# Files — User Guide

**Files** is a modern, open-source file manager for Windows 10 and Windows 11. It
replaces or runs alongside the built-in File Explorer with a fluent, tab-based
interface, multi-pane browsing, file tagging, a built-in archive engine, Git and
cloud-storage awareness, FTP access, and a deeply customizable layout system.

This guide is written for everyday users: it shows you how to install Files, how to
get around the app, and how to use every feature — from the basics of copying a file
to advanced workflows like dual-pane transfers, tag-based search, and self-hosting
your archive defaults. A complete keyboard-shortcut catalog and a full settings
reference are included at the end.

> [!NOTE]
> Files is a Windows-only desktop application. It requires Windows 10 (version 1809
> or later) or Windows 11. There is no macOS, Linux, web, or mobile version, and the
> project has no command-line "headless" mode — Files is a graphical app.

---

## Table of Contents

1. [Quick Start](#1-quick-start)
2. [Installation](#2-installation)
3. [The Files Window: A Tour](#3-the-files-window-a-tour)
4. [Browsing and Navigation](#4-browsing-and-navigation)
5. [Tabs, Panes, and Windows](#5-tabs-panes-and-windows)
6. [Selecting Items](#6-selecting-items)
7. [Core File Operations](#7-core-file-operations)
8. [Layouts, Sorting, and Grouping](#8-layouts-sorting-and-grouping)
9. [The Sidebar](#9-the-sidebar)
10. [The Home Page and Widgets](#10-the-home-page-and-widgets)
11. [Searching and Filtering](#11-searching-and-filtering)
12. [File Tags](#12-file-tags)
13. [The Info / Preview Pane](#13-the-info--preview-pane)
14. [Working with Archives](#14-working-with-archives)
15. [Git Integration](#15-git-integration)
16. [Cloud, Network, FTP, and WSL](#16-cloud-network-ftp-and-wsl)
17. [Opening Files in Other Apps](#17-opening-files-in-other-apps)
18. [The Command Palette](#18-the-command-palette)
19. [Item Properties and Security](#19-item-properties-and-security)
20. [Appearance and Theming](#20-appearance-and-theming)
21. [Settings Reference](#21-settings-reference)
22. [Keyboard Shortcut Catalog](#22-keyboard-shortcut-catalog)
23. [Troubleshooting](#23-troubleshooting)
24. [Frequently Asked Questions](#24-frequently-asked-questions)
25. [Glossary](#25-glossary)

---

## 1. Quick Start

After you install Files (see [Installation](#2-installation)), here is the
five-minute orientation:

1. **Launch Files.** It opens to the **Home** page, showing widgets for Quick
   Access, Recent Files, and Drives.
2. **Open a folder.** Click a drive in the sidebar, double-click a folder, or type a
   path into the address bar at the top.
3. **Open a second tab.** Press `Ctrl`+`T` for a new tab, or `Ctrl`+`Shift`+`S` to
   split the current tab into two side-by-side panes.
4. **Copy a file.** Select it (single click), press `Ctrl`+`C`, navigate to the
   destination, and press `Ctrl`+`V`.
5. **Find anything.** Press `Ctrl`+`F` to search the current folder, or
   `Ctrl`+`Shift`+`P` to open the **Command Palette** and run any command by name.
6. **Open Settings.** Press `Ctrl`+`,` to open the settings window and tailor the app
   to your taste.

> [!TIP]
> Files keeps your last session by default — close the app with tabs open and they
> come back next launch. You can change this in **Settings → General**.

---

## 2. Installation

Files is distributed in several **channels**. Each channel is a separate installable
package, so you can run more than one side by side (for example, the stable build for
daily work and the preview build to try new features).

| Channel | Audience | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| **Stable** | Everyone | The recommended build for daily use. |
| **Preview** | Early adopters | Newer features, less testing. Installs alongside Stable. |
| **Dev** | Contributors | Built from source; not distributed through the Store. |

### Method 1 — Microsoft Store (recommended)

The simplest way to install the Stable or Preview build is from the Microsoft Store.
The Store handles installation, updates, and uninstallation automatically.

> [!TIP]
> Installing from the Store keeps Files updated in the background. You do not need to
> check for updates manually.

### Method 2 — Sideload (MSIX package)

If you prefer not to use the Store, download the signed package from the official
download page and install it directly.

=== "Stable / Preview download"

    1. Go to `https://files.community/download`.
    2. Download the package for the channel you want (Stable or Preview).
    3. Double-click the `.msix`/`.msixbundle` file and choose **Install**.

> [!IMPORTANT]
> Sideloaded packages are code-signed. If Windows reports an untrusted certificate,
> make sure you downloaded the package from `files.community` and that developer/
> sideload installs are permitted on your system.

### Method 3 — Build from source (developers)

Developers can clone the repository and build the **Dev** channel locally. The full
build procedure — required SDKs, Visual Studio workloads, and signing — is covered in
the **Admin Guide**. The Dev build installs as a distinct package (`FilesDev`) and
launches via the `files-dev:` protocol.

### Updating

- **Store installs** update automatically.
- **Sideloaded installs** are updated by downloading and installing a newer package.
  Files also checks for updates on its own and will offer to install them.

### Uninstalling

Uninstall Files like any other app, from **Windows Settings → Apps → Installed
apps**. If you previously set Files as your default file manager, uninstalling
restores the built-in File Explorer automatically (see
[Set as Default File Manager](#set-files-as-your-default-file-manager)).

---

## 3. The Files Window: A Tour

When you open a folder, the Files window is organized into these regions:

```text
┌───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│  [Tab 1] [Tab 2] [+]                              — □ ✕  (Tabs) │
├───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│  ← → ↑   ⟳   📁 C: › Users › you › Documents   🔍   (Toolbar /  │
│                                                     Address bar)│
├──────────────┬────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│              │                                                  │
│  Sidebar     │   File list area                  │  Info /     │
│  (Pinned,    │   (Details / List / Grid /        │  Preview    │
│   Drives,    │    Columns / Cards / Adaptive)     │  pane       │
│   Network,   │                                    │  (optional) │
│   Tags…)     │                                    │             │
│              │                                    │             │
├──────────────┴────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│  12 items · 3 selected · 1.2 GB           (Status bar)         │
└───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
```

- **Tab strip** — one tab per open location. Click `+` or press `Ctrl`+`T` to add a
  tab.
- **Toolbar** — Back / Forward / Up / Refresh buttons, the address bar (also called
  the **Omnibar**), and the search entry. The toolbar is customizable and can be
  hidden.
- **Sidebar** — quick access to pinned folders, libraries, drives, cloud storage,
  network locations, WSL distributions, and file tags. It can be collapsed.
- **File list area** — the contents of the current folder, shown in your chosen
  layout.
- **Info / Preview pane** — an optional right-hand pane that previews the selected
  file and shows its details.
- **Status bar** — item counts, selection size, and quick view controls.

> [!NOTE]
> Almost every region can be toggled: the toolbar (`Ctrl`+`Shift`+`B`), the sidebar
> (`Ctrl`+`B`), the status bar, the info pane (`Ctrl`+`Alt`+`I`), tab actions, and
> more. See the [Settings Reference](#21-settings-reference).

### The Omnibar (address bar)

The address bar at the top is the **Omnibar**. It has multiple modes:

- **Path mode** — shows the current location as a clickable breadcrumb trail. Click
  any segment to jump there, or click the empty area (or press `Ctrl`+`L`) to type a
  path directly.
- **Search mode** — type a query to search the current folder and subfolders.
- **Command mode** — type to run a command by name.

You can type a full path (`C:\Users\you\Documents`), a shell location (`shell:Downloads`),
or an environment-variable path (`%USERPROFILE%`) into the Omnibar and press `Enter`
to go there.

---

## 4. Browsing and Navigation

### Opening folders and files

- **Double-click** a folder to open it (or a file to open it in its default app).
- Press `Enter` to open the selected item.
- Press `Alt`+`↑` to go **up** one level to the parent folder.
- Use **Back** (`Alt`+`←`) and **Forward** (`Alt`+`→`) to move through your history.
- Press `Ctrl`+`L` to **edit the path** in the address bar.

> [!TIP]
> By default, double-clicking empty space or pressing `Backspace`-style navigation
> goes up a level. You can enable **Double-click to go up** in
> **Settings → Folders** so a double-click on empty space navigates to the parent.

### Single-click vs. double-click

Files lets you choose, separately, whether **files** and **folders** open on a single
click or a double click. By default both open on double-click for mouse users and on
single-click for touch. Folders shown in **Columns view** open on a single click by
default. Configure all three under **Settings → Folders**:

- `OpenFilesWithSingleClick`
- `OpenFoldersWithSingleClick`
- `OpenFoldersInColumnsViewWithSingleClick`

### Refreshing

Press `Ctrl`+`R` (or `F5`) to refresh the current folder if its contents changed
outside Files.

### Shell locations

You can navigate to special Windows shell locations by typing them into the address
bar, for example:

| Type this | Goes to |
|---|---|
| `Shell:RecycleBinFolder` | Recycle Bin |
| `Shell:NetworkPlacesFolder` | Network |
| `Shell:MyComputerFolder` | This PC |
| `%USERPROFILE%` | Your home folder |
| `%TEMP%` | The temp folder |

---

## 5. Tabs, Panes, and Windows

Files gives you three levels of multitasking: **tabs** (locations within one window),
**panes** (two locations side-by-side within one tab), and **windows** (separate
top-level windows).

### Tabs

| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| New tab | `Ctrl`+`T` |
| Close current tab | `Ctrl`+`W` |
| Reopen last closed tab | `Ctrl`+`Shift`+`T` |
| Next tab | `Ctrl`+`Tab` |
| Previous tab | `Ctrl`+`Shift`+`Tab` |
| Duplicate current tab | `Ctrl`+`Shift`+`K` |
| Close all tabs | `Ctrl`+`Shift`+`W` |

You can also right-click a tab to **close other tabs**, **close tabs to the left**,
or **close tabs to the right**.

> [!TIP]
> Enable **Always switch to newly opened tab** in **Settings → General** if you want
> focus to follow each new tab you open.

### Panes (dual-pane)

Split the current tab into two panes to drag or copy files between locations without
leaving the tab:

| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Toggle dual-pane | `Ctrl`+`Shift`+`S` |
| Split pane horizontally | `Alt`+`Shift`+`H` |
| Split pane vertically | `Alt`+`Shift`+`V` |
| Focus the other pane | `Ctrl`+`Shift`+`→` |
| Close the active pane | `Ctrl`+`Alt`+`W` |
| Arrange panes horizontally | (command palette) |
| Arrange panes vertically | (command palette) |

Panes are arranged vertically (side-by-side) by default; you can switch to a
horizontal (top/bottom) arrangement. Set the default arrangement with
`ShellPaneArrangementOption` in **Settings → General**.

### Windows

| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| New window | `Ctrl`+`N` |
| Open selected item in a new window | `Ctrl`+`Alt`+`Enter` |

By default, opening a new location reuses the existing Files process. You can change
whether new tabs open in the existing instance with `OpenTabInExistingInstance`
(**Settings → General**).

---

## 6. Selecting Items

| Action | How |
|---|---|
| Select one item | Click it |
| Select all | `Ctrl`+`A` |
| Clear selection | (command palette / click empty space) |
| Invert selection | (command / right-click menu) |
| Toggle item in/out of selection | `Ctrl`+`Space` |
| Range select | Click first item, `Shift`+click last item |
| Add to selection | `Ctrl`+click each item |

> [!TIP]
> Turn on **Show selection checkboxes** (`ShowCheckboxesWhenSelectingItems`, on by
> default) under **Settings → Folders** to make multi-selection easier with a mouse
> or touch. Enable **Select files on hover** to select items just by hovering.

Some context-menu actions only appear when at most **five** items are selected (for
example, certain per-item operations), to keep menus responsive on large selections.

---

## 7. Core File Operations

### Copy, cut, paste

| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Copy | `Ctrl`+`C` |
| Cut | `Ctrl`+`X` |
| Paste | `Ctrl`+`V` |
| Paste into the selected folder | `Ctrl`+`Shift`+`V` |
| Paste as shortcut | (right-click menu) |

When a name collision happens during paste/move, Files resolves it according to your
**conflict resolution** setting (`ConflictsResolveOption`): generate a new name
(default), replace, or skip. You can also choose per-operation in the conflict dialog.

### Create new items

| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| New item menu (folder, file, shortcut…) | `Ctrl`+`Shift`+`I` |
| New folder | `Ctrl`+`Shift`+`N` |
| New folder containing the selected items | (right-click → *Create folder with selection*) |
| New file | (new item menu) |
| New shortcut | (new item menu / from dialog) |
| New alternate data stream | (right-click, if enabled) |

### Rename

- Press `F2` to rename the selected item.
- Files warns you before changing a file **extension** if **Show file extension
  warning** is on (default).

### Delete and recycle

| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Delete (to Recycle Bin) | `Delete` |
| Delete permanently | `Shift`+`Delete` |
| Empty Recycle Bin | (Recycle Bin → *Empty*) |
| Restore selected item from Recycle Bin | (right-click → *Restore*) |
| Restore all items | (Recycle Bin → *Restore all*) |

Whether a confirmation dialog appears is controlled by **Delete confirmation**
(`DeleteConfirmationPolicy`), which defaults to **Always**.

> [!CAUTION]
> **Delete permanently** (`Shift`+`Delete`) bypasses the Recycle Bin. The files are
> not recoverable from within Windows afterward.

### Copy paths

| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Copy item path | `Ctrl`+`Shift`+`C` |
| Copy item path with quotes | `Ctrl`+`Alt`+`C` |
| Copy path (current folder) | (command palette) |

### Shortcuts and advanced items

- **Create shortcut** — make a `.lnk` shortcut to the selected item.
- **Create shortcut from dialog** — choose a target with a dialog.
- **Flatten folder** — move the contents of nested subfolders up into the current
  folder (enable **Show flatten options** in Settings first).
- **Create alternate data stream** — attach an NTFS alternate data stream (advanced;
  enable **Show "Create alternate data stream"** in Settings first).

### Undo and redo

Files keeps a history of file operations:

| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Undo last operation | `Ctrl`+`Z` |
| Redo | `Ctrl`+`Y` |

> [!NOTE]
> Undo/redo covers file-system operations performed inside Files (move, rename,
> delete-to-recycle, and similar). It does not undo changes made by other programs.

### The Status Center

Long-running operations (large copies, deletions, archive extraction) appear in the
**Status Center**, where you can watch progress and cancel if needed. You can choose
whether the Status Center is always visible, shown only during operations, or hidden
(`StatusCenterVisibility`, default **Always**). There is also a request to
auto-clear completed tasks — until that ships, clear them manually from the Status
Center.

---

## 8. Layouts, Sorting, and Grouping

### Layout modes

Files offers several ways to display a folder's contents. Switch the layout from the
toolbar's layout button, the right-click menu, or with `Ctrl`+`+` / `Ctrl`+`-` to
cycle through sizes.

| Layout | Best for |
|---|---|
| **Details** | Columns of metadata (name, date, type, size, tags, Git status…) |
| **List** | Compact, name-focused list |
| **Cards** | Medium tiles with a thumbnail |
| **Grid** | Thumbnails of varying size — great for photos |
| **Columns** | Miller-column browsing (parent → child → grandchild) |
| **Adaptive** | Files picks a layout automatically (the default) |

Each layout has size variants (e.g., Grid: Small / Large). The defaults are set under
**Settings → Layout** (`DetailsViewSize`, `GridViewSize`, etc.).

> [!TIP]
> By default each folder remembers its own layout. Turn on **Sync folder preferences
> across directories** (`SyncFolderPreferencesAcrossDirectories`) in
> **Settings → Layout** to apply one layout everywhere.

### Details-view columns

In Details view you can show or hide columns and resize them. Available columns
include:

| Column | Shown by default |
|---|---|
| Name | Always |
| Date modified | Yes |
| Date created | No |
| Type | Yes |
| Size | Yes |
| Tags | Yes |
| Path | Yes |
| Original path (Recycle Bin) | Yes |
| Date deleted (Recycle Bin) | Yes |
| Cloud sync status | Yes |
| Git status / last commit date / message / author / SHA | No (enable per-repo) |

Git columns only appear in folders that are Git repositories (see
[Git Integration](#15-git-integration)).

### Sorting

Sort the current folder by **Name** (default), **Date modified**, **Date created**,
**Type**, **Size**, and more, in ascending (default) or descending order. Additional
sort behaviors:

- **Sort folders and files together** (off by default — folders are grouped first).
- **Sort files first** (off by default).

### Grouping

Group items by **None** (default), type, date, size, tag, and others. When grouping
by a date column, choose the granularity with **Group by date unit** (Year by
default — also Day or Month). Date grouping produces friendly buckets like *Today*,
*Yesterday*, *Earlier this week*, *Last month*, and *Year N*.

---

## 9. The Sidebar

The sidebar gives one-click access to your most-used locations. Toggle it with
`Ctrl`+`B`. It is organized into collapsible sections:

| Section | Contents |
|---|---|
| **Pinned** | Folders you pin for quick access |
| **Library** | Windows libraries (Documents, Pictures…) — hidden by default |
| **Drives** | Local disk drives |
| **Cloud Drives** | Detected cloud providers (OneDrive, etc.) |
| **Network** | Network locations |
| **WSL** | Installed Linux distributions (if WSL is present) |
| **File Tags** | Your tags, each expandable to the tagged files |

Each section can be shown/hidden and expanded/collapsed independently — see the
`Show…Section` and `Is…SectionExpanded` settings under **Settings → General**.

### Pinning

- **Pin a folder to the sidebar** — right-click a folder → *Pin to sidebar*, or use
  the command. Pinned folders appear under the **Pinned** section.
- **Unpin** — right-click the pinned entry → *Unpin from sidebar*.
- **Pin to Start** / **Unpin from Start** — also available, to add a folder to the
  Windows Start menu.

You can resize the sidebar by dragging its edge (between 180 px and 500 px wide) and
collapse it entirely with `Ctrl`+`B`.

---

## 10. The Home Page and Widgets

The **Home** page is what you see when you open a new tab. It is built from
**widgets**, each of which you can show or hide and expand or collapse from
**Settings → General**:

| Widget | Shows | Default |
|---|---|---|
| **Quick Access** | Pinned and frequent folders | Shown |
| **Recent Files** | Recently opened files | Shown |
| **Drives** | Your disks, with free-space bars | Shown |
| **Network Locations** | Network shares | Shown |
| **File Tags** | Files grouped by tag | Hidden |

> [!NOTE]
> A drive's free-space bar turns to a low-space warning color when the drive is more
> than 90% full.

You can set Files to open a specific folder, a new tab, or continue your last session
when it starts (**Settings → General** → startup options).

---

## 11. Searching and Filtering

### Search

Press `Ctrl`+`F` (or use the search box / the Omnibar's search mode) to search the
current folder and its subfolders. Type your query and press `Enter`. Files remembers
your recent search queries.

### The filter header

Enable the **filter header** (`Ctrl`+`Shift`+`F`) to narrow the current folder's
listing in place — useful for quickly filtering a long folder by name without a full
search. Show it permanently with the **Show filter header** setting
(`ShowFilterHeader`).

> [!TIP]
> Search looks *into* subfolders; the filter header narrows *the current listing*.
> Use search to find something you can't see, and the filter header to thin out a
> folder you're already looking at.

---

## 12. File Tags

**File tags** let you label files and folders with colored tags and find them again
quickly, regardless of where they live on disk.

Files ships with four tags out of the box:

| Tag | Color |
|---|---|
| Home | Blue (`#0072BD`) |
| Work | Orange (`#D95319`) |
| Photos | Gold (`#EDB120`) |
| Important | Green (`#77AC30`) |

### Using tags

- **Tag a file** — right-click → *Edit tags* (make sure **Show edit tags menu** is
  on in Settings), then check the tags to apply.
- **Find tagged files** — expand the **File Tags** section in the sidebar, or show
  the **File Tags** widget on Home, then click a tag to see everything carrying it.
- **Open all tagged items** — there is a command to open every file that has a
  particular tag at once.
- **Remove tags** — clear all tags from the selected items with the *Remove tags*
  command.

### Managing tags

In **Settings** you can create new tags, rename them, change their colors, and delete
tags you no longer need. Tags are stored in your settings and can be exported and
re-imported.

> [!NOTE]
> Tags are stored as metadata associated with the file path. Moving a file *within
> Files* preserves its tags; moving or copying it with another tool may not.

---

## 13. The Info / Preview Pane

The **Info pane** (also called the Preview pane) is an optional right-hand panel that
shows details about — and a live preview of — the selected item.

| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Toggle the Info pane | `Ctrl`+`Alt`+`I` |
| Toggle Details pane | (command palette) |
| Toggle Preview pane | (command palette) |

The pane has tabs — **Details** (the default) and **Preview** — and can be docked
horizontally or vertically. It can preview many file types, including images, text,
PDFs, and media files (with audio volume control for media).

Built-in preview limits keep the app responsive on huge files:

| Preview type | Limit |
|---|---|
| Text preview | First 10,000 characters |
| PDF preview | First 10 pages |
| Unknown extension loaded as text | Up to ~500 KB |

> [!TIP]
> Press `Space` to **launch the preview popup** — a quick, larger preview of the
> selected file without opening it in another app.

---

## 14. Working with Archives

Files has a built-in archive engine, so you can create and extract `.zip`, `.7z`, and
other archives without a separate tool.

### Compressing

Select one or more items, right-click, and choose a compression option (make sure
**Show compression options** is enabled in Settings — it is by default):

- **Compress into archive…** — opens a dialog to choose format and options.
- **Compress into `.zip`** — one-click ZIP.
- **Compress into `.7z`** — one-click 7-Zip.

In the compression dialog and in **Settings → General** you can set defaults:

| Option | Setting | Default |
|---|---|---|
| Archive format | `ArchiveFormatsOption` | Zip |
| Compression level | `ArchiveCompressionLevelsOption` | Normal |
| Split size (multi-volume) | `ArchiveSplittingSizesOption` | None |
| Dictionary size | `ArchiveDictionarySizesOption` | Auto |
| Word size | `ArchiveWordSizesOption` | Auto |

### Extracting

Right-click an archive (or use the toolbar) to extract it:

- **Extract archive…** — choose a destination.
- **Extract here** — extract into the current folder.
- **Extract to a subfolder** — extract into a new folder named after the archive.
- **Smart extract** — extract here only if the archive contains a single root folder,
  otherwise extract to a subfolder.

Files remembers your recent extraction locations to speed up repeated work.

> [!NOTE]
> Double-clicking a `.zip` opens it for browsing inside Files. Some other container
> formats (for example `.jar`) are not browsable by double-click and must be
> extracted — this is a known limitation tracked upstream.

---

## 15. Git Integration

When you browse a folder that is a **Git repository**, Files surfaces Git information
and lets you run common Git commands without leaving the file manager. Git support is
powered by an embedded Git engine, so you do not need Git installed separately for
these operations.

### Git status columns

In Details view inside a repository you can enable Git columns (off by default):

- **Git status** — modified / staged / untracked indicator
- **Last commit date**, **last commit message**, **commit author**, **commit SHA**

### Git commands

| Command | What it does |
|---|---|
| **Clone** | Clone a remote repository into a folder |
| **Init** | Initialize a new repository in the current folder |
| **Fetch** | Download remote changes without merging |
| **Pull** | Fetch and merge remote changes |
| **Push** | Upload your commits to the remote |
| **Sync** | Pull then push in one step |

> [!TIP]
> To sign in for private repositories and authenticated pushes, connect your GitHub
> account in **Settings**. Files uses a GitHub client integration for authentication.

---

## 16. Cloud, Network, FTP, and WSL

### Cloud drives

Files automatically **detects cloud-storage providers** installed on your PC (such as
OneDrive) and lists them under **Cloud Drives** in the sidebar. Cloud sync status is
shown as a column in Details view so you can see at a glance what is downloaded versus
online-only.

### Network locations

Network shares appear under the **Network** section of the sidebar. You can browse SMB
shares and other network places just like local folders.

### FTP

Files includes an **FTP/FTPS client**. Enter an FTP address in the Omnibar (for
example, `ftp://files.example.com`) to connect and browse a remote server as if it
were a local folder, with copy/move support to and from your machine.

### WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux)

If you have WSL installed, your Linux distributions appear under the **WSL** section
of the sidebar, with per-distro icons for Alpine, Debian, Kali, openSUSE, and Ubuntu
(a generic icon is used for others). Browse a distribution's file system directly from
Files.

---

## 17. Opening Files in Other Apps

### Terminal

| Command | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Open terminal in the current folder | `Ctrl`+`` ` `` |
| Open terminal as administrator | `Ctrl`+`Shift`+`` ` `` |

You can also open a terminal from the Home page or the sidebar.

### Code editors / IDEs

- **Open in IDE** — open the current folder in your configured IDE.
- **Open repository in IDE** — open the containing Git repository.
- **Edit in Notepad** — open a file in Notepad.

Configure which IDE to use under **Settings → Dev tools**. If Visual Studio Code is
detected, Files uses it automatically; otherwise set the IDE path and name. You can
choose to show the "Open in IDE" option only for Git repositories, always, or never
(`OpenInIDEOption`, default: Git repos only).

### Run options

For executables and scripts:

| Command | What it does |
|---|---|
| **Run as administrator** | Launch with elevated privileges |
| **Run as another user** | Launch under a different account |
| **Run with PowerShell** | Execute a script with PowerShell |

### Open with / share / send to

- **Open file location** — reveal a shortcut's or search result's real folder.
- **Share** — share the selected item via the Windows share sheet.
- **Send to** — the Windows "Send to" menu (enable **Show "Send to" menu**).

### Set images as backgrounds

Right-click an image to set it as your **desktop wallpaper**, **lock-screen image**,
**slideshow** source, or the **Files app background**. You can also **rotate** images
left or right in place.

### Install from Explorer-style menus

Files supports right-click install actions for certain file types: **install a
certificate**, **install a font**, and **install an `.inf` driver**.

---

## 18. The Command Palette

The **Command Palette** is the fastest way to run any action by name — no need to hunt
through menus or memorize every shortcut.

- Open it with `Ctrl`+`Shift`+`P`.
- Start typing the name of what you want (e.g., "compress", "new tab", "toggle
  sidebar").
- Press `Enter` to run the highlighted command.

Every command in Files — all the actions listed in the
[Keyboard Shortcut Catalog](#22-keyboard-shortcut-catalog) and many more without
default shortcuts — is available from the palette. Commands also show their assigned
hotkey, so the palette doubles as a discoverability tool.

> [!TIP]
> If a command you use often has no shortcut, you can assign one in
> **Settings → Actions** (see [Customizing shortcuts](#customizing-shortcuts)).

---

## 19. Item Properties and Security

### Properties window

| Command | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Open Files' Properties window | `Alt`+`Enter` |
| Open the classic Windows Properties dialog | `Alt`+`Shift`+`Enter` |

The Files Properties window shows general information, hashes, details, and — for
files and folders on NTFS — a **Security** tab.

### Security (permissions) editor

The **Security** tab lets you view and edit NTFS permissions (the Access Control
List):

- See each user/group (principal) and its allowed/denied permissions.
- **Add** a principal using the Windows object picker.
- **Remove** a principal's entry.
- Open **Advanced security** for fine-grained permission control, including
  individual rights like *Read*, *Write*, *Modify*, *Full control*, *Take ownership*,
  and many more.
- **Change owner** of a file or folder (Advanced view).

> [!IMPORTANT]
> Editing permissions requires that your account can read and change the item's
> security. If you see "Unable to display permissions" or an access-denied message,
> you may need to take ownership or run Files as administrator.

### Hashes

The Properties window can compute file **hashes** (checksums) so you can verify
downloads. Which hash algorithms are shown is remembered between sessions.

---

## 20. Appearance and Theming

Files is highly themeable. Open **Settings → Appearance** to adjust:

- **Theme mode** — Default (follow Windows), Light, or Dark. Quick commands:
  - Toggle theme: `Ctrl`+`Alt`+`T`
  - Set Light / Dark / Default theme (command palette)
- **Backdrop material** — the window's translucency material (Mica Alt by default;
  also Mica and others).
- **Background image** — set a custom image behind the file list, with controls for
  fit, opacity, and alignment.
- **Accent colors** — customize the background color of the toolbar, address bar,
  sidebar, file area, and info pane individually.
- **Font** — choose the UI font (defaults to *Segoe UI Variable* on Windows 11 and
  *Segoe UI* on Windows 10).
- **Toolbar / status bar / tab actions** — show or hide each.

### Window modes

| Mode | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Full screen | `F11` |
| Compact overlay (always-on-top mini window) | `F12` |
| Enter compact overlay | `Ctrl`+`Alt`+`↑` |
| Exit compact overlay | `Ctrl`+`Alt`+`↓` |

---

## 21. Settings Reference

Open Settings with `Ctrl`+`,`. The tables below list the user-facing settings by
category, with each option's default value. (Setting names match the underlying keys
so power users can recognize them when importing/exporting settings.)

### General

| Setting | Default | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| `ContinueLastSessionOnStartUp` | On | Restore last session's tabs at launch |
| `OpenNewTabOnStartup` | Off | Start with a fresh tab |
| `OpenSpecificPageOnStartup` | Off | Start at a fixed folder |
| `OpenSpecificPageOnStartupPath` | — | The fixed startup path |
| `OpenTabInExistingInstance` | On | Reuse the running app for new tabs |
| `AlwaysOpenDualPaneInNewTab` | Off | New tabs open split |
| `AlwaysSwitchToNewlyOpenedTab` | Off | Focus follows new tabs |
| `ShowQuickAccessWidget` | On | Home: Quick Access widget |
| `ShowRecentFilesWidget` | On | Home: Recent Files widget |
| `ShowDrivesWidget` | On | Home: Drives widget |
| `ShowNetworkLocationsWidget` | On | Home: Network widget |
| `ShowFileTagsWidget` | Off | Home: File Tags widget |
| `LeaveAppRunning` | On (Release builds) | Keep Files running in the background |
| `ShowSystemTrayIcon` | On | Show the tray icon |
| `MoveShellExtensionsToSubMenu` | On | Tidy third-party context-menu items into a submenu |
| `ConflictsResolveOption` | Generate new name | Default name-collision behavior |
| `ArchiveFormatsOption` | Zip | Default archive format |
| `ArchiveCompressionLevelsOption` | Normal | Default compression level |
| `ShellPaneArrangementOption` | Vertical | Default pane arrangement |
| `ShowShelfPane` | Off | Show the Shelf staging pane |
| `ShowFilterHeader` | Off | Show the in-place filter header |
| `EnableThumbnailCache` | On | Cache thumbnails |
| `EnableSmoothScrolling` | On | Smooth scrolling animation |
| `ThumbnailCacheSizeLimit` | 512 | Thumbnail cache limit |
| Sidebar section toggles | Various | `ShowPinnedSection`, `ShowLibrarySection` (off), `ShowDrivesSection`, `ShowCloudDrivesSection`, `ShowNetworkSection`, `ShowWslSection`, `ShowFileTagsSection` |
| Context-menu toggles | Various | `ShowOpenInNewTab`, `ShowOpenInNewWindow`, `ShowOpenInNewPane`, `ShowOpenTerminal`, `ShowCopyPath`, `ShowCreateShortcut`, `ShowCreateFolderWithSelection`, `ShowSendToMenu`, `ShowCompressionOptions`, `ShowFlattenOptions` (off), `ShowEditTagsMenu`, `ShowPinToSideBar`, `ShowPinToStart`, `ShowCreateAlternateDataStream` (off) |

### Folders

| Setting | Default | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| `ShowHiddenItems` | Off | Show hidden files/folders |
| `ShowProtectedSystemFiles` | Off | Show OS-protected files |
| `ShowDotFiles` | On | Show files starting with `.` |
| `AreAlternateStreamsVisible` | Off | Show NTFS alternate data streams |
| `OpenFilesWithSingleClick` | Touch only | Single-click to open files |
| `OpenFoldersWithSingleClick` | Touch only | Single-click to open folders |
| `OpenFoldersInColumnsViewWithSingleClick` | On | Single-click in Columns view |
| `OpenFoldersInNewTab` | Off | Folders open in a new tab |
| `ScrollToPreviousFolderWhenNavigatingUp` | On | Keep your place when going up |
| `CalculateFolderSizes` | Off | Compute folder sizes (slower) |
| `ShowFileExtensions` | On | Show file extensions |
| `ShowThumbnails` | On | Show thumbnails |
| `ShowFileExtensionWarning` | On | Warn before changing extensions |
| `DeleteConfirmationPolicy` | Always | When to confirm deletions |
| `SelectFilesOnHover` | Off | Select by hovering |
| `DoubleClickToGoUp` | On | Double-click empty space goes up |
| `ShowCheckboxesWhenSelectingItems` | On | Selection checkboxes |
| `SizeUnitFormat` | Binary (KiB/MiB) | File-size units |

### Appearance

| Setting | Default | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| `AppThemeMode` | Default | Light / Dark / follow system |
| `AppThemeBackdropMaterial` | Mica Alt | Window translucency |
| `AppThemeFontFamily` | Segoe UI Variable / Segoe UI | UI font |
| `AppThemeBackgroundImageSource` | — | Custom background image |
| `AppThemeBackgroundImageFit` | Uniform to fill | Background image fit |
| `AppThemeBackgroundImageOpacity` | 1.0 | Background image opacity |
| `ShowToolbar` | On | Show the toolbar |
| `ShowStatusBar` | On | Show the status bar |
| `ShowTabActions` | On | Show tab action buttons |
| `StatusCenterVisibility` | Always | Status Center visibility |
| `SidebarWidth` | 255 px | Sidebar width (180–500) |
| `IsSidebarOpen` | On | Sidebar expanded |

### Layout

| Setting | Default | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| `SyncFolderPreferencesAcrossDirectories` | Off | One layout everywhere |
| `DefaultLayoutMode` | Adaptive | Default layout |
| `DefaultSortOption` | Name | Default sort key |
| `DefaultDirectorySortDirection` | Ascending | Sort direction |
| `DefaultSortDirectoriesAlongsideFiles` | Off | Mix folders with files when sorting |
| `DefaultSortFilesFirst` | Off | Files before folders |
| `DefaultGroupOption` | None | Default grouping |
| `DefaultGroupByDateUnit` | Year | Date-group granularity |
| Column visibility | Various | `ShowDateColumn`, `ShowTypeColumn`, `ShowSizeColumn`, `ShowFileTagColumn`, `ShowDateCreatedColumn` (off), Git columns (off)… |
| View sizes | Various | `DetailsViewSize`, `ListViewSize`, `CardsViewSize`, `GridViewSize`, `ColumnsViewSize` |

### Info Pane

| Setting | Default | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| `IsInfoPaneEnabled` | Off | Show the Info/Preview pane |
| `SelectedTab` | Details | Active pane tab |
| `MediaVolume` | 1.0 | Media preview volume |

### Dev Tools

| Setting | Default | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| `OpenInIDEOption` | Git repos | When to show "Open in IDE" |
| `IDEPath` | `code` if VS Code found | IDE executable |
| `IDEName` | Visual Studio Code if found | IDE display name |

> [!TIP]
> You can **export** your settings to a file and **import** them on another machine to
> replicate your setup. Session-only data (your tab history, search history) is
> excluded from exports.

---

## 22. Keyboard Shortcut Catalog

These are the **default** shortcuts. Every one can be reassigned (see
[Customizing shortcuts](#customizing-shortcuts)). On notation: `Ctrl`+`` ` `` is
Control plus the backtick/grave key; `Ctrl`+`,` is Control plus comma; `Ctrl`+`.` is
Control plus period.

### Navigation

| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Navigate back | `Alt`+`←` |
| Navigate forward | `Alt`+`→` |
| Navigate up | `Alt`+`↑` |
| Edit path (focus address bar) | `Ctrl`+`L` |
| Search | `Ctrl`+`F` |
| Refresh | `Ctrl`+`R` |
| Open Help | `F1` |

### Tabs and panes

| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| New tab | `Ctrl`+`T` |
| New window | `Ctrl`+`N` |
| Close selected tab | `Ctrl`+`W` |
| Close all tabs | `Ctrl`+`Shift`+`W` |
| Reopen closed tab | `Ctrl`+`Shift`+`T` |
| Next tab | `Ctrl`+`Tab` |
| Previous tab | `Ctrl`+`Shift`+`Tab` |
| Duplicate tab | `Ctrl`+`Shift`+`K` |
| Toggle dual-pane | `Ctrl`+`Shift`+`S` |
| Split pane horizontally | `Alt`+`Shift`+`H` |
| Split pane vertically | `Alt`+`Shift`+`V` |
| Focus other pane | `Ctrl`+`Shift`+`→` |
| Close active pane | `Ctrl`+`Alt`+`W` |
| Open in new window | `Ctrl`+`Alt`+`Enter` |

### Selection

| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Select all | `Ctrl`+`A` |
| Toggle item selection | `Ctrl`+`Space` |

### File operations

| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Copy | `Ctrl`+`C` |
| Cut | `Ctrl`+`X` |
| Paste | `Ctrl`+`V` |
| Paste into selection | `Ctrl`+`Shift`+`V` |
| Copy item path | `Ctrl`+`Shift`+`C` |
| Copy item path with quotes | `Ctrl`+`Alt`+`C` |
| New item menu | `Ctrl`+`Shift`+`I` |
| New folder | `Ctrl`+`Shift`+`N` |
| Rename | `F2` |
| Open item | `Enter` |
| Delete (recycle) | `Delete` |
| Delete permanently | `Shift`+`Delete` |
| Undo | `Ctrl`+`Z` |
| Redo | `Ctrl`+`Y` |

### View

| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Layout: smaller | `Ctrl`+`-` |
| Layout: larger | `Ctrl`+`+` |
| Toggle show hidden items | `Ctrl`+`H` |
| Toggle sidebar | `Ctrl`+`B` |
| Toggle toolbar | `Ctrl`+`Shift`+`B` |
| Toggle info pane | `Ctrl`+`Alt`+`I` |
| Toggle filter header | `Ctrl`+`Shift`+`F` |
| Launch preview popup | `Space` |
| Toggle full screen | `F11` |
| Toggle compact overlay | `F12` |
| Enter compact overlay | `Ctrl`+`Alt`+`↑` |
| Exit compact overlay | `Ctrl`+`Alt`+`↓` |
| Toggle app theme | `Ctrl`+`Alt`+`T` |

### Open / tools

| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Open Settings | `Ctrl`+`,` |
| Open settings file | `Ctrl`+`Shift`+`,` |
| Open Command Palette | `Ctrl`+`Shift`+`P` |
| Open Properties | `Alt`+`Enter` |
| Open classic Properties | `Alt`+`Shift`+`Enter` |
| Open terminal | `Ctrl`+`` ` `` |
| Open terminal as admin | `Ctrl`+`Shift`+`` ` `` |
| Open log file | `Ctrl`+`.` |
| Open log file location | `Ctrl`+`Shift`+`.` |

### Customizing shortcuts

Open **Settings → Actions** to reassign any command's hotkey. Each command can have
multiple bindings, and you can reset a command to its default at any time. The
Command Palette always shows the current binding next to each command.

---

## 23. Troubleshooting

Each entry below corresponds to a real, community-reported issue. Where an issue
number is shown, you can follow it on GitHub for the latest status.

### Files won't start: "A required Windows component could not be loaded"

**Cause:** The Windows App Runtime that Files depends on is missing or damaged.

**Solution:** Reinstall Files from the Microsoft Store or from
`https://files.community/download`. This reinstalls the required runtime alongside the
app.

**Prevention:** Keep Windows up to date so the Windows App Runtime stays current.

### Files crashes when opening a folder in Grid view (#18543)

**Cause:** A rendering issue in Grid view under certain conditions.

**Solution:** Switch the folder to **Details** or **List** view (`Ctrl`+`-` to cycle
sizes, or use the layout button), then reopen. Report your scenario on the issue if it
persists.

### Icons sometimes have a black background (#14993) / Thumbnails do not render (#18503)

**Cause:** Thumbnail/icon rendering glitches, often tied to the thumbnail cache.

**Solution:** Toggle **Show thumbnails** off and on in **Settings → Folders**, or
clear the thumbnail cache by disabling **Enable thumbnail cache**, restarting, and
re-enabling it.

### Opening the Signatures tab crashes the app (#18510)

**Cause:** A defect in the file-signatures view (resolved in newer builds).

**Solution:** Update to the latest Files version. If you are already current and still
hit it, avoid the Signatures tab and report your build number.

### Performance issues, freezes, or crashes on Windows 10 (#18536)

**Cause:** Some features are tuned for Windows 11; Windows 10 can show slower
performance.

**Solution:** Disable **Smooth scrolling** and **Calculate folder sizes**, reduce the
thumbnail cache, and keep heavy folders in List/Details view. Make sure you are on the
latest build.

### Files won't start after changing Details-view columns (#18528)

**Cause:** A bad saved column configuration.

**Solution:** Reset your layout. Open the settings file (`Ctrl`+`Shift`+`,` if the app
starts, otherwise edit it directly — see the FAQ) and remove the column-width/visibility
entries, or reset layout settings to defaults.

### A copy/move overlay is stuck on screen and freezes Explorer (#18526)

**Cause:** A drag-and-drop overlay failed to dismiss.

**Solution:** Cancel the operation from the Status Center; if the overlay persists,
restart Files. Ensure you are on the latest build, which contains drag-overlay fixes.

### Opening a pinned folder hangs after starting a VPN (#18525)

**Cause:** A network/cloud path becomes unreachable while a VPN reconfigures the
network.

**Solution:** Wait for the VPN to finish connecting, then retry. Avoid pinning
network paths that depend on a VPN if this recurs.

### The home page freezes with the Active Tags widget / tag search misses folders (#17128, #18386)

**Cause:** Tag-widget and tag-search defects under certain groupings.

**Solution:** Hide the **File Tags** widget temporarily, and when searching by tag,
turn off "group by type." Update to the latest build for the fixes.

> [!TIP]
> **General first aid:** make sure you are on the newest version, restart Files, and
> if a setting seems stuck, inspect the settings file (next section). For persistent
> crashes, the in-app log file (`Ctrl`+`.`) helps maintainers diagnose the problem.

---

## 24. Frequently Asked Questions

**Q: Is Files free?**
Yes. Files is free and open source under the MIT License. There is an optional way to
support the project financially (sponsorship), but the app is fully functional for
free.

**Q: Does Files replace Windows File Explorer?**
It can. Files runs alongside Explorer by default, but you can set it as your default
file manager so that "open folder" actions route to Files. Uninstalling Files restores
Explorer automatically. See the FAQ entry below and the Admin Guide.

**Q: Can I set Files as the default file manager?**
<a id="set-files-as-your-default-file-manager"></a>
Yes. Files installs a small launcher that intercepts folder-open requests and routes
them to Files. The setting to enable this lives in the app's settings. When you
uninstall Files, the launcher automatically restores File Explorer.

**Q: Where are my settings stored?**
In your per-user app data, under a `settings` folder containing `user_settings.json`
(your preferences) and `filetags.json` (your tags), plus companion database files. You
can open the settings file directly with `Ctrl`+`Shift`+`,`.

**Q: Does Files run in the background?**
By default (in release builds) Files stays running in the background after you close
the window, so it reopens instantly and keeps a tray icon. Turn off **Keep app
running** (`LeaveAppRunning`) and/or **Show system tray icon** in
**Settings → General** if you prefer it to fully exit.

**Q: Do I need Git installed to use the Git features?**
No. Files has an embedded Git engine for clone/init/fetch/pull/push/sync.

**Q: Can Files connect to FTP servers?**
Yes — type an `ftp://` address in the address bar. FTP and FTPS are supported.

**Q: Can I browse my WSL Linux files?**
Yes. Installed WSL distributions appear in the sidebar under **WSL**.

**Q: How do I preview a file quickly?**
Select it and press `Space` for the preview popup, or enable the Info/Preview pane
(`Ctrl`+`Alt`+`I`).

**Q: Why can't I double-click into a `.jar` file like a `.zip`?**
Browsing inside non-ZIP containers (such as `.jar`) is a known limitation. Extract the
archive instead.

**Q: How do I report a bug or request a feature?**
Use **Help** (`F1`) or the links in Settings to reach the GitHub bug-report and
feature-request templates, or the community Discord.

**Q: Can I run the Stable and Preview builds at the same time?**
Yes. They are separate packages and do not conflict.

**Q: Does Files collect telemetry?**
Files uses crash reporting to improve stability in release builds. See the Admin Guide
and the project's privacy policy for details.

**Q: How do I change file-size units to MB instead of MiB?**
Set **Size unit format** (`SizeUnitFormat`) in **Settings → Folders**. The default is
binary units (KiB/MiB).

**Q: How do I make folders open in a new tab automatically?**
Enable **Open folders in new tab** (`OpenFoldersInNewTab`) in **Settings → Folders**.

**Q: My layout looks different in every folder — how do I make it consistent?**
Turn on **Sync folder preferences across directories** in **Settings → Layout**.

---

## 25. Glossary

**Action / Command** — a single operation in Files (e.g., "New Tab", "Compress into
Zip"). Commands can be run from menus, shortcuts, or the Command Palette, and each can
have a custom hotkey.

**Adaptive layout** — the default layout mode, in which Files chooses an appropriate
view for each folder.

**Alternate data stream (ADS)** — extra NTFS data attached to a file. Files can show
and create these when the relevant settings are enabled.

**Backdrop material** — the translucency effect applied to the window background
(Mica, Mica Alt, etc.).

**Compact overlay** — a small, always-on-top window mode (picture-in-picture style).

**Info / Preview pane** — the optional right-hand panel that previews and describes
the selected item.

**Omnibar** — the multi-mode address bar (path / search / command).

**Pane** — one of two side-by-side locations within a single tab (dual-pane mode).

**Shelf** — an optional staging pane for collecting items via drag-and-drop before
acting on them.

**Status Center** — the panel that tracks long-running operations and lets you cancel
them.

**Tag** — a colored label you attach to files and folders to find them later.

---

_Generated June 2026 from files-community/Files at a1ec014. AI-generated documentation. The library is checked by sampling (three repositories so far); this guide was not individually reviewed. Verify against the project before relying on it. Unofficial; not affiliated with or reviewed by the project._