How can I get the size of a file in an automation?

Add Get file info and point it at the file. Its size output can then be compared or shown by later steps.

Does it work on folders too?

Yes. It works on a folder as well as a file, and its outputs include whether the item is a folder.

StepFreefile.info

Get a file's size, dates and name parts in a routine

Get file info reads the details of one file or folder and hands them to the rest of your routine. It is handy when a later step needs the extension, the size or the date a file last changed.

How it works

You give it a single path to a file or folder.
It outputs the full path, name, the name without the extension, the extension, the folder it lives in, the size, whether it is a folder, and when it was created and last changed.
It only reads, so it never changes anything and behaves the same in a dry run as in a real one.

Routines that use it

Rename by date

Get file info on a new photo, then Rename file uses its modified date and Format date to give it a name like 2026-10-06 Holiday.

Warn about huge files

After a download, check the file's size with Compare values and show a banner when it is larger than you expected.

Branch on file type

Read the extension of a dropped file and use If to send PDFs to one folder and images to another with Move or copy file.

Settings

Setting	What it does
Path	The file or folder.

Questions

How can I get the size of a file in an automation?: Add Get file info and point it at the file. Its size output can then be compared or shown by later steps.
Does it work on folders too?: Yes. It works on a folder as well as a file, and its outputs include whether the item is a folder.

Pairs well with

Step · FilesFree

List files

List files collects the files in a folder that match your filters and gives you the list to work with. It is usually paired with For each so a routine can deal with many files one at a time.

Step · FilesFree

Rename file

Rename file changes a file or folder's name without moving it. You can write a whole new name, or find and replace part of the current one.

Step · FilesFree

Move or copy file

Move or copy file puts a file or folder somewhere else, either moving it or leaving the original and making a copy. It is the workhorse behind download sorting, archiving and backup routines.

Condition · Flow and routinesFree

Compare values is the everyday yes-or-no check in KeyRoutines. You put a value on the left, pick a test, and put a value on the right, so an If can branch on things like a battery level, a window title or a number an earlier step worked out.

Step · Data and variablesFree

Format date

Format date writes a date as text in the layout you choose. It's the step behind dated file names, readable times in messages and timestamps in log files.

Condition · FilesFree

File or folder exists

File or folder exists is a condition that answers one question: is this path there right now, and does it look the way you expect? People use it to skip a step when a file is missing, or to hold a routine until an export or render has finished saving.

Build this routine in KeyRoutines

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