You Should Replace Windows 11 File Explorer With This App
File Explorer in Windows 11 is having a hard time. The original design of Windows 10 replaced familiar features, and the context menu was truncated, as were the options in the ribbon menu.
A couple of updates later, the situation has improved somewhat, and Windows 11 finally adds support for tabs in File Explorer. But if you’re annoyed by the lack of consistency in File Explorer, there’s a free, open-source, community-supported alternative that’s much more customizable. It’s simply called the Files app.
How to download the Files app for free
You can buy the Files app from the official Microsoft Store for $8, but it’s also available completely free on the developer’s site , although it’s a bit hidden: after opening the link, click the “Classic Installer” button at the bottom of the page to begin the free download.
But before you do that, I suggest you create a backup of your computer and all your important files just in case as this application has permissions to directly edit all the files on your computer.
The Files app wins with its design
There’s no shortage of alternatives to File Explorer ( XYPlorer is a popular choice), and this has been the case even before Windows 11. But none have as modern or polished a design as the Files app. It’s based on Microsoft’s Fluent design system and looks even better on Windows 11 than Microsoft’s own File Explorer, which looks like a cheap version of Windows 10 File Explorer with a redesigned skin.
This emphasis on design continues with the customization options, of which there are many. You can choose from several default themes, or have fun choosing the color and transparency effects that suit you. And the dark mode is simply divine .
If you’re looking for a form factor closer to macOS, you can switch to column view. Like Finder on Mac, this app also has a Quick Preview feature that lets you preview photos and PDFs by pressing the spacebar (this requires a third-party app in File Explorer).
My favorite thing, however, is the fact that you can make the icons and previews very large so that you can see what’s in the image or PDF without even going to the Quick View menu – something that’s simply not possible with the built-in app. File Explorer.”
The Files app is a great file manager.
The Files app’s intuitive user interface also provides functionality. Tabbed browsing provides fast and easy navigation and supports dual panes (you can add a pane to a tab using the Menu button). This function splits each window into two. The second panel shows quick shortcuts and allows you to navigate to any folder. From there, simply drag and drop files, rearrange them, or edit them as you see fit.
The two-pane layout makes it easy to transfer files, and you won’t have to worry about managing windows either. The “More Details” button is another nice touch. The sidebar can display a preview and details of the selected file.
As mentioned above, the Column view is another useful way to delve deeper into a complex folder structure without losing context since you can see the parent folder on the left.
Another macOS Finder feature that works well in the Files app is tag support. Tags can be created in the sidebar, and multiple tags can be assigned to a single file. When you open a tag in the sidebar, all files associated with that tag are displayed. This is a great way to combine files from different folders without moving them.
The Files app works with OneDrive and Google Drive by default, you can see all the files stored in your cloud storage account, and you can view and unzip files. You can add support for other services such as iCloud Drive and Dropbox.
Added functionality costs money
In the advanced settings, you can make the Files app your default file management app if you want. It can be used to open folders from search and even when downloading files. (Due to Windows limitations, it cannot be used when downloading files in the browser, but it can be the default file manager everywhere.)
But the question is, should you use Files as your default app? This will depend on your computer. The Files app is modern and feature-rich, but it can also be a drain on your resources. It loads slowly the first time and can be very slow when batch renaming files. But if you have a fast enough desktop computer, you won’t have any problems.
Overall, its intuitive design, additional navigation features, and the fact that it’s available for free (competing apps typically cost $25) make it worth a try—and it’s much better than the Windows 11 standard.