An Android smartphone is not equipped with a file manager worthy of the name (although in the latest Android versions it is a bit better), which allows you to browse folders, move files, rename them and, perhaps, even transfer files to other devices. Google considers file managers as a complicated stuff suitable, perhaps, only for Windows PCs, but not for a smartphone where the various types of files are automatically arranged to be opened with the right app. This is why it is necessary to install one and in particular, among the many available, X-plore File Manager is now the absolute best, direct heir of ES File Manager (currently disappeared from the store because caught spying on users).
X-plore File Manager is one of the most complete, if not the number one, of the best File Manager for Android to explore files and folders, a free, powerful and multifunctional app that allows you not only to see the folders and files on your phone, but also to transfer files from mobile to mobile or from / to PC and to connect to any computer or Cloud account, all from a single interface. It is therefore worth seeing the main functions and tools to be able to better use X-Plore File Manager for Android for different needs.
1) File management
X-plore File Manager allows you to use Android a bit like you would with Windows Explorer, opening and browsing folders. Even on Android, therefore, you can browse through the folders and copy and paste the files to move them from one part to the other as you see fit.
You can then view and manage the contents of the SD card, that of the internal memory and also, if the phone is unlocked with root access, to see the internal Android files .
You can select multiple files or folders by touching the Select button in the toolbar and touching each file or folder; so you can also select all the files and folders you are looking at. On a single file you can touch and hold to perform the operations of Cut, Copy, Delete, Rename, Move, Properties.
Text files, images, videos and audio files can be opened directly from X-Plore, without having to resort to other applications. The search allows you to find files by name, path, category, size and date. From the quick access menu on the left to right we have all the most important tools always available, in order to rename files, copy them, move them and also to create ZIP, connect remotely to other devices and create a Wifi server.
In the main menu you can also open the disk map, to see how the memory of the mobile phone is occupied and immediately identify the largest files. The menu can also be customized by adding and removing buttons as you prefer.
In the libraries you can also find the list of APP which is interesting because it allows you to create a backup of the installation files (select an app and then do Create Zip).
2) Remote file management
What distinguishes X-plore File Manager from other similar apps is the ability to browse files not only internal to the device but also remotely. For example, in another article we saw how to access shared Windows folders from Android in wifi .
In this way, no additional apps are needed to transfer files from PC and smartphone or tablet and vice versa, just connect to the PC from X-plore File Manager.
From the main menu that opens by touching the arrow at the top left, you can press Show and then use the LAN function to connect to PCs in the same wifi network . Access to files on networked computers can be done using the SMB1 / SMB2 protocol, Windows file sharing or even via DLNA / UPnP. The nice thing is that you don't need to know the IP because X-Plore also works as a network scanner so you don't need to know the IP address and you only need to enter the name and password of a user to access a remote PC that has the sharing of active file.
Using Web Archive, where you can add the accounts of some popular services such as, for example, Dropbox, Google Drive, Box, Onedrive and many others. X-plore File Manager therefore unifies the various cloud services and allows you to save money by having the various applications of these services. If you have multiple Dropbox or Onedrive accounts, they can be managed separately together from ES File Explorer.
FTP, to transfer files via FTP from and to a computer or other devices.
Wifi server, to connect from the PC to the Android device and browse the files from the PC . By activating the wifi server function you can read the network address to be opened on the web browser (for example 192.168.1.101:1111 ).
3) Transfer files between Android smartphones and tablets
Any file or folder that is viewed by browsing the local directory with X-plore File Manager can be selected and then sent to another mobile phone using the Wifi server function. After activating it on one smartphone, you can open X-Plore on the other and use the LAN scan function to find and open the files shared by the smartphone that acts as a server. With this system it is also possible to send applications from one Android smartphone to another.
4) Hear music and watch PC videos and movies on your smartphone
This is the natural consequence of the remote connection explained in point 2, speaking of the LAN connection. Once you have access to the shared files on a Windows PC via LAN, if there are folders with music or movies, you will be able to open them. Since the default video player of X-plore File Manager does not support all codecs, you can go to the app settings and remove the selection when opening videos with the internal player. In this way you can choose to open the streaming video from your PC using another app like VLC.
5) Other tools
In conclusion, X-plore File Manager is an app to always have, among the best ever.
X-plore File Manager is one of the most complete, if not the number one, of the best File Manager for Android to explore files and folders, a free, powerful and multifunctional app that allows you not only to see the folders and files on your phone, but also to transfer files from mobile to mobile or from / to PC and to connect to any computer or Cloud account, all from a single interface. It is therefore worth seeing the main functions and tools to be able to better use X-Plore File Manager for Android for different needs.
1) File management
X-plore File Manager allows you to use Android a bit like you would with Windows Explorer, opening and browsing folders. Even on Android, therefore, you can browse through the folders and copy and paste the files to move them from one part to the other as you see fit.
You can then view and manage the contents of the SD card, that of the internal memory and also, if the phone is unlocked with root access, to see the internal Android files .
You can select multiple files or folders by touching the Select button in the toolbar and touching each file or folder; so you can also select all the files and folders you are looking at. On a single file you can touch and hold to perform the operations of Cut, Copy, Delete, Rename, Move, Properties.
Text files, images, videos and audio files can be opened directly from X-Plore, without having to resort to other applications. The search allows you to find files by name, path, category, size and date. From the quick access menu on the left to right we have all the most important tools always available, in order to rename files, copy them, move them and also to create ZIP, connect remotely to other devices and create a Wifi server.
In the main menu you can also open the disk map, to see how the memory of the mobile phone is occupied and immediately identify the largest files. The menu can also be customized by adding and removing buttons as you prefer.
In the libraries you can also find the list of APP which is interesting because it allows you to create a backup of the installation files (select an app and then do Create Zip).
2) Remote file management
What distinguishes X-plore File Manager from other similar apps is the ability to browse files not only internal to the device but also remotely. For example, in another article we saw how to access shared Windows folders from Android in wifi .
In this way, no additional apps are needed to transfer files from PC and smartphone or tablet and vice versa, just connect to the PC from X-plore File Manager.
From the main menu that opens by touching the arrow at the top left, you can press Show and then use the LAN function to connect to PCs in the same wifi network . Access to files on networked computers can be done using the SMB1 / SMB2 protocol, Windows file sharing or even via DLNA / UPnP. The nice thing is that you don't need to know the IP because X-Plore also works as a network scanner so you don't need to know the IP address and you only need to enter the name and password of a user to access a remote PC that has the sharing of active file.
Using Web Archive, where you can add the accounts of some popular services such as, for example, Dropbox, Google Drive, Box, Onedrive and many others. X-plore File Manager therefore unifies the various cloud services and allows you to save money by having the various applications of these services. If you have multiple Dropbox or Onedrive accounts, they can be managed separately together from ES File Explorer.
FTP, to transfer files via FTP from and to a computer or other devices.
Wifi server, to connect from the PC to the Android device and browse the files from the PC . By activating the wifi server function you can read the network address to be opened on the web browser (for example 192.168.1.101:1111 ).
3) Transfer files between Android smartphones and tablets
Any file or folder that is viewed by browsing the local directory with X-plore File Manager can be selected and then sent to another mobile phone using the Wifi server function. After activating it on one smartphone, you can open X-Plore on the other and use the LAN scan function to find and open the files shared by the smartphone that acts as a server. With this system it is also possible to send applications from one Android smartphone to another.
4) Hear music and watch PC videos and movies on your smartphone
This is the natural consequence of the remote connection explained in point 2, speaking of the LAN connection. Once you have access to the shared files on a Windows PC via LAN, if there are folders with music or movies, you will be able to open them. Since the default video player of X-plore File Manager does not support all codecs, you can go to the app settings and remove the selection when opening videos with the internal player. In this way you can choose to open the streaming video from your PC using another app like VLC.
5) Other tools
- Memory space analyzer to see how the internal space is occupied and what the largest files are.
- Music Player to listen to music saved on the phone.
- Rename multiple files together
- Hide apps, files, photos and folders on Android
- Open and create ZIP and RAR files on Android.
- Text File Editor to edit text files, even root system files if you have unlocked permissions.
- Put new ringtones on Android phone
- Support for USB-OTG so you can see the files of a USB stick connected to the phone
- SQL Lite Database Viewer
In conclusion, X-plore File Manager is an app to always have, among the best ever.
