Folders

Folders

Folders let you organize records in a way that matches how you actually use your collection. They are personal organization tools, not Discogs metadata and not physical storage locations.

Use folders for things like:

• records to clean,
• records for a party,
• listening projects,
• genre shelves,
• sell or trade candidates,
• new arrivals,
• gifts,
• or any temporary working list.

Folders vs Vault vs Smart Collections

These three features can look similar, but they solve different problems.

Feature	Use it for	Updated by
Folders	Personal grouping and manual lists	You
Vault	Physical location, such as room, rack, bin, or shelf	You
Smart Collections	Automatic saved views based on rules	DeepGrooves, based on criteria

If you want to remember where a record physically lives, use Vault. If you want a hand-curated list, use Folders. If you want the app to keep a view updated automatically, use Smart Collections.

Open Folders

Folders usually appear in the main navigation or inside the Collection organization tools. Select a folder to show only the records assigned to it.

If you have no folders yet, the app should show an empty state with a clear action to create your first folder.

Create a Folder

1. Open the Folders area.
2. Choose the create or add-folder action.
3. Enter a short, clear folder name.
4. Choose a color or icon if available.
5. Save the folder.

Good folder names are easy to scan:

• To Clean
• Saturday Set
• Trade Pile
• Dad's Jazz
• High Priority
• New Arrivals

Folder Color and Icon

Colors and icons are visual shortcuts. They do not affect filtering, sorting, value, or ownership.

Use them to make similar folders easier to tell apart. For example, you might use one color for active listening folders and another for cleanup folders.

Add One Record to a Folder

You can usually add a record from a card, list row, album detail page, or action menu.

1. Open the record action menu.
2. Choose the folder action.
3. Select one or more folders.
4. Save or confirm the assignment.

The record stays in your Collection. Adding it to a folder only changes organization.

Drag Records to a Folder

Some Collection views support dragging a record onto a folder.

Drag and drop is best for quick cleanup when you can see both the record and folder. If you are organizing many records, use bulk actions instead.

Add Multiple Records to a Folder

For larger cleanup passes, use multi-select and bulk actions.

1. Enter multi-select mode in Collection.
2. Select the records you want.
3. Choose the folder action.
4. Pick the target folder.
5. Confirm the change.

Only selected records should change. If you are filtered to a folder, search result, or Smart Collection, check the selected count before confirming.

View Folder Contents

Select a folder to show its records.

Folder views are useful for focused work:

• listening through a project,
• cleaning a batch,
• checking records before a show,
• reviewing trade candidates,
• or sharing a curated slice if sharing is supported for that scope.

If a folder is empty, the app should explain that no records are assigned yet and offer a path back to Collection.

Records Can Be in More Than One Folder

One record can belong to multiple folders.

For example, a record can be in both Jazz and Needs Cleaning. Removing it from one folder should not remove it from the other folder or delete it from your Collection.

Rename a Folder

Rename a folder when the purpose changes.

1. Open the folder action menu.
2. Choose rename or edit.
3. Change the name.
4. Save.

Renaming a folder should keep all assigned records in place.

Change Folder Color or Icon

Use edit folder to adjust visual details.

This is safe to do anytime. Changing color or icon should not affect folder contents.

Remove a Record From a Folder

Removing a record from a folder does not delete the record.

1. Open the record inside the folder view.
2. Choose remove from folder.
3. Confirm if the app asks.

The record remains in Collection and any other folders where it is assigned.

Delete a Folder

Deleting a folder removes the folder itself, not the records inside it.

The app should ask for confirmation before deleting a folder. After deletion, assigned records remain in your Collection, but they no longer appear in that folder.

Folders on Mobile

On mobile, folders may appear behind a navigation menu, filter drawer, or organization panel.

Use mobile folders for quick review and light organization. For large cleanup sessions, desktop is usually easier because you can see more records and controls at once.

Tips

Keep folders purposeful

Too many folders can become harder to maintain than the collection itself. Use folders for workflows you actually revisit.

Use Smart Collections for automatic lists

If a folder is really a rule, such as "all records missing condition," create or use a Smart Collection instead.

Use Vault for physical storage

Do not use folders as your only location system if you need to find records in boxes or shelves. Use Vault for physical location.

Use bulk actions after imports

After importing many records, use filters or search to select a batch, then bulk-add them to a folder like Imported July 2026 or Needs Review.

Troubleshooting

I deleted a folder. Are my records gone?

No. Folder deletion should remove only the folder. Open Collection and search for the records to confirm they are still there.

A record disappeared from a folder

Clear filters and search inside the folder view. If it is still missing, open the record from Collection and check folder assignments.

Drag and drop did not work

Use the record action menu or bulk folder assignment instead. Dragging can be harder on touch devices or small screens.

A folder count looks wrong

Refresh the page, clear filters, and check whether the folder view is also scoped by search, favorites, Wishlist, or another filter.

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Related topics:

• collection
• bulk-operations
• tags
• smart-collections
• vault
• sharing