A quiet companion for everyday file work
A small companion for converting, editing, and organizing files. Bring the action to the file instead of hunting through menus.
The desktop app works locally. The preview below uses sample files and never reads anything from your computer.
Three quick paths
On Windows, drag a file while holding Shift, Alt + Shift, or Ctrl + Shift. On macOS and Linux, use the companion window to choose Convert, Tools, or Actions.
Interactive preview
This Windows-style preview uses sample files. Click and drag any icon, then hold a keyboard shortcut while moving it. The wheel stays open after release so you can choose a petal.
FilePetal desktop preview
Windows mock · sample files
Use your keyboard while dragging
Hold Shift for Convert, Ctrl + Shift for Actions, or Ctrl + Alt (also Alt + Shift) for Tools. For Convert, release and click a format or drop the file on a format to add a mock copy with the new extension. The wheel closes after the copy appears; repeat the gesture for more copies. The demo never changes real files.
What FilePetal does
Hold a modifier while dragging on Windows. On macOS and Linux, use the companion window and choose a wheel. Options depend on the file type and installed engines.
Shift
FilePetal shows outputs supported for the selected file. It doesn’t offer a conversion just because two formats look similar.
Alt + Shift
Open a tool for the selected file family. Original files stay untouched; outputs are written separately.
Compress, edit, inspect or remove metadata, annotate, add a background, crop, redact, make a PDF, or build a collage.
Compress, inspect metadata, trim, crop, change speed, remove audio, extract snapshots, split, join, or redact.
Compress, inspect tags, normalize loudness, trim, change channels, bleep a section, or make a waveform video.
Compress or split PDFs, merge several PDFs, create a PDF from images, and safely extract archives.
Ctrl + Shift
Use quick operating-system actions without opening several menus.
macOS setup
FilePetal provides separate ZIPs for Apple silicon and Intel Macs. You can check the processor in About This Mac.
Open the Apple menu and choose About This Mac. Find the Chip or Processor line.
Open the ZIP, then move FilePetal.app to Applications or another folder you can write to.
The community builds are not signed or notarized with an Apple Developer ID, so macOS may block the first launch.
FilePetal.app.FilePetal’s macOS version uses a companion window: drop files there, choose Convert, Tools, or Actions, then pick an option.
Privacy and files
FilePetal’s desktop conversions and editing tools run locally. The website and desktop app make separate network requests for separate purposes.
The app does not upload selected files or conversion results to a cloud converter. It writes outputs locally, leaving the source files unchanged. Some capabilities need local tools such as FFmpeg; those are not included in current release ZIPs.
There is no required FilePetal account or app telemetry in this build.
The site reads latest ZIP links and per-asset download counts from GitHub Releases. The counts measure download requests, not unique people or installations.
The interactive preview uses five sample file icons built into the page. It does not read, upload, or convert files from your computer.
Preferences are stored in your local user profile. The current app does not automatically check or install updates. See how to update a ZIP installation.
Questions
Open a question to read the answer. Only one answer stays open at a time.
File conversions and editing run on your device. The app needs internet access only for actions such as downloading an update or release. Audio and video features need FFmpeg and FFprobe installed locally.
There is no automatic updater yet. Quit FilePetal, download the latest ZIP, extract it into a new folder, and launch that copy. Once you confirm it works, remove the old app folder and ZIP if you want. You do not need to uninstall; preferences live separately in your user profile.
The tray’s Check for Updates item currently displays a manual-update message; it does not actually query GitHub. An in-app version check with an “Update available” prompt is the sensible next step. Automatic installation needs a separate updater for each operating system.
Yes: Windows x64, macOS Apple silicon, macOS Intel, and Linux x64. Current releases are portable ZIP packages. See the downloads page for system requirements and installation instructions.
The community builds are not signed or notarized with an Apple Developer ID. On first launch, Control-click FilePetal.app in Finder, choose Open, then confirm. Read the Mac guide for the chip-specific download.
The published Linux build targets x86_64 Ubuntu 22.04 or newer with glibc 2.34 or newer. Other distributions may work if their system libraries meet that baseline.
No. Counts come from GitHub’s release asset download totals. They count download requests, not unique people, installations, or active users.
No. It uses sample icons and can add mock output icons to the preview desktop, but it never reads local files or performs real conversions.
FilePetal releases
These packages are built for 64-bit Windows, macOS, and Linux. The latest version and asset links are read from GitHub Releases.
Windows 10 (1809+) or Windows 11 · x64
Extract the ZIP, then launch FilePetal.exe. No installer or administrator permission is needed.
macOS 13 or newer
M1, M2, M3, M4 · arm64
These builds are not signed or notarized. See the first-launch guide.
Ubuntu 22.04+ · glibc 2.34+ · x64
Extract the ZIP, then run chmod +x FilePetal/FilePetal and ./FilePetal/FilePetal.
The current public packages do not update themselves. Quit FilePetal, download and extract the newer ZIP into a new folder, and launch that copy. After confirming it works, you can remove the old app folder and the old ZIP. Your preferences are kept separately in your user profile.
The tray menu’s Check for Updates entry is currently a manual-update notice; it does not yet check GitHub for a newer version. A useful next step is an in-app version check that offers the latest download. Automatic installation should wait until each platform has a reliable, signed update package.