File Explorer is an integral part of the Windows operating system. From letting you access your files and folders to helping you transfer photos and PDFs, this humble explorer plays an integral role in enhancing your overall experience. And the introduction of the system-wide dark mode is cherry on top. It’s still a huge disappointment that different instances of File Explorer can’t be opened in different tabs, although it has introduced a lot of features lately. Fortunately, there are several File Explorer alternatives that allow you to open folders in separate tabs.
Tab powered File Explorer lets you switch between several open tabs instead of dealing with multiple open windows.
Some of the Windows 10 File Explorer alternatives offer a simple interface that translates into an easy transition. They also come with lots of useful features that will make your job easier.
So what are we waiting for? Let’s take a look at some of the best tabbed file explorers for Windows 10.
1. Traveler++
Explorer++ is an efficient open source file manager for Windows 10. If you want a simple file explorer with tabs, this is the one for you. The interface is not much different from the traditional look of the original File Explorer. This makes it easy for you to switch to this navigator.
Just like Google Chrome and Microsfot Edge, it displays a neat timeline on the left panel. Click on one of the folders and select Open in New Tab. And when you hover over the icon of the application in the taskbar, all open instances are displayed. So, simply click on one and Explorer++ will open that tab.
There is a stylish preview pane at the bottom to view important information.
Besides basic file management, Explorer++ also lets you mark tabs for quick reference later. You can also mess around with features like Divide and Merge.
Explorer++ can be launched via Automatic Hotkeys. However, once the files are uploaded, you can pin it to the taskbar for easy reference.
2. XYplorer
XYplorer takes tabbed browsing to a new level. It not only lets you create vertical tabs with ease, but also lets you create horizontal splits. It then makes it extremely easy to drag and drop or move files. The best part is that you can open several instances together in both panels.
At the same time, many keyboard shortcuts make it easy to get on with your work.
But at the end of the day, XYplorer is more than a file explorer with a tabbed interface. It has a number of practical features.
For example, you can filter files by their type and size. So if you only want image files to appear for a particular folder, this can be easily edited. You can also search for files and folders using both simple and complex search terms.
The feature we liked the most was the Color Filters. You can highlight the folder structure using this. And if you’re in the mood to experiment, let’s just say that XYplorer supports scripts as well.
Unlike the above, XYplorer is not free and costs around $39.95 for a one-time license. You can choose the 30-day trial period and if you are satisfied, you can upgrade to the paid version.
3. Q-Dir
If you’re a heavy user who spends most of his time messing around with files and folders, then Q-Dir is the tool for you. This file explorer for Windows 10 has not two but four panes. This is where it gets a little crazy. You can open several tabs in these open panes. Hello, productivity!
Quite obviously, panes make it easy to drag and drop items. And if the four pods get a little overwhelming, you can cut that down to 2 or 3, depending on your preference. Or you can switch to a completely vertical split view.
Like its Windows counterpart, Q-Dir has an all-black finish. However, it is not as polished as its counterpart.
The highlight of Q-Dir is its extremely light footprint, which makes it easy to operate even on legacy systems.
Besides tabbed browsing, Q-Dir also has some common functions like Search and Bookmark.
4. FreeCommander XE
Another file explorer with tabs worth a try is FreeCommander. As above, it gives you the dual advantage of tabs and panels. However, it keeps things low-key with two panels. But the good news is that both panels help you get most of your work done. And yes, you can open different tabs in both panels.
The interface is simple, which means an easy and simple transition. Besides tabbed browsing, FreeComander lets you play around with a few other features like finding duplicate files, defining keyboard shortcuts, tree view, among others.
You can also change the view of folders to Thumbnails. If that’s not enough, you can also switch between different thumbnail sizes.
Keep a Tab
Apart from the above, you can browse the Directory Opus file explorer. While it doesn’t exactly offer tabbed browsing, the two vertical panels keep everything comfortable.
Fast. More importantly, the interface offers an uncluttered and premium experience. There are two versions: Light and Pro and you can choose according to your needs.
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