

QTTabBar
177 likes
QTTabBar is an extension for Windows Explorer that brings tabbed browsing to Microsoft's file browser. It comes with a number of nifty features including a favorites function for launching folders and applications, groupings of folders that can be opened together, tooltip...
License model
- Free • Open Source
Application type
Country of Origin
Japan
Platforms
- Windows
- Windows Explorer
Features
QTTabBar News & Activities
Highlights All activities
Recent activities
- POX added QTTabBar as alternative to Bloom File Manager
- Landxhent liked QTTabBar
- GigglingHam added Works Offline as a feature to QTTabBar
QTTabBar information
AlternativeTo Category
File ManagementGitHub repository
- 4,345 Stars
- 299 Forks
- 130 Open Issues
- Updated Apr 19, 2025
Comments and Reviews
Discontinued, yes - but still the best with the most options by far!
The last update was in 2020 so it definitely isn't Discontinued yet.
And actually there is a new 2021 release which supports Win11 preview.
It's annoying to set up. You can't just install and go on Windows 10. You have to mess with the registry.
I just installed-and-go'd on Windows 10 no problem using the Github releases. Looks like the git linked on this page might be a fork of the original that's linked as a website on this page. Try that one out
I tried an intall from the Github with plugins and no plugins option, as well as from the website. None worked. I could see a setting on my file explorer, but it didn't do anything, just made a thin white line appear.
It could be because I have privacy settings on, such as disabling Windows Store and the like. But I'm not going to spend hours messing with the registry to try to get this to work when there are many alternative file browsers.
No new release in 2 years and some features are broken but it's still the best tabbed file manager for Windows 7/10. It's an improved Clover without the malware. Of course the main allure is tabs. My favorite feature is media preview on cursor hover, very useful for images, videos, and even music files - haven't seen a comparable alternative with other explorer programs. The settings menu is massive, setup will take at least an hour.
For cons drag-and-dropping files between drives is hit-or-miss with the latest version. Not the quickest to load very large folders, even on an M.2. Doesn't touch Window's file indexing which can be self-mutilation worthy sometimes. Overall a flawed but worthy choice if you don't want to stare at terminals or GUIs stylistically tainted by trends from 20 years ago all day.
edit: Winaero Tweaker solved the issues I was having with dragging and dropping.
After trying DoubleCommander, Explorer++, TotalCommander, XYplorer and more I can't remember, I've stuck with QT because of its simplicity as an extension.
All I want is tabbed browsing, dual panes, and a dark theme. This has that.
Got it now, thanks to the comment below. Helpful.
Likely didn't enable it correctly. You need to right-click the taskbar and enable "QT Tab deskbar tool" under toolbars.
QTTabBar is unlimited... they're some much features and settings, that it would be not for newbies. But if you know a little with files and servers, it's really crazy: create your own menu with icons and link to SMB servers or folders or even, programs (launcher).
A really good software, with dark mode, tabs, preview (do you know if you put your mouse over a MP3 file, it start to play in it internal player, and numpad help to forward, accelerate, etc)
For real geeks
Been using since Clover became malicious. What i need is bookmark bar and tabs, but this adds much more than just that.
Nothing else does what this application does, integrating into Explorer itself and not being some external attachment to the window.
Missing 1 star because it might do "too much", with some things interferring, and complicated to know how to disable. I wish it consisted of modules, so i could disable all but what i want from it.