Windows explorer plus sign

Explorer++ is a lightweight and fast file manager for Windows.

• With the option to save to the registry or a configuration file, Explorer++ is completely portable
• Tabbed browsing for easy management of multiple folders
• Display window shows previews of files as they are selected
• Easy-to-remember keyboard shortcuts for quick navigation
• Customizable user interface
• Full drag-and-drop support with other applications, including Windows Explorer
• Advanced file operations such as merging and splitting supported
• Change file dates and attributes
• Save a directory listing
• Bookmark tabs
• Search for files using their name and attributes
• Switch between icon, list, detail, thumbnail and tile view
• Filter files

Up-to-date builds can be downloaded via AppVeyor. The links below will be for the most recent build that has taken place:

For a full list of builds, see the AppVeyor page for this project.

For instructions on how to build Explorer++, see the wiki.

Documentation is available online at Read the Docs.

Translations are managed with Crowdin. To contribute to a translation, sign up with Crowdin, then edit the file corresponding to your language. If your language isn’t listed, use the contact link shown on the project page to request it.

About

Explorer++ is a lightweight and fast file manager for Windows

Windows explorer plus sign

Some commonly asked questions. For additional support, please see the help file, or create a post in the forum.

General

Technical

General

What versions of Windows does Explorer++ run on?

Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8 and 10.

How do I make use of a translation?

First, download your desired language DLL, and place the DLL in the same folder as the Explorer++ executable:

Run Explorer++, open the options dialog, and select your language from the list:

Finally, restart Explorer++.

How do I create a new translation, or update an existing translation?

Translations are managed with Crowdin. To contribute to a translation, sign up with Crowdin, then edit the file corresponding to your language. If your language isn’t listed, use the contact link shown on the project page to request it.

Please note the following:

• Strings containing ‘%s’ are updated dynamically. For example, the string ‘Explorer++ Version %s (%s)’ will become something like: ‘Explorer++ Version 1.2 (32-bit Unicode build)’. Therefore, the translated string should also contain ‘%s’ in the appropriate place. If you’re unsure how or where a string is used, please ask me.
• An ampersand (&) within an items text indicates that that item has an access key. For example, the string ‘&Show on Bookmarks Toolbar’ has an access key of ‘S’. Translated items should also have access keys when possible.
• Items containing a keyboard accelerator within their text should have a corresponding accelerator when translated. ‘&New Tab Ctrl+T’, for example, indicates that a new tab can be created when pressing Ctrl+T. This portion of the string should also appear in the translated text.

Why does Explorer++ crash when I right-click on a file?

Usually this is caused by a bug in a third-party extension handler. Using an application such as ShellExView, you can selectively disable extensions until you find the one that is causing the crash.

Can I use multiple versions of Explorer++ — for example the stable and nightly build?

Yes, but I highly recommend you backup your existing settings first.

If Explorer++ is configured to save to the config file (named config.xml), simply copy that file to another folder. Otherwise, you can export the HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Explorer++ key (navigate to the entry in regedit, right-click and select export).

The simplest option is then to download the alternative version of Explorer++, and place it in a separate folder. Run the executable, and configure it to save to the config file. Because the config file is always saved (and loaded) from the same directory as the Explorer++ executable, the settings saved here will be independent of any other settings.

How do I uninstall Explorer++?

Simply delete the executable. If you’d like, you can also remove your settings by deleting config.xml and HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Explorer++.

Important: If Explorer++ is set as the default file manager, make sure you select «Don’t replace Explorer» before you delete the application.

Technical

How do I compile Explorer++?

For this and other development questions, please see the wiki on GitHub.

About Explorer++

Explorer++ is a small and fast file manager for Windows. With tabs, bookmarks and advanced file operations, it allows you to be much more productive!