Overview
Media automations work on the files in your workspace Media Files. A new or deleted file can start an automation. Later steps can find files, make a smaller video, save a still frame, cut a clip, or save the audio from a video.
TL;DR: Start an automation with File Added to Media or File Deleted from Media. Use Find Files in Media to list files by folder, type, and name. Each video and audio step, except Check the file, saves a new file and keeps the original. Start from a Quick Start, from the Automate button on a file, or from Taskade EVE.
Start an Automation When a File Changes
Two triggers watch Media Files. Find them in the trigger list, under the Taskade heading, in the Tasks group.
| Trigger | Starts when |
|---|---|
| File Added to Media | A file is added to your workspace Media Files. |
| File Deleted from Media | A file is deleted from Media Files. A bulk delete of more than 20 files does not start it. |
File Added to Media passes these fields to the next steps:
| Field | What it holds |
|---|---|
| File name | The name of the file |
| Kind | One of document, spreadsheet, image, video, audio, webpage, youtube, or other |
| MIME type | The exact file format, for example video/mp4 |
| Size | The file size in bytes |
| Folder | The folder of the file in Media Files |
| File link | A link to the file that the media steps can read |
File Deleted from Media passes the ID, name, kind, format, size, and folder of the deleted file. It passes no file link, because the file no longer exists.
The File Added to Media trigger starts for every file that lands in Media Files. If only some files matter, add a Filter Data step after the trigger. For example, continue only when the kind is video.
Find Files in Media
Find Files in Media returns a list of files from Media Files, so later steps can work on each one.
| Field | What it does |
|---|---|
| Folder | Searches this folder and the folders inside it, for example /inbox. Leave it empty to search the whole library. |
| File Types | Returns only the types you pick: Image, Video, Audio, or Document. Leave it empty to return every type. |
| Name Contains | Returns only the files whose name contains this text. Upper and lower case match. |
| Maximum Files | Sets how many files the step returns. The default is 20, and the highest value is 100. |
The step returns How many files and a Files list. Each file in the list carries its ID, name, type, format, size, folder, and File link. To handle each file, run the next steps inside a Loop over Files.
Change Video and Audio Files
Each of these steps reads a video or audio file from Media Files. Every step except Check the file saves the result as a new file. The original file stays as it is. Insert a File link from the trigger or from Find Files in Media into the step.
| Step | What it saves | Options |
|---|---|---|
| Make a smaller video | A smaller copy of a video | Size: 720p (smallest) or 1080p |
| Change the file format | A copy of a video or audio file in another format | New format: MP4 video, WebM video, MP3 audio, or WAV audio |
| Get the audio from a video | The sound of a video as an audio file | Audio format: MP3 (smallest) or WAV (best for speech to text) |
| Get a still frame | One frame of a video as a JPEG image | Time in seconds. Leave it empty for an early frame. |
| Cut a clip | Part of a video or audio file as a new file | Start in seconds and End in seconds. The end must be later than the start. |
| Check the file | No new file. The step reads the length, the width and height, the codecs, and the container. | None |
Each step that saves a file returns a File link to the new file, with its type, size, and length. A file that one of these steps saves does not start File Added to Media, so a media automation does not start itself again. Pass that link to the next step. For example, send the output of Get the audio from a video to Transcribe Audio to Project to turn the speech into a project.
Use Check the file in a Branch step before a longer step. For example, skip files that are too long to process.
These limits apply to the video and audio steps:
- A step that saves a new file reads a file of up to 10 minutes.
- Each step reads a file of up to 500 MB, or up to the upload limit of your plan if that is lower.
- Each step uses AI credits. The charge follows the length of the file that the step saves, and Check the file costs the least.
These steps work on files that you already have. They do not generate a video, restyle a video with AI, or create speech.
Start From a Quick Start
Two Quick Start cards build a complete media automation for you.
| Quick Start | What it builds |
|---|---|
| Make Every Video Smaller | Saves a smaller copy of each video added to Media Files |
| Get a Still Frame | Saves one frame of each video added to Media Files |
- Open any automation and click ➕ Add Step.
- Open the Content & Media group.
- Under Quick Start, click Make Every Video Smaller or Get a Still Frame.
- Review the new automation that opens, then turn it on.
Each card creates a new automation with File Added to Media, a filter named Only continue for a video file, and the media step. The file link is already in place. The filter stops the run for any other file, so an unrelated upload does not count as a failed run.
Automate a File From Media Files
- Open Media in your workspace.
- Find the file, then click Automate on it.
- Pick a trigger or a step. The For Media group lists the media steps first.
- Review the new automation that opens. If you picked a video or audio step for a matching file, the file link is already filled in.
The Automate button appears on a computer, for members who can create automations.
Ask Taskade EVE to Build It
Describe the job to Taskade EVE in plain words. For example, ask for a smaller copy of every video that you upload. Taskade EVE can build the automation with these steps and connect the trigger for you.
Related guides
- Media Files. Where your files live and how to upload them.
- Upload File to Media. Save a file from a link into Media Files.
- Mailhook. Save email attachments to Media Files.
- Loop. Run steps once for each file.
- Filter Data. Continue only for the files you want.
- Automate. Explore automation templates and use cases.