Files
A modern Windows file manager for organizing files and folders.
- Stars
- 46.4k
- Forks
- 3k
- Licence
- MIT
- Language
- C#
- Last update
- 4 days ago
- Type
- App
What it is
Files is an open-source file manager for Windows, built with C# and the WinUI framework and styled with Microsoft's Fluent design. It is meant to be a more modern replacement for the standard Windows file explorer, helping people browse and organize their files and folders. The project is MIT licensed and has a large community of users and contributors.
- Browse and organize files and folders in a single window
- Manage files across multiple locations using a modern interface
- Explore the source code to learn how a WinUI desktop app is structured
Great for
- Windows users who want a more modern alternative to File Explorer
- People who manage many folders and want a tabbed or organized browsing experience
- Developers interested in contributing to a WinUI or C# desktop app
- Beginners looking for an open-source, free file manager
Not ideal for
- Users on macOS or Linux, since the project is built for Windows (reason: its stack is WinUI and Windows-specific)
- People who need a stable, fully polished release, since the latest release listed has no downloadable binaries (reason: install path is unclear from the metadata)
How to get it
- 1
Clone and build from source
You'll need: Windows · Visual Studio with .NET desktop and WinUI tooling (per common WinUI setup; verify in README)
Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/files-community/Files - 2
Run it
- Open the cloned project in Visual Studio
- Restore dependencies and build the solution
- Run the app from Visual Studio to launch it
- 3
Get the most out of it
- Check the project homepage at files.community for documentation and updates
- Follow the good-first-issue label on GitHub if you want to contribute
- Review the project's releases page for newer builds that may include binaries
Downloads
Strengths
- Open source under the MIT license, so the code can be inspected and reused
- Actively maintained, with a recent push date in the metadata
- Built on a widely used Microsoft UI framework and Fluent design language
Trade-offs
- The latest listed release has no binaries, so installing may require building from source
- Windows-only, so it does not help users on other operating systems
- The README was truncated here, so details on features and setup are limited
How it compares
| Project | Stars | Type | Level | Updated | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Files (this) | 46.4k | App | intermediate | 4 days ago | Windows users who want a more modern alternative to File Explorer |
| DevToys | 32.2k | App | beginner | 1 months ago | Developers who often decode, encode, or format small pieces of data |
| calculator | 31.1k | App | intermediate | 13 days ago | Windows 11 users who want to read or modify the built-in calculator |
| PowerToys | 140k | App | beginner | 4 days ago | Windows users who want more control over window layout and multi-monitor setups |
| UniGetUI | 26.8k | App | beginner | 4 days ago | Windows users who already use WinGet, Scoop or Chocolatey and want one place to manage them |
| Win11Debloat | 61.5k | CLI | beginner | 4 days ago | People setting up a new Windows PC who want fewer preinstalled apps and less promotional content |
Stats synced from GitHub. The assessment above was drafted with AI from the project's README on 2026-10-29 and may miss recent changes — check the README before relying on a command. MIT licence: free to use, modify and distribute, including commercially, as long as you keep the copyright notice.