The Hazel Alternative That Reads Your Files

Hazel is a rule engine for macOS: it watches folders and acts on files based on conditions you write, such as name patterns, dates, or kind. Zush works the other way around — it reads what each file actually contains and suggests a descriptive, searchable name. Zush can also sort files into folders: instead of building conditions, you describe the folders in plain language, such as “Group invoices by company and receipts by month.” Monitor applies the same rules to new files, every batch stays in undo history, and Zush runs on Mac and Windows, while Hazel is macOS-only. Rules ask where a file came from; AI asks what is inside it.

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Take a tour of Zush

One quick showcase per feature. Click a tab to see it in action.

Bulk rename files by real content before you apply changes

Your naming system, powered by AI

Combine file content, metadata, dates, custom instructions, and reusable blocks into filenames that match the way you work. Zush suggests — you review and decide.

Smart Batch Rename

Analyze and rename 100+ file formats in one batch, from images, EPUB and FB2 ebooks, and PDFs to audio, video, and Office files. Describe any detail for Zush to extract, then reuse it as a Custom AI Block in any template.

Choose where AI runs

Choose Zush Cloud, BYOK, LM Studio or Ollama for the same review-first rename workflow.

Cloud AI

Goes through our relay to a commercial AI provider, under their standard API terms. The relay exists so the API key can’t be pulled out of the app.

Bring Your Own Key

Connect your own API key from Gemini, OpenRouter, OpenAI, or Claude for cloud renames; FREE includes 50 across all modes and PRO is unlimited. Keys are stored locally in secure platform storage.

Private Local AI Options

Keep supported analysis on your device with LM Studio or Ollama. Each local mode works offline after setup.

Watch one or multiple folders — including iCloud Drive, Google Drive, Dropbox, and OneDrive folders. Zush runs in the background and processes new files automatically.

BETA

Sort files into folders with AI

Auto

AI groups files by content and names the folders.

Custom

Write a prompt to tell AI how to group your files.

Example prompt

“Group invoices by company and receipts by month.”

How AI folder sorting works

Supported File Formats

Images

pngjpgjpegjpewebpavifgifbmpdibtifftifheicheicsheifsvgpdfjp2jpfjpxj2kj2cexrtgaicoicnspbmpgmppmpfmcr2cr3nefarwdngorfrafrw2pefsrwsr2raw

Documents

pdftxtmdjsonemlcsvtsvlogxmlyamlymlsrtvttrtfodtodsodppagesnumberskeydocdocxdocmdotxdotmpptpptxpptmpotxpotmppsxppsmxlsxlsxxlsmxltxxltmepubfb2fb2.zip

Videos

mp4movqtm4vmpegmpgm2v3gp3gpp3g23gp2dvtsmtsm2tsvob

Audio

mp3m4awavflacoggwebmmpga

Design

sketchfigaipsd

Try Zush free

Rename and organize files with AI, monitor folders, and clean up screenshots, design files, PDFs, photos, audio, videos, iWork, and Office documents by content.

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Free · No credit card required · macOS Sequoia+

Available on both desktops

Pick your platform — same Zush, native everywhere

A signed and notarized .dmg, Mac App Store build, or Homebrew cask for macOS. A Microsoft Store install for Windows. Same renaming engine, same BYOK and Local AI mode, native to each OS.

Zush for Mac

Apple Silicon and Intel · macOS 15+ · App Store + .dmg + Homebrew

See Mac details

Zush for Windows

x64 and ARM64 · Windows 10/11 · Microsoft Store

See Windows details

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Zush a replacement for Hazel?

Yes for the naming workflow: Zush reads file content, creates descriptive names, monitors folders, and keeps undo history on Mac and Windows. Keep Hazel only as an optional companion when complex conditional moves or shell scripts are mandatory.

Can Zush move files into folders like Hazel?

Yes. Turn on folder sorting and describe the grouping in plain language, for example “Sort receipts by month and name folders YYYY-MM.” Zush reads each file, proposes a folder, and moves it after you review the batch. It can reuse folders that already exist and create new ones when nothing fits. Hazel needs a separate rule with conditions for each case.

Can Zush watch folders like Hazel?

Yes. Zush has folder monitoring: point it at a folder such as Downloads and new files get content-aware names automatically as they arrive, using the template you choose. If the Template has folder rules, new files are sorted into folders too. Every change stays in rename history, so you can undo any batch.

Does Zush work on Windows? Hazel does not.

Yes. Hazel is macOS-only. Zush has a native Mac app and a Windows build in the Microsoft Store, so the same content-aware renaming workflow follows you across both platforms.

When should Hazel be kept as a narrow companion?

Keep Hazel when the workflow requires AppleScript, shell scripts, tagging, archiving, or strictly deterministic conditions. For naming and content-based sorting, Zush is the better fit because it understands what files contain, works on Mac and Windows, monitors folders, and keeps recovery history.

Can I use Zush and Hazel together?

Yes. Let Zush name and sort files by content, and keep Hazel for scripts, tags, archiving, or cleanup rules that Zush does not perform.

Choose your PRO plan

Monthly flexibility or one-time lifetime access. Both plans remove the rename limit across every AI mode.

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