The best file manager of 2023 (2023)

The best file managers offer an easy way to manage folders and files with more advanced options than the default Windows file explorer.

Windows has changed drastically over the past few years, but File Explorer (formerly known as Windows Explorer) has remained largely untouched and, frankly, could do better.

Transferring files and folders between locations is a complicated process that usually involves opening two Explorer windows and dragging icons between them. Once you start transferring a huge amount of files, there is no way to stop and restart the process, you cannot create a new folder without opening a menu and forget about batch renaming - this does not happen.

This can be particularly problematic in today's world.document management(opens in new tab)Eonline storage(opens in new tab), when dealing with multiple files across multiple accounts needs to be managed much easier and simpler.

We've rounded up the best File Explorer alternatives that will make managing your files faster, easier and more intuitive. Most of these third-party file managers can be set to replace Explorer as your default application, although we recommend testing them thoroughly first.

Here are the best file managers currently available.

Slow PC? We also present themThe Best Free PC Optimization Tools.

Best all-in-one file manager of 2023:

Total Commander (formerly File Commander) has been around for 25 years and its developer lives by the maxim "if it ain't broke, don't fix it". It's unobtrusive and uses a classic dual vertical panel design, but each update introduces modern additions like support for cloud storage services and native Windows 10 features.

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Total Commander is a great option for transferring large amounts of files thanks to its background process manager, which lets you check progress, pause and resume transfers, and set a speed limit.

The interface is clean for quick navigation, it offers customizable keyboard shortcuts, and there's a built-in file archiving tool for creating and extracting files in all popular formats.

Total Commander is also extensible via plugins. Optional features include the ability to resize images, search PDFs for text strings, and edit music metadata without opening other apps.

Total Commander is distributed as shareware; You can try it for free and share the EXE with others, but after 30 days you will be asked to buy a license for around $35 / £35 / AUD60. The payment process is a bit unusual and it may take a few days to receive your key, but it's well worth the wait.

Like Total Commander, Directory Opus is a premium file manager - and it shows, coming in at number two on this list. This is where Directory Opus really shines - virtually every aspect of its operation can be tweaked and customized to suit your needs.

It is also extremely fast as it uses multi-threading for faster processing and allows you to queue and manage operations. There are several useful features such as B. opening multiple windows and browsing tabs and quickly filtering or sorting your files and folders.

There are two versions of Directory Opus, Light and Pro. Both make managing your files a lot easier, but the Pro is worth the extra effort as it can replace File Explorer - for everything or just specific folders.

Directory Opus Pro is not only a file manager, but also serves as an FTP client and file compression tool. Its user interface is more customizable than its cheaper counterpart, offers built-in metadata editing, and can save complex search terms as macros for future use. You can try both versions free for 30 days, after which individual PC Pro licenses start at around $60 / £60 / AUD$89.

Another premium file manager, Xplorer² comes in two versions, a general-purpose Professional Edition and a more powerful Ultimate Edition, and you can try both options free for 21 days.

Of all the file managers we've tested, Xplorer² seems the most modern. Choose a ribbon-style interface or a more traditional menu bar.

It's packed with unusual features you didn't know you needed, including the ability to select multiple files at once without the risk of accidentally deselecting them by clicking elsewhere (fixed selection), an option for quick identification of duplicate files, and encoding colors so you can quickly identify files and directories.

Xplorer²'s default layout consists of two horizontal windows with a traditional explorer-style tree on the left. This is open to some customization and there are tabs to keep things organized, but the vertical panels seem like a more logical choice if you're looking to transfer files.

The Ultimate version of Xplorer² is a more business-oriented tool with portable/network deployment and priority support. For home users, the Professional Edition is fine, with a license costing just under $30 / £30 / AUD45.

Q-Dir (also known as Quad Explorer) is a neat little file manager that, as the name suggests, offers up to four file windows for you to play with at the same time. It's also free.

It's a simple premise that executes without fuss, despite Q-Dir's navigation icons being absolutely tiny on a high-resolution screen. Seems like a small issue, but it's a huge drawback and one the developer seems to be aware of; In the upper right corner there is a link to a magnifying glass.

There is support for tabbed browsing, as well as a bookmark feature for frequently used files and folders. Unfortunately, while there are keyboard shortcuts for common tasks, there's no way to customize them or add new ones to speed up your workflow.

Q-Dir is very useful if you simply want a more convenient alternative to File Explorer and don't need to transfer large amounts of data frequently, but everyone else is better served with the premium tools listed above.

If you're familiar with Windows Explorer basics but tired of having multiple instances open at the same time, check out Clover.

Unlike the other tools here, which are fully standalone file managers, Clover is a small app that simply adds web browser-style tabs to the file explorer. It's a small change, but it makes a real difference.

Clover also adds a handy bookmarks bar for your most accessed files and folders. It's more convenient than Windows' own quick access links because it doesn't require scrolling or mixing your bookmarks with other directories. To bookmark a folder, simply drag and drop it into the area below the tab titles.

Although the Clover website and the software itself are available in English, the installer is in Japanese. However, it's easy enough for English speakers to follow. Just click on the green buttons.

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