---
title: "Folder watcher"
description: "Folder watcher is a built-in integration for Home Assistant. It has 1.4k installs sharing analytics and works locally."
canonical: "https://vulpo.app/integrations/core/folder-watcher"
url: "https://vulpo.app/integrations/core/folder-watcher.md"
last-updated: "2026-10-22"
version: "1.4"
---

# Folder watcher

> Folder watcher is a built-in integration for Home Assistant. It has 1.4k installs sharing analytics and works locally.

Folder watcher is a built-in integration that reports changes to files in a chosen folder on the local system. It exposes an events platform, so file activity in the watched location shows up as events in Home Assistant. The setup asks for the path to the folder, which needs to start from the root, such as the config folder. A pattern can limit what is monitored, for example only YAML files, and this pattern can be changed later in the options. It is set up in the interface, and a repair notice appears in Settings if an older YAML configuration could not be imported.

Automatic summary of Home Assistant's source code. Something wrong? [Get in touch](https://vulpo.app/contact)

[Open in My Home Assistant](https://my.home-assistant.io/redirect/config_flow_start/?domain=folder_watcher)

## Supports

- **Works locally**: Talks to your devices on your own network. No vendor cloud in between.
- **Set up in the UI**: Add it in Settings, Devices and services. Nothing to download.
- **Updated with Home Assistant**: Ships and updates with every Home Assistant release.

## Setting it up

It is added under Settings, Devices and services, with Add integration.

### Connect

- **Path to the watched folder**: Path needs to be from root, as example /config
- **Pattern(s) to monitor**: Example: \*.yaml to only see yaml files

### After setup

- **Pattern(s) to monitor**: Example: \*.yaml to only see yaml files

Texts from Home Assistant's source code, [Apache License 2.0](https://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0).

## Troubleshooting

- **Repair notices**: Notices it can show in Settings, Repairs:
  The Folder Watcher YAML configuration could not be imported

## At a glance

- Kind: Built-in integration
- Category: [DIY and makers](https://vulpo.app/integrations/category/diy-and-makers.md), Web and data connectors
- Number: 1.4k installs sharing analytics
- Connection: Works locally
- Upkeep: Part of Home Assistant
- Needs: Built into Home Assistant
- Domain: `folder_watcher`
- Source: <https://www.home-assistant.io/integrations/folder_watcher/>

In Vulpo: Entity card (read-only)

Independent directory, made by the developer of Vulpo. Not affiliated with Home Assistant or the Open Home Foundation. [About these numbers](https://vulpo.app/integrations/about)

Last updated 2026-10-22. Source: https://vulpo.app/integrations/core/folder-watcher

---

- HTML version of this page: https://vulpo.app/integrations/core/folder-watcher
- Site index for agents: https://vulpo.app/llms.txt
- Everything in one document: https://vulpo.app/llms-full.txt
- All pages: https://vulpo.app/sitemap.xml