Let ChatGPT read and organize files on your computer

Guide · about 6 minutes to read · updated October 20, 2026

Most of us have a Downloads folder with a thousand files, a Documents folder nobody has sorted since 2019, and photos named IMG_4831.JPG. ChatGPT is good at deciding what goes where — but only if it can see the files. With Bridgerator connected, it can list, read, search, move and rename files on your Windows PC itself, inside the folders you allow.

What ChatGPT can do with your files

Read and search

Open text, code, CSV and log files; list folders with sizes and dates; search thousands of files by name or by content.

Create and edit

Write new files, make precise edits inside existing ones, create folders, move and rename files in bulk.

Each of these is a tool call — one action on your PC. A task like "sort my Downloads" usually takes from a few to a few dozen calls; the Free plan has 10,000 a month.

Requests that work well

Tidy upSort my Downloads folder by file type and month. Show the plan first and don't delete anything.

RenameRename the photos in Pictures\Vacation by capture date as YYYY-MM-DD_HHMM.

DuplicatesFind duplicate files in Documents by content and list which to keep. Don't remove anything yet.

Extract dataGo through the invoice PDFs in Documents\Invoices 2026 and build a CSV: date, vendor, amount, number.

FindFind every file over 1 GB on drive D: that hasn't been opened for a year.

SummarizeRead the .md notes in Documents\Notes and write one summary about "vacation" with links to the source files.

Three habits make results better: name the folder exactly (D:\Work\Reports beats "the reports folder"), ask for a plan before changes, and set limits — "read only", "don't delete", "leave the Archive subfolder alone". More examples are in the prompt library.

Which folders ChatGPT can see

You decide. The rules live in %APPDATA%\Bridgerator\config.json on your PC, and the assistant has no tool to change them.

allowedDirectories — the folders file tools may use. By default, your user folder (C:\Users\you). An empty list means the whole disk, so don't leave it empty unless you mean it.
deniedDirectories — folders closed even inside the allowed ones. By default .ssh and AppData, where keys, browser profiles and app data live.

Exclusions are enforced carefully: every path is resolved through symbolic links and junctions before it is checked, so a shortcut can't sneak around an excluded folder. Search results and folder listings that mention an excluded path are cut out before they reach ChatGPT.

How to change the folders

Open %APPDATA%\Bridgerator\config.json in Notepad.

Edit the lists, for example:

"allowedDirectories": ["C:\\Users\\anna\\Documents", "D:\\Work"],
"deniedDirectories": ["C:\\Users\\anna\\.ssh", "C:\\Users\\anna\\AppData", "D:\\Work\\HR"]

Save the file and run bridgerator.cmd setup in PowerShell to restart the bridge with the new rules (your key and settings are kept).

You can also set folders at install time by adding -Allow 'D:\Work' -Deny 'D:\Work\Private' to the install command.

Good practice

Allow only the folders you actually work with, not the whole disk.
Add your own private folders — passwords, scans of documents, HR files — to the exclusions.
Ask for a plan first and read what you confirm. Changes are marked for ChatGPT as needing confirmation.
Keep backups of anything important. AI assistants make mistakes.

One honest caveat: the terminal

Folder rules apply to file tools. If the terminal is on, a PowerShell command runs with your Windows user's rights and can read anything you can. If your folder limits must be strict, turn the terminal off — see running PowerShell from ChatGPT safely.

Does anything get uploaded?

Only what ChatGPT asks for in a given step travels to ChatGPT, as a tool result. The Bridgerator server forwards it in memory over TLS and doesn't save file contents, paths or command output. Not connected yet? Connect ChatGPT to your PC first.