File Explorer
- Free • Proprietary
- Windows
...
File Explorer, previously known as Windows Explorer, is a file manager application that is included with releases of the Microsoft Windows operating system from Windows 95 onwards. It provides a graphical user interface for accessing the file systems. It is also the component of the operating system that presents many user interface items on the monitor such as the taskbar and desktop. Controlling the computer is possible without Windows Explorer running (for example, the File | Run command in Task Manager on NT-derived versions of Windows will function without it, as will commands typed in a command prompt window). Located in the C:\Windows directory, it is sometimes referred to as the Windows shell, explorer.exe, or simply "Explorer".
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File Management • OS & UtilitiesTags
- File Explorer
- file-compression
- file-management
- windows-built-in
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File Explorer
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Our users have written 8 comments and reviews about File Explorer, and it has gotten 206 likes
- Developed by Microsoft
- Proprietary and Free product.
- Average rating of 1.8
- 108 alternatives listed
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View allFile Explorer was added to AlternativeTo by on Mar 2, 2009 and this page was last updated Dec 2, 2019. File Explorer is sometimes referred to as Explorer, Windows Explorer.
It is preinstalled on Windows, but No Tabs, Bookmarks, etc
Bookmarks -> Favorites since the days of Win95
Reply written over 2 years ago
Imagine not being able to scroll while dragging files. Imagine not being able to create a folder based on the files you've selected. Imagine not being able to see multiple directories side by side. Imagine not being able to set folder specific views. Imagine not being able to add tags and colors to your folders/files. Imagine a slow, inaccurate search field that hasn't changed in a decade. File explorer is behind both linux's and MacOSX (especially macs) file explorers. Basically hasn't changed in over 20 years and it's depressing.
This is peak Microsoft
The built-in file manager has been improved in a number of ways with the release of Windows 8 and Windows 10. The keyboard shortcut for creating folders is especially useful (CTRL+SHIFT+N), cannot believe it took this long! File transfers have also been outperforming stand-alone utilities and the UI gives a nice bit of detailed information. The user interface overall is much more streamlined and doesn't show information you don't need, which makes it easy to focus on your current task.
I still need additional software for things like advanced renaming and checksummed file transfers, features I only occasionally use.
Also wish Clover would work properly in order to get tabs back, alternatives don't seem to be as polished.
It's mostly great, but when they replaced "Favorites" with "Quick Access" in the side navbar, they ruined it. Now all my carefully-organized shortcuts are gone, replaced with a much less functional disorganized list with unusable link titles.
I have 8 folders pinned, all of which are named "2019". What am I supposed to do with that? It doesn't even show you the full file path when you hover over them.
I will never use it again. This idiotic shell will no longer have any power over me, over my day, over my health and my workflow. Ever.