What Is a File Manager?

Also called file browsers, these apps make finding files easier

A file manager is an application that helps you manage files and folders on that device as well as attached disks and even networked storage. File manager applications let you copy, view, edit, delete, or move files and folders.

The first graphical file manager was introduced in 1983 on Apple’s Lisa personal computer. While the Lisa was not a commercial success, its interface ushered in a new way of using a computer which included file management.

Where Is the File Manager in Windows 10?

The default file management app in Windows 10 is File Explorer. You can access File Explorer in several different ways in Windows 10.

By default, the File Explorer app (a folder icon) is pinned to the taskbar.

This is the fastest way to access File Explorer. Several other options include:

• Start Menu: Select Start, type File Explorer, and select the File Explorer desktop app.
• Run Command: Select Start, type Run, and select the Run desktop app. In the Run app, type Explorer and select OK.
• Start Right-Click: Right-click Start and select File Explorer.

The File Explorer app in Windows 10 is one of the more functional file management apps offered by Microsoft. It includes several panes for browsing folders, managing files, and previewing file contents.

Open the File Manager on MacOS

The File Manager app in Mac is called Finder. It’s always running on your Mac and, unless you changed the Mac’s default behavior, it’s the app the Mac starts up into.

File Manager Software on Linux

Linux operating systems have always had the reputation of being complicated to use. However in recent years, the best Linux desktop environments are remarkably intuitive and come with their own powerful file explorer apps that rival Windows Explorer.

Some default file managers included in popular Linux distros include:

• Dolphin: KDE Plasma
• Thunar: XFCE
• PCManFM: LXDE
• Caja: MATE
• Nautilus: GNOME
• Nemo: Cinnamon
• Pantheon Files: Elementary OS

The process to open the file manager on Linux varies from one OS to another. However Linux developers usually keep things similar to the Windows experience. So, you’ll usually find access to the file manager inside a pseudo «Start» menu, on the taskbar, or a desktop icon.

Android File Manager

So long as you’re using an Android OS above 5.0 (Lollipop), it comes with a default file manager.

To open the app, just tap on the File Manager app in your apps list.

The default Android file manager is very minimalist, but it’s also very simple to use. If you just need a simple way to browse, copy, move, or open files, it does the job well.

iPhone File Manager

When the iPhone came out, there was no file manager app (and you couldn’t install one because the App Store hadn’t been created yet).

With iOS 11, Apple introduced a Files app that could also access and manage local device files.

Like the default Android file manager, it’s a very basic app. But for essential file management tasks, it does the job well.

To open the app, just tap on the Files app from one of your homescreens.

File Management Functions

The following functions are used to manage files.

In this section

Function	Description
AddUsersToEncryptedFile	Adds user keys to the specified encrypted file.
AreFileApisANSI	Determines whether the file I/O functions are using the ANSI or OEM character set code page.
CancelIo	Cancels all pending input and output (I/O) operations that are issued by the calling thread for the specified file.
CancelIoEx	Marks any outstanding I/O operations for the specified file handle. The function only cancels I/O operations in the current process, regardless of which thread created the I/O operation.
CancelSynchronousIo	Marks pending synchronous I/O operations that are issued by the specified thread as canceled.
CheckNameLegalDOS8Dot3	Determines whether the specified name can be used to create a file on a FAT file system.
CloseEncryptedFileRaw	Closes an encrypted file after a backup or restore operation, and frees associated system resources.
CopyFile	Copies an existing file to a new file.
CopyFile2	Copies an existing file to a new file, notifying the application of its progress through a callback function.
PCOPYFILE2_PROGRESS_ROUTINE	An application-defined callback function used with the CopyFile2 function.
CopyFileEx	Copies an existing file to a new file, notifying the application of its progress through a callback function.
CopyFileTransacted	Copies an existing file to a new file as a transacted operation, notifying the application of its progress through a callback function.
CopyProgressRoutine	An application-defined callback function used with the CopyFileEx, MoveFileTransacted, and MoveFileWithProgress functions.
CreateFile	Creates or opens a file or I/O device. The most commonly used I/O devices are as follows: file, file stream, directory, physical disk, volume, console buffer, tape drive, communications resource, mailslot, and pipe.
CreateFile2	Creates or opens a file.
CreateFileTransacted	Creates or opens a file, file stream, or directory as a transacted operation.
CreateHardLink	Establishes a hard link between an existing file and a new file.
CreateHardLinkTransacted	Establishes a hard link between an existing file and a new file as a transacted operation.
CreateIoCompletionPort	Creates an input/output (I/O) completion port and associates it with a specified file handle, or creates an I/O completion port that is not yet associated with a file handle, allowing association at a later time.
CreateSymbolicLink	Creates a symbolic link.
CreateSymbolicLinkTransacted	Creates a symbolic link as a transacted operation.
DecryptFile	Decrypts an encrypted file or directory.
DeleteFile	Deletes an existing file.
DeleteFileTransacted	Deletes an existing file as a transacted operation.
DuplicateEncryptionInfoFile	Copies the EFS metadata from one file or directory to another.
EncryptFile	Encrypts a file or directory.
EncryptionDisable	Disables or enables encryption of the specified directory and the files in it.
ExportCallback	An application-defined callback function used with ReadEncryptedFileRaw.
FileEncryptionStatus	Retrieves the encryption status of the specified file.
FileIOCompletionRoutine	An application-defined callback function used with the ReadFileEx and WriteFileEx functions. It is called when the asynchronous input and output (I/O) operation is completed or canceled and the calling thread is in an alertable state.
FindClose	Closes a file search handle opened by the FindFirstFile, FindFirstFileEx, FindFirstFileNameW, FindFirstFileNameTransactedW, FindFirstFileTransacted, FindFirstStreamTransactedW, or FindFirstStreamW functions.
FindFirstFile	Searches a directory for a file or subdirectory with a name that matches a specific name (or partial name if wildcards are used).
FindFirstFileEx	Searches a directory for a file or subdirectory with a name and attributes that match those specified.
FindFirstFileNameTransactedW	Creates an enumeration of all the hard links to the specified file as a transacted operation. The function returns a handle to the enumeration that can be used on subsequent calls to the FindNextFileNameW function.
FindFirstFileNameW	Creates an enumeration of all the hard links to the specified file. The FindFirstFileNameW function returns a handle to the enumeration that can be used on subsequent calls to the FindNextFileNameW function.
FindFirstFileTransacted	Searches a directory for a file or subdirectory with a name that matches a specific name as a transacted operation.
FindFirstStreamTransactedW	Enumerates the first stream in the specified file or directory as a transacted operation.
FindFirstStreamW	Enumerates the first stream with a ::$DATA stream type in the specified file or directory.
FindNextFile	Continues a file search from a previous call to the FindFirstFile, FindFirstFileEx, or FindFirstFileTransacted functions.
FindNextFileNameW	Continues enumerating the hard links to a file using the handle returned by a successful call to the FindFirstFileNameW function.
FindNextStreamW	Continues a stream search started by a previous call to the FindFirstStreamW function.
FlushFileBuffers	Flushes the buffers of a specified file and causes all buffered data to be written to a file.
FreeEncryptionCertificateHashList	Frees a certificate hash list.
GetBinaryType	Determines whether a file is an executable (.exe) file, and if so, which subsystem runs the executable file.
GetCompressedFileSize	Retrieves the actual number of bytes of disk storage used to store a specified file.
GetCompressedFileSizeTransacted	Retrieves the actual number of bytes of disk storage used to store a specified file as a transacted operation.
GetExpandedName	Retrieves the original name of a compressed file, if the file was compressed by the Lempel-Ziv algorithm.
GetFileAttributes	Retrieves file system attributes for a specified file or directory.
GetFileAttributesEx	Retrieves attributes for a specified file or directory.
GetFileAttributesTransacted	Retrieves file system attributes for a specified file or directory as a transacted operation.
GetFileBandwidthReservation	Retrieves the bandwidth reservation properties of the volume on which the specified file resides.
GetFileInformationByHandle	Retrieves file information for the specified file.
GetFileInformationByHandleEx	Retrieves file information for the specified file.
GetFileSize	Retrieves the size of the specified file, in bytes.
GetFileSizeEx	Retrieves the size of the specified file.
GetFileType	Retrieves the file type of the specified file.
GetFinalPathNameByHandle	Retrieves the final path for the specified file.
GetFullPathName	Retrieves the full path and file name of the specified file.
GetFullPathNameTransacted	Retrieves the full path and file name of the specified file as a transacted operation.
GetLongPathName	Converts the specified path to its long form.
GetLongPathNameTransacted	Converts the specified path to its long form as a transacted operation.
GetQueuedCompletionStatus	Attempts to dequeue an I/O completion packet from the specified I/O completion port.
GetQueuedCompletionStatusEx	Retrieves multiple completion port entries simultaneously.
GetShortPathName	Retrieves the short path form of the specified path.
GetTempFileName	Creates a name for a temporary file. If a unique file name is generated, an empty file is created and the handle to it is released; otherwise, only a file name is generated.
GetTempPath	Retrieves the path of the directory designated for temporary files.
ImportCallback	An application-defined callback function used with WriteEncryptedFileRaw. The system calls ImportCallback one or more times, each time to retrieve a portion of a backup file’s data.
LockFile	Locks the specified file for exclusive access by the calling process.
LockFileEx	Locks the specified file for exclusive access by the calling process. This function can operate either synchronously or asynchronously and can request either an exclusive or a shared lock.
LZClose	Closes a file that was opened by using the LZOpenFile function.
LZCopy	Copies a source file to a destination file.
LZInit	Allocates memory for the internal data structures required to decompress files, and then creates and initializes them.
LZOpenFile	Creates, opens, reopens, or deletes the specified file.
LZRead	Reads (at most) the specified number of bytes from a file and copies them into a buffer.
LZSeek	Moves a file pointer the specified number of bytes from a starting position.
MoveFile	Moves an existing file or a directory, including its children.
MoveFileEx	Moves an existing file or directory, including its children, with various move options.
MoveFileTransacted	Moves an existing file or a directory, including its children, as a transacted operation.
MoveFileWithProgress	Moves a file or directory, including its children. You can provide a callback function that receives progress notifications.
OpenEncryptedFileRaw	Opens an encrypted file in order to backup (export) or restore (import) the file.
OpenFile	Creates, opens, reopens, or deletes a file.
OpenFileById	Opens the file that matches the specified identifier.
PostQueuedCompletionStatus	Posts an I/O completion packet to an I/O completion port.
QueryRecoveryAgentsOnEncryptedFile	Retrieves a list of recovery agents for the specified file.
QueryUsersOnEncryptedFile	Retrieves a list of users for the specified file.
ReadEncryptedFileRaw	Backs up (export) encrypted files.
ReadFile	Reads data from the specified file or input/output (I/O) device. Reads occur at the position specified by the file pointer if supported by the device.
ReadFileEx	Reads data from the specified file or input/output (I/O) device. It reports its completion status asynchronously, calling the specified completion routine when reading is completed or canceled and the calling thread is in an alertable wait state.
ReadFileScatter	Reads data from a file and stores it in an array of buffers.
RemoveUsersFromEncryptedFile	Removes specified certificate hashes from a specified file.
ReOpenFile	Reopens the specified file system object with different access rights, sharing mode, and flags.
ReplaceFile	Replaces one file with another file, with the option of creating a backup copy of the original file.
SearchPath	Searches for a specified file in a specified path.
SetEndOfFile	Sets the physical file size for the specified file to the current position of the file pointer.
SetFileApisToANSI	Causes the file I/O functions to use the ANSI character set code page for the current process.
SetFileApisToOEM	Causes the file I/O functions for the process to use the OEM character set code page.
SetFileAttributes	Sets the attributes for a file or directory.
SetFileAttributesTransacted	Sets the attributes for a file or directory as a transacted operation.
SetFileBandwidthReservation	Requests that bandwidth for the specified file stream be reserved. The reservation is specified as a number of bytes in a period of milliseconds for I/O requests on the specified file handle.
SetFileCompletionNotificationModes	Sets the notification modes for a file handle, allowing you to specify how completion notifications work for the specified file.
SetFileInformationByHandle	Sets the file information for the specified file.
SetFileIoOverlappedRange	Associates a virtual address range with the specified file handle.
SetFilePointer	Moves the file pointer of the specified file.
SetFilePointerEx	Moves the file pointer of the specified file.
SetFileShortName	Sets the short name for the specified file.
SetFileValidData	Sets the valid data length of the specified file. This function is useful in very limited scenarios. For more information, see the Remarks section.
SetSearchPathMode	Sets the per-process mode that the SearchPath function uses when locating files.
SetUserFileEncryptionKey	Sets the user’s current key to the specified certificate.
UnlockFile	Unlocks a region in an open file.
UnlockFileEx	Unlocks a region in the specified file. This function can operate either synchronously or asynchronously.
WofEnumEntries	Enumerates all the data sources from a specified provider for a specified volume.
WofEnumEntryProc	Callback function that gets called for each data source in response to a call to WofEnumEntries.
WofEnumFilesProc	Callback function that gets called for each file backed by an external data source, such as a WIM file.
WofFileEnumFiles	Enumerates all of the files which are compressed with a specified compression algorithm on a specified volume.
WofGetDriverVersion	Used to query the version of the driver used to support a particular provider.
WofIsExternalFile	Used to determine if a file is being backed by a physical file or is backed by a system data provider, and optionally indicates which provider or additional data about the file.
WofSetFileDataLocation	Used to change a file from being backed by a physical file to one backed by a system data provider.
WofShouldCompressBinaries	Indicates whether compression should be used on a particular volume, and if so, which compression algorithm should be used.
WofWimAddEntry	Adds a single WIM data source to a volume such that files can be created on the volume which are stored within the WIM.
WofWimEnumFiles	Enumerates all of the files which are being backed by a specified WIM data source on a specified volume.
WofWimRemoveEntry	Removes a single WIM data source from backing files on a volume.
WofWimSuspendEntry	Temporarily removes a WIM data source from backing files on a volume until the volume is remounted or the data source is updated with WofWimUpdateEntry.
WofWimUpdateEntry	Updates a WIM entry to point to a different WIM file location.
Wow64DisableWow64FsRedirection	Disables file system redirection for the calling thread. File system redirection is enabled by default.
Wow64EnableWow64FsRedirection	Enables or disables file system redirection for the calling thread.
Wow64RevertWow64FsRedirection	Restores file system redirection for the calling thread.
WriteEncryptedFileRaw	Restores (import) encrypted files.
WriteFile	Writes data to the specified file or input/output (I/O) device.
WriteFileEx	Writes data to the specified file or input/output (I/O) device. It reports its completion status asynchronously, calling the specified completion routine when writing is completed or canceled and the calling thread is in an alertable wait state.
WriteFileGather	Retrieves data from an array of buffers and writes the data to a file.

The following functions are used with file I/O.

The following functions are used with the encrypted file system.

The following functions are used with the file system redirector.