Android has a built-in file manager called “Files” that allows you to browse and manage files on your device. To access it, open your app drawer and look for the “Files” app.
Once you open the app, you’ll see a list of folders and files on your device. You can tap on a folder to open it, and tap on a file to view it or perform actions on it.
To perform actions on a file, long-press on it to select it. This will bring up a menu with various options, such as delete, copy, move, share, and more. You can then choose the action you want to perform.
You can also use the search bar at the top of the screen to search for specific files on your device. Additionally, you can access files stored in the cloud by linking your cloud storage accounts to the Files app.
Overall, the Android “Files” app is a useful tool for managing files on your device, and it should meet the needs of most users. However, if you need more advanced features or customization options, you may want to consider using a third-party file manager app from the Google Play Store.
These file manager apps can take care of your demands whether you want to manually move, create, and delete folders on your device, explore the root directory of your phone, or encrypt software.
1. Files by Google
Want to keep things as easy as possible? The Google Files app, which comes pre-installed on the majority of stock Android smartphones and is also available for download from the Play Store for other Android devices, is all you need if you don’t want to add any third-party apps to your phone.
Although it isn’t as comprehensive as other of the solutions on the list, it offers a pleasant, clear interface via which you can create phone files, browse downloads, photographs, and videos, and exchange files both online and offline (with automatic encryption).
You can quickly discover files with its help, and it can even check your phone for rubbish and transient files before offering to remove them for you and free up a ton of storage space.
2. FX File Explorer
When choosing a file manager, it’s important to consider if you’re more of a power user or are looking for something easy. FX File Explorer has a lot going for it, including SMBv2 support, a home screen that you can customize, and a Usage View that displays the size and content breakdown of each folder on your phone.
In addition to allowing you to browse and create encrypted files in the AES-256 and AES-128 formats, FX also caters to music lovers by allowing you to search for audio files using the usual audio tags like artist, album, and playlist (you can also listen to music, watch videos, and view photos directly through the app).
Best of all, FX File Explorer is completely free and has no adverts, which immediately makes it much more user-friendly. The majority of the useful content is already available for free. You can expand the app with extra services like FX Connect to transfer files straight between phones and ‘Web Access’ to manage your files from a PC browser, which are pleasant bonuses.
3. Solid Explorer
One of Solid Explorer’s biggest features is its dual-pane layout, which makes it quick and simple to browse through all of your Android files. It places a strong emphasis on security by enabling you to encrypt any files and folders using a password that can then be decrypted using a fingerprint sensor.
Solid Explorer’s two-panel layout effectively splits into two different windows, allowing you to drag and drop files and directories between them just like you would on a desktop operating system. The options for changing colors and themes are numerous. On a rooted device, where you may use this as a true root explorer, even more functionality is available.
Solid Explorer is a premium app, but you can test it out for 14 days without paying anything to see if it’s right for you.
4. MiXplorer
The XDA community has long favored MiXplorer, one of the best-kept-secret file managers for Android that allows you to browse files not just on your device but also throughout your entire personal network (including FTP, LAN, and cloud-based storage). You can customize it extensively, browse with robust tabs, and use the “Tasks” functionality to build chains of commands.
An integrated reader that can read files in the EPub, MobiPacket, and PDF formats, as well as a full media player, image viewer, and text editor, makes it simple to view files in different forms.
Although a rooted device is not required to use MiXplorer, if you do, more administration options and data backup become available. It is 100% free, ad-free, and endorsed by industry experts.
5. ES File Explorer
One of the oldest and most dependable file explorers on this list is ES File Explorer. If there were no advertisements, it would actually be ranked first. However, it makes sense because the developers ought to be compensated financially for the time and work they put into the project.
The problem is that ES File Explorer was taken down from the Play Store in April 2019, possibly as a result of fraud committed by DO Global, one of the company’s businesses. You’ll need to get it from a website like APKPure where the most recent versions are still being made available if you want to use it right now.
The specialized gesture functionality of ES File Manager still allows you to record specific gestures that will execute operations inside the application. Additionally, you may save shortcuts to files and folders on your home screen, giving it almost desktop-like functionality. You can watch videos and play music on it directly because it has built-in viewers and players for many different file kinds. Additionally, there is a task manager where you can end processes and release memory on your device.
It includes a built-in note editor and supports rar and zip compression and decompression. It’s a Swiss Army knife of an app, supporting cloud storage, Bluetooth file browsing, remote file access, wireless PC file transfer, an SD card analyst, and many more capabilities. It can also be themed. Its abundance of features, advertisements, and material design may turn some people away, but if you need a jack-of-all-trades, this is your best option.
6. Astro File Manager
When you visit Astro File Manager’s Google Play page, the first thing you see is “No Ads.” Its emblem has a banner across it that reads “This is our motto.” Look no farther if you want a fantastic ad-free file browser. It includes a useful memory cleanser in addition to its file manager for aiding in file organization.
It enables compression and decompression of rar and zip file formats. You may bookmark configurations, files, and folders as well. It has a built-in media player that enables you to play videos and music, browse through your photo library without difficulty, and control both internal and cloud storage.
7. X-Plore File Manager
It’s time to bring two panes, specifically. What makes X-Plore special is that it allows you the possibility to manage multiple windows at once by giving you a dual-pane explorer so you can copy things between them and compare two directories. In addition to all of this, it enables you to compress directories into APK packages and view within APK files.
It includes a built-in PDF viewer and has a disk map that shows which files use the most disk space. From the web browser on a PC, you can remotely manage your files. It has access to cloud storage and a video player with subtitle support. All of this is only the very tip of the iceberg.
8. Total Commander
Total File Commander, the original and my personal favorite, has a straightforward but effective user interface. It gets the job done and is as good as its Windows counterpart, despite some people’s opinions to the contrary.
It is entirely pluggable, so you can use plugins to give it extra functionality. It contains a media player with direct LAN streaming capabilities, WebDAV and cloud plugins, as well as bookmarking and shortcut functionality for folders. It offers a capable root explorer for users who have rooted smartphones.
9. RS File Manager
The fifth and last app on our list, RS File Manager, is a free, quick, and feature-rich Android app. The typical file manager capabilities are all available, such as multi-selection, cut, copy, paste, move, create, delete, rename, search, share, hide, zip/unzip, bookmarking, etc. LAN support (SMB 2.0, NAS, NFS, CIFS, FTP, HTTP), access to cloud storage services (Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, Yandex), network storage support (FTP, FTPS, SFTP, WebDAV), and more are other noteworthy features.
A built-in app manager and root explorer are also included with RS File Manager. Additionally, SD cards, USB OTG, and compression and decompression (ZIP, RAR, 7ZIP, OBB) are supported. Additionally, you may use your PC to access the files on your phone, and other sharing methods include Bluetooth and email.
Finally, RS File Manager offers 128-bit encryption and allows you to handle files and folders in the cloud. You have complete control over your file system with this software, allowing you to arrange everything on your phone.
10. Root Explorer
One of the top Android file managers for rooted devices is Root Explorer. It is understandable why power users have long considered it to be a favorite. With a $3.99 price tag, it is also the only paid app on our list. Multiple tabs and cloud integration for Google Drive, Box, and Dropbox are features. Additionally supported are the Text Editor, the SQLite database viewer, the ZIP/ TAR/ GZIP/ RAR extraction, the multi-select, the execute scripts, the remount, the rights, the bookmarks, and more.
Other noteworthy features include image thumbnails, an APK binary XML viewer, file sharing through Bluetooth, email, etc., and more. Additionally, Root Explorer features MD5 hashing, symbolic link generation, the ‘Open With’ feature, shortcut creation, and more. It also allows you to alter a file’s owner or group.
The app also includes a complimentary, unpaid version called Explorer. Although it lacks root support, it is a standard file manager with the same user interface as the commercial version. It will be ideal for people who want something that resembles Root Explorer’s appearance and functionality for their non-rooted device.
Conclusion
Having a dependable file manager app on your Android device can greatly increase the effectiveness and practicality of file management systems. It can be difficult to select the best solution given the diversity of possibilities on the Google Play Store. To assist you in choosing the best Android file management app for your requirements, we have included a list of the top apps. On this list, there is a file management tool that will meet your demands, regardless of whether you require sophisticated functionality or a straightforward, user-friendly design. Find the one that best suits your needs by taking the time to investigate your possibilities. Managing your files on your Android device will be simple with a good file manager app.
