Files Is the Perfect File Explorer Alternative Every Windows User Should Try

Although Microsoft has improved File Explorer over the years, it still doesn't meet modern expectations. You can't open folders side by side, add tags to folders, pin a folder to always stay on top, and more. But Files enables all of these features, making it one of the best File Explorer alternatives available.

View Two Folders at Once With Dual Pane Mode

When organizing files or moving them between folders, you often end up switching back and forth between windows or tabs, resizing them by hand, and hoping they stay aligned. Files solves this with a dual-pane mode, a split-screen layout that opens two folders side by side. Each pane is independent, letting you access different drives, cloud storage, or network folders.

To enable it, just click the tab actions menu in the top-left corner and choose Split pane > Split vertically or Split horizontally, depending on your needs, and you instantly get two panes side by side or stacked vertically. I use it to compare original photos with edited ones, back up data to OneDrive, or transfer game mods. It removes confusion and saves valuable time.

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Navigate Folders Effortlessly With Column View

When you open a folder and navigate through subfolders in the standard File Explorer, each level replaces the previous one, hiding what you already viewed. If you need to move back up, you must step out of each folder until you return to the main directory. This process is slow and frustrating. The Files app provides the perfect fix: Column View.

With this feature enabled, opening a folder displays it in a new column. Each subfolder you enter adds another column, creating a visual breadcrumb trail as you go deeper. This lets you jump back to previous folders with one click, compare contents at each level, rearrange items easily, and drag folders across columns with minimal effort.

To enable Column View, click the arrow next to the Layout icon and select 'Columns' from the menu.

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Keep Your Files Organized With Tags

No matter how tidy or well-planned your folder structure is, finding files becomes harder as your data grows or the hierarchy gets deeper. Every subfolder sits in one location, and you must navigate to it to access its contents. Files solves this by letting you label items with tags based on purpose, theme, or context. You can also assign multiple tags to a single file.

For instance, if you have pending drafts stored in different folders for each client, you can tag them with 'Pending,' and selecting that tag in the explorer or searching for it will show all files marked that way, giving you quick access. And when the task is complete, you're free to edit or remove the tag.

The Files app includes four tags by default, and you can rename them or add new ones. To add or modify labels, go to Settings > Tags.

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To tag a file, right-click it and choose 'Edit Tags,' then select one or more tags as needed. To remove a tag later, simply right-click the file again and deselect the same tag.

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Navigate Easier With Compact Overlay

Compact Overlay is an underrated yet powerful feature in Files. Once enabled, the app shrinks into a small, always-on-top window. This lets you keep an asset folder visible while working in Photoshop, float project directories while coding, or track incoming files in shared cloud folders during meetings. You can easily glance at the overlay, drag assets, and reference folders.

To turn it on, click the tab actions menu icon in the top-left corner, then choose 'Enter Compact Overlay.' The Files window will then float above all other open apps. Every time you minimize an app, browse a folder, and return to your task, you lose seconds and momentum. With Compact Overlay, moving between files and apps feels fluid instead of a stop-and-go hassle.

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Custom Keyboard Shortcut Support

Keyboard shortcuts save you from digging through menus, clicking icons, or constantly reaching for the mouse. Thankfully, the Files app supports a wide range of keyboard shortcuts to speed up repetitive tasks, such as opening or closing tabs, creating or removing folders, extracting files, toggling split view, and moving around the interface.

Some shortcuts match the defaults in File Explorer, which are easier to use, but what makes Files special is that every shortcut can be customized, and you can create new items. To see all available shortcuts in the Files app, open Settings > Actions, where every supported shortcut is listed next to its action.

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To change an existing shortcut, hover over the one you want to modify, click the pencil icon that appears, and assign a new key combination. To create a new shortcut, click 'Add Command,' pick an action, and choose the shortcut you want to use. To reset everything to the defaults, select 'Restore Default.'

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Once you get used to these shortcuts, you'll spend less time navigating and more time focusing on your actual work.

Files solves real, everyday frustrations that I, as a Windows user, have dealt with for years. If you feel limited by File Explorer and wish you had more features instead of the small incremental changes Microsoft makes, you should install Files and try the features above. Your experience will become more intuitive.