Files
FreeWhat Windows Explorer should have been
An open-source file manager for Windows with tabs, dual-pane comparison, column view, file previews and colored tags, following modern Windows design language. It browses archives in place, integrates cloud drives such as OneDrive and Google Drive, and supports custom context menus and shortcuts.
Why we picked it
Windows Explorer has improved over the years — tabs finally arrived — but it still trails third-party file managers: no dual-pane comparison, limited preview, awkward bulk operations, and on Windows 11 an extra layer in the context menu.
Files is the most popular open-source alternative, 44,618 stars, MIT licensed. Its positioning is deliberate: not a Total Commander-style power tool, but what Explorer should have been — an interface consistent with Windows 11's design language that requires no relearning.
Where it beats the built-in:
- Dual-pane comparison. Two panels side by side with drag-and-drop between directories, a noticeable difference when sorting photos or archiving files.
- Tabs plus colored tags. Beyond multiple tabs, files and folders take colored tags that can be filtered on, letting one project's files be managed across directories.
- Preview pane for images, PDFs, text, code and Office documents, so content can be confirmed without opening anything.
- Browse inside archives. Step into a zip like a folder without extracting first.
- Cloud integration. OneDrive, Google Drive, iCloud and others appear in the sidebar with sync status.
- Customizable shortcuts, context menu entries, sidebar and themes including dark mode.
On cost, which is easy to misread, the facts:
The project itself is MIT open source. The official guidance is to purchase through the Microsoft Store, or to use the classic installer from the website and sponsor the project on GitHub. In other words, the Store build is paid while the website and GitHub Releases builds are free — payment funds development rather than unlocking features, and the two are functionally identical.
We list it on the basis that a free channel exists and is fully featured. If it becomes part of your daily workflow, buying it in the Store or sponsoring on GitHub directly supports the project.
Other things to note:
- Windows only, and it requires a reasonably recent Windows version.
- It cannot fully replace Explorer. Some system dialogs — an application's own "open file" prompt, for instance — still invoke the built-in interface, which is outside Files' control.
- Startup and memory use are higher than native Explorer's, as is normal for WinUI apps.
- For maximum keyboard efficiency and dual-pane power, look at Total Commander (shareware) or Double Commander (free and open source, though visually dated).