Windows Explorer for Windows 10 does a pretty good job. This is definitely an improvement over what Windows Explorer was 10 years ago. But there are many more features that can make it truly great.
Fortunately, there are several developers who have created alternatives to Windows Explorer. Some of them don’t represent much improvement, but there are a number of alternatives that make Windows 10’s default File Explorer look like a hobbyist.
Explorer ++
If you are looking for an alternative to Windows Explorer that most closely resembles the default Windows Explorer, then Explorer ++ is for you.
Explorer ++ is a free and open source application that looks flawless and offers all the features you’d expect from Windows Explorer. It is also used by a large community of supporters who have contributed to the development of the application over the years.
Some of the best features you’ll find:
- Tabbed and Bookmarked View
- Combine or Split Files
- File Preview Window
- Customizable user interface
Explorer ++ does not require installation. It’s just an executable file that you can store anywhere on your computer. To set it as your default explorer, simply click on Tools & Options, then in the Default File Manager pane, change the setting to Replace Explorer For All Folders.
While it doesn’t add much to the standard Windows Explorer, it offers enough advanced features that nobody would blame you for using it as their default explorer.
Download Explorer ++
Capable
If you’re looking for something new, Q-Dir is a great alternative to Windows Explorer.
Q-Dir is short for Quad-Directory Explorer. This is because it opens by default with four explorer panes open, which can be resized in any configuration.
It includes all the standard features that you use by default in Windows Explorer, plus all of the following:
- Tabbed browsing in all four views
- Set the color filter for files and folders
- Displays the directory structure as branches of a tree.
- Small size
- Supports multiple languages.
- Can work from USB stick for full portability.
- Save your favorite folder combinations for quick access later.
The variety of window panel configurations is addictive. There are even quick tabs at the top that change the position of windows on the display. Switch the file viewer panel as desired.
To set Q-Dir as your default file explorer, simply click the Advanced menu, select Q-Dir as your default browser, and select As default browser for everyone.
fman
If you’re the type of user who gets annoyed with point-and-click apps, fman will quickly grow on you.
In fact, the keyword here is fast . fman advertises itself as “GoTo on Steroids”. This is because pressing Ctrl + P on your keyboard opens a window where you can enter the directory you are looking for and just press Enter to go to it.
It opens in two panes, making it easy to quickly transfer files between directories.
fman is keyboard based. Even if you’re unfamiliar with using keyboard shortcuts to speed up your work, pressing Ctrl + Shift + P opens the Command Palette. You can find the keyboard commands you want and press Enter to run this command. Over time, you will find that you use the Command Palette less and less.
If fman doesn’t have enough features for you by default, there are many custom plugins that extend its capabilities. Just open the Command Palette and enter “Install Plugins” to see all available plugins.
Free Commander
FreeCommander is a great alternative to Windows Explorer if you’re tired of the plain old default Windows Explorer interface.
It doesn’t have any extra features, but it does offer larger, more colorful icons and the standard features you use the most.
What can you expect when using FreeCommander?
- Tabbed interface
- Dual panes with the ability to add a tree view.
- ZIP file support
- Compare and sync any folders.
- Integrated DOS command line.
- Intuitive icons and shortcuts (which you can customize).
- Greater user friendliness
To set FreeCommander as your default Windows Explorer, simply click the Tools menu and select Redirect Win + E to FreeCommander.
If you are not sure if FreeCommander is right for you, just run it temporarily as a standalone application and then set it as default if you are sure.
muCommander
If you are looking for a modern, highly customizable Windows Explorer alternative, muCommander is a good place to start. It is available on any Java-enabled operating system, so you can use it anywhere.
The first thing you’ll see when starting muCommander is the ability to change the theme. The theme options are pretty, and it’s a nice change to the pace of the tedious default Windows Explorer.
You don’t have to make any compromises using muCommander, as it provides the same tree-like interface you’re used to, with two default panes visible.
Notable features included in muCommander include:
- FTP support (including secure FTP).
- SMB, NFS and HTTP support.
- Easily edit or unpack ZIP, RAR, 7z and other compressed files.
- Convenient tabbed navigation.
- More customizable than most free file managers.
- Quickly bookmark files and folders.
- Easily customizable theme.
- Intuitive icons at the top and sides of the window.
- Batch File Processing
- Simple networking functions.
- Shortcut icons for previewing, editing, renaming or moving files.
- Color coding to quickly see the age of files.
- Bookmarking folders.
- Create a new tab to view any new folder.
- Import or export all bookmarks.
- Convenient keyboard shortcuts such as Cntrl + T for a new tab, Cntrl + W to close a tab, and Cntrl + Tab to switch between tabs.
- Drag any folder to your bookmarks bar
Of all the free Windows Explorer options, muCommander is one of the most well-programmed and functional options included in the lightweight package.
OneCommander
If you’re looking for a truly unique file manager, you can’t go wrong with OneCommander.
It is only available for Windows and requires the .NET 4.6 framework. It will work seamlessly on Windows 10.
It can be downloaded directly from the Windows Store. The moment you open it, you will be surprised how different the interface is from most other Windows Explorer alternatives.
The user interface uses an innovative “streaming†approach to folder browsing that feels natural and intuitive. The flow goes from left to right as you go deeper into folders and subfolders.
The beauty of this layout is that you can change the view structure in any branch of the tree and change the drill path faster.
OneCommander features include:
OneCommander fits into the overall theme of modern Windows even better than the default Windows Explorer application itself.
Clover flower
If you are a fan of the tab-based approach that is used in almost every modern web browser, you will definitely love Clover.
Clover is not a complete replacement for Windows Explorer. Instead, it’s an add-on that turns Windows Explorer into a Windows browser. It adds multi-tab functionality to the default Windows file manager, allowing you to open multiple instances of Windows Explorer without cluttering your desktop with multiple windows.
Clover features include:
When downloading and installing Clover, all installation screens are displayed in Chinese. However, the buttons to press are obvious and the app itself is entirely in English.
Replace Windows Explorer
Moving away from the file manager you have become accustomed to over the years can seem like a daunting task. Many people don’t even think about switching because they think Microsoft’s version should be the best.
You can always pay for any number of file managers, but there’s really no need to consider the great options that are available to you for free.
Download and try out a few of the file managers above and before you know it, you wonder how you got along without them at all. Enjoy!
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