Managing files in Windows (browsing, viewing, copying, deleting files, etc.) is very simple and has been one of the success keys of the operating system created by Bill Gates. However, it must be said that over the years it has not evolved much and that the Explorer or Explorer, the name of the function to open folders and windows in Windows, is not evolved enough for many people.
The first thing missing in Windows Explorer is the tabbed interface with multiple panes for organizing files easily, for viewing files quickly.
It could also be argued about the lack, among other things, of a sorting of folders by folder size, of a better management of archive files, of the impossibility of renaming multiple files.
Not to mention the annoyance of seeing that the files are locked (they cannot be deleted or moved) if they are open and you never know which files were copied correctly and which not
In short, if you want more from Windows file management, there are very powerful, free and easy to use "File manager" programs that allow you to browse folders, view files, move them, copy them, delete them, compare them, rename them etc. .
Alternative file managers for Windows, in addition to being richer in options, also have an intuitive interface.
In another article I mentioned the programs to explore resources and folders with tabbed browsing.
I then resume the discussion by expanding it with the reporting of the best Windows file management programs .
All of them can also be downloaded in a portable version so that you can try them out individually and look for the best.
1) FreeCommander is a tabbed file manager with two boxes for navigating folders, arranged horizontally or vertically according to preference.
For each folder the size is shown and it becomes easy therefore to have a glance on the space occupied by the files on the disk.
Supports complete management of compressed files and allows you to create, open, list, extract all or individually files or folders and add or remove files from the archive
You can open a folder in a new tab using the middle mouse button.
You can also synchronize between two folders.
Free commander becomes the best on the list if you consider the plugins and extensions that can be added to have more advanced functions.
2) Clover brings tabs into Windows Explorer like those of Chrome
3) Explorer ++ is one of the best free file management software added in this list, with tabbed interface that greatly facilitates the movement of file files from one folder to another.
The file manager also has extra features like those for splitting files, merging files, deleting files securely, locking any tab, searching, copying folder and file paths.
4) Q-Dir is a powerful Windows explorer that can be downloaded as a portable program and allows you to explore folders and move files using a special 4-pane interface.
5) Better Explorer allows you to open each drive or folder in a separate tab on its interface, change the display mode for the elements of each tab separately, clone any tab and save a tab for later use.
The program also offers additional functions such as that of previewing images on mouseover and the disk space analyzer to display the size of the different files in a pie chart.
There are also other minor functions such as show / hide the preview pane, show hidden elements, sort group elements by name, size, type, etc.
This is one of the best Windows file managers to open folders with tabbed file explorer on Windows .
6) Double Commander is a good file management software for Windows 7 and Windows 10, equipped with dual display modes of the panel and tabs for each panel, making it faster to copy and paste and move files.
7) Saladin, like Double Commander, is a double pane open source file manager for opening two different directories for renaming, deleting, moving files and doing other things.
It also allows you to compare folders and files and connect via FTP.
8) Nomad.NET has an interesting interface, with 1 or 2 panels, always with the opening of tabbed folders, the possibility of marking favorite routes, with many advanced filters and very powerful search also to find duplicate files.
Unfortunately there is no Italian version.
9) SE-Explorer is a tabbed program that I had already reported as among the best to manage files (even compressed files) on Windows and move them between folders .
The interface is very simplified and has fewer options than Master Commander and Nexus File, the two samples on this list.
However, it integrates a file viewer to preview texts, images, videos, music, etc.
10) Ultra Explorer is a famous and powerful file and archive manager that has been proposing itself for several years as an alternative to the traditional Windows explorer .
11) Xplorer2 lite is an excellent file manager program, also very famous if it were not that the lite version is limited in the advanced search for files in the Windows folders and there is a paid version that does not interest us.
Xplorer2 also has tabbed browsing, works great with Excel-style panes and integrates a file viewer.
12) I also add to the list one of the most powerful Windows tools ever, Unreal Commander, capable of doing any operation on files including synchronization between two directories.
13) OldNewExplorer is a program for Windows 8 and for Windows 10, very well done, which serves to bring back the old aspect of folders and to explore Windows 7 resources, with command bar, collections and graphic style.
14) Cubic Explorer is a tabbed file manager that allows you to view folders and organize a bookmark with your favorite files.
The interface is simple, modern, intuitive and configurable.
The files are moved with the dragging but the normal Windows explorer is used for the copy.
Cubic Explorer has both the installable version and the portable version which also becomes the best way to try the tool.
15) Master Commander is similar to the famous Total Commander, with an interface that seems a bit old but very light.
Master Commander is perhaps the most powerful file manager also because it includes many operations on files (even compressed files) and folders that speed up the work for those who have to do many copy and paste and many operations even with remote servers.
Master Commander supports synchronization between folders, transfers via FTP and has a lot of fast keys for copying, moving and searching.
Copying in Master Commander is full of options, including the ability to skip locked files by moving past and resume moving and copying even after an error or interruption.
It can be downloaded in a very portable portable version and, in my opinion, among the most essential tools to keep or in a version to be installed for permanent use.
READ ALSO: Add controls on Windows windows and folders with QTTabBar
