/Linux) or Cmd (Mac) and click multiple files.
    Or use Shift-click to select a range of files.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Confirm Upload">
    Click "Open" to start uploading all selected files concurrently.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Track Progress">
    The upload panel shows progress for each file individually. Files are uploaded up to 3 at a time.
  </Step>
</Steps>

### Folder Upload

<Steps>
  <Step title="Choose Folder Upload Option">
    In the upload dialog, look for "Upload Folder".
  </Step>

  <Step title="Select Entire Folder">
    Choose a folder from your computer. All files and subdirectories within it will be queued.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Preserve Structure">
    MemoryLake automatically recreates the folder structure in your drive, maintaining the hierarchy.

    <Check>
      Verify that the folder structure matches your local directory. All subfolders and files should be in the correct locations.
    </Check>
  </Step>
</Steps>

### Drag-and-Drop Upload

The quickest way to upload files:

1. **Open File Explorer/Finder** on your computer
2. **Navigate to Your Files** - find the files you want to upload
3. **Drag to MemoryLake** - drag and drop files directly onto the tree view
4. **Drop on Target Folder** - drop onto a specific folder to upload there, or on empty space for root

<Tip>
  Drag multiple files at once for batch uploading.
</Tip>

## Renaming Items

### Rename Files or Folders

<Steps>
  <Step title="Initiate Rename">
    Right-click on the file or folder and select "Rename" from the context menu.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Edit Name">
    The name becomes editable. Type the new name.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Save Changes">
    Press Enter to save or Escape to cancel. The item updates immediately in the tree.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Moving Items

### Drag-and-Drop Move

The most intuitive way to move files and folders:

1. **Click and Hold** on the item you want to move
2. **Drag to Destination** folder
3. **Drop** when the target folder is highlighted
4. **Verify** the item now appears in the new location

### Move via Dialog

For more precise control:

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open Move Dialog">
    Right-click the item and select "Move" from the context menu.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Navigate to Destination">
    In the move dialog, browse the tree to find the destination folder.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Select and Confirm">
    Click on the destination folder and click "Move" to complete the operation.

    <Check>
      The item immediately appears in its new location and is removed from the old location.
    </Check>
  </Step>
</Steps>

### Move Behavior

* **Folders**: Moving a folder moves all its contents
* **Permissions**: Moving doesn't affect project associations
* **Comments**: Comments move with the item

## Downloading Files

### Download Single File

<Steps>
  <Step title="Select File">
    Click on a file in the tree to select it.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Download">
    Right-click and select "Download" or click the download button in the toolbar.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Save Locally">
    Your browser will download the file to your default downloads folder.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Deleting Items

### Delete Files or Folders

<Steps>
  <Step title="Select Item to Delete">
    Click on the file or folder you want to remove.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Initiate Delete">
    Right-click and select "Delete".
  </Step>

  <Step title="Confirm Deletion">
    A confirmation dialog appears. Review the item name and click "Delete" to confirm.

    <Warning>
      Deletion is permanent and cannot be undone. Deleted items are not moved to a recycle bin.
    </Warning>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Verify Removal">
    The item disappears from the tree immediately.
  </Step>
</Steps>

### Deleting Folders with Contents

When you delete a folder:

* **All Contents Deleted**: All files and subfolders are permanently removed
* **Confirmation Required**: Extra confirmation for non-empty folders

## Best Practices

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Organizing Your Documents">
    * Create a logical folder hierarchy before uploading
    * Group related documents together
    * Use consistent naming conventions
    * Keep folder structures reasonably flat (3-5 levels)
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Uploading Efficiently">
    * Use folder upload to preserve directory structure
    * Upload related files together
    * Use drag-and-drop for quick uploads
    * Monitor upload progress for large files
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Maintaining Your Drive">
    * Regularly review and remove unused files
    * Keep folder names descriptive and current
    * Use comments to add context to files
    * Download important files as backups
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Next Steps

<Card title="Comments" icon="comment" href="/features/memorylake/document-management/metadata-comments">
  Add rich context to your files with Markdown comments
</Card>