Batch processing and workflows

Create a file-processing workflow

These two examples start with a new workflow. Put one or two sample files in a separate input folder and prepare your output folders. Check the sample results before switching the input to your full collection.

1. Search for and open File Processing in Hub to enter the workflow editor.
2. Click New Workflow in the toolbar. In the save dialog, choose a location and a name such as LIVP photos and videos.ofw.
3. A new workflow contains File Source → Convert Format → Save Output. Both tutorials use dedicated conversion nodes: use each node's Remove Node button to remove File Source and Convert Format, keeping Save Output. Their connections are removed with them.
4. Search for nodes in the list on the left, then click or drag them onto the canvas. Select a node on the canvas to edit its settings on the right.
5. Connect nodes by dragging from the upstream node's output port on the right to the downstream node's input port on the left. You can also click the output port, then the input port.

Save preserves the workflow configuration; Run starts processing files. The .ofw file can be saved separately from the conversion output folders.

Batch-extract photos and videos from LIVP

The goal is to produce one JPG photo and one MOV video from each .livp containing both. Use two parallel branches, each reading the original LIVP from the same Batch node.

Batch
  ├─ Extract Live Photo (JPEG) → Save Output (photos folder)
  └─ Extract Live Photo (MOV)  → Save Output (videos folder)

1. Create a workflow as described above and add a Batch node.
2. Select the Batch node and choose the folder containing your LIVP files under Input Folder. Enter livp in File Extensions. Leave Filename Contains empty initially; enable Include All Subfolders if your files are in nested folders.
3. Add two Extract Live Photo nodes. Set Output Format to JPEG on the first and MOV on the second. Keep Input Format set to LIVP. JPEG produces a .jpg file.
4. Add another Save Output node, giving you two including the one you kept. Choose separate output folders, such as LIVP photos and LIVP videos.
5. Make the four connections shown above: connect Batch to both extraction nodes, then each extraction node to its own Save Output node. Do not put the JPEG and MOV extraction nodes in sequence: the MOV branch needs the original LIVP.
6. Clear Filename Suffix in both Save Output nodes to retain the original base names. Set When a File Exists to Keep Both to preserve existing results.
7. Save, then Run. Open the photo and video from Output Results and check that the image displays and the video plays. Then switch the input folder to process the full collection.

For example, IMG_0001.livp produces LIVP photos/IMG_0001.jpg and LIVP videos/IMG_0001.mov when the suffix is empty and no filenames conflict. HEIC photos inside LIVP are converted to JPEG; MOV videos are extracted directly. If the source lacks the requested content, that branch fails; check the output results.

As a shortcut, choose the built-in Batch LIVP Conversion workflow, click Duplicate Workflow to save a copy, and change the input and both output folders. Its photo and video branches are already connected.

Batch-convert RAW images to JPG

The goal is to convert camera RAW images into JPG files for sharing and viewing while keeping the originals.

Batch → Convert RAW Image (JPEG) → Save Output (JPG folder)

1. Create another workflow, such as RAW to JPG.ofw. Remove the default File Source and Convert Format nodes as described above, keeping Save Output.
2. Add a Batch node and select the folder containing your RAW images.
3. Enter the actual file extensions, such as arw, nef, dng, raf, separated by commas. RAW describes a family of formats: entering raw only matches .raw files, not every camera extension. Enable subfolders if needed, and leave Filename Contains empty or enter part of a name to filter.
4. Add a Convert RAW Image node. Change Output Format from its default PNG to JPEG. Keep Input Format set to Automatic to process a mixture of supported RAW formats.
5. Connect Batch → Convert RAW Image → Save Output. Choose a separate JPG folder in Save Output. Clear Filename Suffix if you want to keep the original base names, and select Keep Both for filename conflicts.
6. Save and run the workflow. Open the sample JPGs and check the image, colors, orientation, and dimensions before processing the full collection. RAW decoding can take longer; wait for the results.

For example, DSC_0001.arw produces DSC_0001.jpg when the suffix is empty and no filenames conflict. Keep the original RAW files for future processing. Check the node's Input Format list for supported RAW formats.

Check results and reuse the workflow

• Input scope: Extension and filename filters apply together and ignore case; an empty filter imposes no restriction. If nothing matches, check the extensions, name filter, and subfolder setting.
• Output location: Keep output folders outside the input scope to avoid processing previous results again. For existing filenames, choose Keep Both, Overwrite, or Skip. Keep Both is useful when files in different subfolders share a name.
• Connections: Every node must sit on a valid path from input to Save Output. If the workflow is invalid, check missing connections and remove unused nodes.
• Results: Review successful, failed, and skipped items. When both LIVP branches succeed, each input produces two outputs; each successful RAW conversion produces one JPG. Read individual errors and retry failing files on their own.
• Reuse: Reopen the saved .ofw, update the input and output folders, save, and run. A workflow stores configuration, not a package of input files. Update its paths if you move the source folders.

These workflows use ordinary conversion nodes and do not require local AI model nodes. See File conversion for more conversion guidance.

Batch-edit document properties or image EXIF

Batch → Edit Metadata → Save Output

1. Create a workflow, remove the default File Input and Convert Format nodes, add Batch and Edit Metadata, and connect them to Save Output as shown. File Input also works for one file.
2. Choose an input folder and filter one kind of file by extension, such as pdf, ofd, doc, docx, xlsx, pptx or jpg, jpeg, png, webp, tif, tiff. Enable recursion if needed.
3. Set Edit Metadata to Document Properties or Image EXIF. Each field supports Keep, Set to, or Remove. Change at least one field; Set to requires a value.
4. For example, set the document author to your team name and remove Last Modified By while keeping other fields. For images, set author, copyright, or capture date. Use separate workflows for document and image fields.
5. Choose a separate destination in Save Output and use Keep Both for conflicts. Save the .ofw, run it, and open the output copies to verify their fields in the information panel.

You can duplicate the built-in Edit Document Metadata workflow. Its sample author is OpenFiles; change that value before running. Metadata workflows process copies, but the output location and conflict policy still follow Save Output. Avoid directing output back to the original files with overwrite enabled.

Remove metadata before sharing

Batch → Remove Metadata → Save Output

Replace Edit Metadata with Remove Metadata, choose supported files and a separate output folder, then run. This clears document properties, including custom properties, or image EXIF, IPTC, and XMP metadata. Image orientation and color information are retained.

Supported formats include PDF, OFD, DOC/DOCX, XLS/XLSX, PPT/PPTX and supported OOXML macro formats, plus JPEG, PNG, WebP, and TIFF. This operation does not remove document body text, comments, tracked changes, or visible information in images. Before sharing, reopen the copies and check content, orientation, colors, and metadata. Review error records for unsupported or failed files.

Track workflows in a separate progress window

Run opens a separate task progress window so you can keep browsing or editing in other workspaces. It shows status, the current file, progress, speed, and estimated time remaining. During preparation or while totals are unknown, some values show Calculating.

Workflows can be canceled. Pause and Resume are available for copy, move, and move-to-trash tasks; workflows, compression, and extraction do not offer pause. Cancel stops remaining work and keeps completed files. Closing an active progress window asks whether to Cancel and Close; choose Keep Running to continue.

When finished, use Show Result to locate output, and check successful, failed, or skipped files in the workflow’s Output Results. See App windows for the other window types.