How to Change the Default Explorer in Windows
When it comes to something as fundamental as Windows Explorer—a utility for viewing and managing files on your disk—you might think you have no choice but to use the tool Microsoft provides for the task. However, alternative file managers exist and you can set them as the default option as well.
This requires a bit of registry hacking, so proceed with caution, although some File Explorer alternatives will do the necessary hacking for you, making it easier. If you ever want to go back to using Standard Explorer as the default option, you can simply delete the additional registry keys you created to get back to normal.
Choose your file manager
There have been several Windows file manager tools discussed on Lifehacker over the years, including the handy Files app . It has a streamlined, modern interface with customizable appearance options, tabbed folder browsing, built-in previews for common file types, and integration with Microsoft OneDrive and Google Drive.
Another popular choice is XYplorer . There’s also tab support, as well as an intuitive two-pane layout option, and you get powerful search features and plenty of customization options. It’s quick to use, and the program supports scripts, allowing you to automate many repetitive file management tasks.
There’s also OneCommander , and it’s one of the tools that can set itself as your default file manager, taking care of the registry hacking for you: Click the gear icon (bottom left) and check the “Register as default file manager” box in the taskbar. Advanced tab. It’s loaded with useful features, including advanced filtering and folder organizing tools, and you can customize the interface in a variety of ways.
Total Commander is another file manager worth checking out, and one of the more comprehensive in terms of features: there are plenty of options, including disk search, file comparison, batch processing, automatic archive processing, and quick preview. There are also plenty of options to play with, so you can make the file manager work exactly the way you want it to.
Edit the Windows Registry
Once you find a file manager you like, you can edit Windows’ extensive registry settings file to set it as the default, although in some parts of Windows, such as when saving files in programs, there’s no option to switch from Explorer. You should also be aware that you edit the registry at your own risk: incorrect registry keys can cause problems in Windows, although if you follow these instructions carefully you should be fine.
Ideally, you’ll be able to set your file manager of choice as the default option, so the first thing you should do is check to see if this option is available. If not, you can start editing manually: Find and launch Registry Editor from the Start menu and create a backup before making changes ( File > Export and select All for the export range).
Next, you need to go to Explorer to find the file manager executable you want to use as your new default file. Right-click the program file, then select Copy as Path from the menu that appears. Then you need to go back to the Registry Editor and create a couple of new folders and subfolders.
Find the HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Drive\shell folder, right-click it, select New > Key and name it “open”. Right-click this new keys folder and select New > Key again and name this “command”. Double-click the default value inside this new key and paste the program path you copied from File Explorer.
Click “OK” and your changes will be automatically saved. Then you need to repeat the same process in the HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell folder with new keys and file path. After that, restart your computer – and if everything goes well, you will have a new default file manager.
If you want to go back to normal, simply delete the registry keys you created in HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Drive\shell and HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell (right click and select Delete ). After this, Explorer will be restored to its previous position, although you can of course still use alternative file managers.