Rating of file managers for Android. Rating of file managers for Android Editing in ES File Explorer

As a study of Nexus devices updated to Android 6.0 has shown, the latest version of Google's mobile system contains functions that are not entirely obvious. One of the latest is the built-in file manager previously missing from Android.

To access it, you need to go to the system settings, select “Storage and USB drives”, scroll through the list of items to the very bottom and click “Open”. Launched after that file manager will not be able to compete on equal terms with powerful combines from the Play Store, but it performs a number of simple functions. First of all, we are talking about viewing a list of the contents of the media or card, as well as copying and launching them. There is a selection of a group of objects, which sometimes greatly simplifies life.

Despite its simplicity, the Android 6.0 manager shows previews for multimedia files, has several types of sorting and even a built-in search. In addition, there is a function to view information about objects, for example, for images it will display some of the data from EXIF.

It is not yet entirely clear why Google did not place a shortcut on launching a file manager in Android 6.0. It can be assumed that the company is not entirely happy with it or simply does not want to create another competitor to its analogues from the Play Store, thereby reducing the income of developers.

Hello everyone, dear readers. Today I have once again prepared for you a very interesting selection of the best, in my opinion, file managers.

Before you start studying the selection I have proposed, I want to say a few words about what file managers are and why you might need them in your mobile devices based on the popular Android operating system.

File manager (file manager) is an application on your mobile device that allows you to control various files stored in the memory of your Android gadget or on an SD card. Also, the file manager (file manager) will allow you to move, rename, delete and perform other operations with your files.

Below you can find the voting form. With its help, you can cast your vote for one or another file manager that suits you best. Your voice will help other readers of this material save time and make the right decision when choosing the right instrument.

A very popular file manager for the Android operating system. Total Commander will allow you to easily manage a large array of files on your mobile device. Of all the possibilities, I will note the following, in my opinion the most important:

Built-in archiver that can work with RAR and ZIP archives;
A text editor built into the application for editing files without leaving the program;
Support for cloud services, such as DropBox;
Built-in audio and video players for viewing media files directly from the application.

In my opinion, this file manager, along with the previous application, is one of the most functional and best tools of its kind for Android. I will note the following features:

The application supports themes;
In addition to standard functions of this kind, it has the ability to edit text directly from the application, using a text editor;
Optimized for comfortable work on tablet computers.

Another good file manager for your mobile gadget. Of the main features of this tool, I would like to note the following:

Like the first tool, there is a built-in archiver;
Ability to send files to popular social networks directly from the manager.

You can download the application to your mobile device using the Google Play link above.

A good free file manager for your Android mobile gadget. Of all the features of the application, I will highlight the following:

Built-in image viewing and text editing tools;
The ability to assign “hot buttons” to perform a particular action;
The application “can” work with ZIP and JAR archives;
There is a built-in document viewer in Word format.

Another high-quality manager, this time for working with file archives in popular formats. I will mention some of the possibilities:

Possibility of connecting cloud storages;
Support for archives in the most popular formats.

Almost all owners of phones on the Android platform are interested in what is the best file manager for Android.

Yes, a lot of them have been invented today and they all may have different features, but to this day there is no clear answer to the question “Which one is the best?”

Therefore, it would be useful to know what other users think about it.

This review uses the opinions of people, which they expressed on social networks and forums. Materials from various articles were used only to describe one or another manager.

No. 1. ES File Explorer

So, the first on our list will be the truly most popular file manager today, called “ES File Explorer”.

This program has gained enormous popularity for one simple reason - it is the first file manager of its kind.

Indeed, at first Android had a standard Explorer that could display files and allow you to edit and delete them.

The very fact that ES File Explorer could be seen on Android 1.6 already speaks volumes.

Therefore, it is not surprising that every second person on the forums writes about this manager.

From the very beginning, ES File Explorer's functionality was somewhat broader than that of the standard Explorer. Today, developers are really trying to lead the market.

To do this, they constantly change the appearance of their explorer and add additional functions to it.

The main features of ES File Explorer are as follows:

Distributed free of charge;
Supports work with cloud services and archive files;
No advertising;
User-friendly interface (in Russian);
Convenient file editing.

The fact is that most of these programs exist due to the fact that the user is constantly shown a huge amount of annoying advertising materials.

And this makes their use very inconvenient. But there is no such thing in ES File Explorer. As for editing files, we should talk about this in more detail.

Editing in ES File Explorer

The interface itself looks as shown in Figure 1.

As you can see, very stylish. From the very beginning, the user will see all his folders in a grid (as shown in Figure 1).

By clicking on the “View” button you can change the size of these icons.

Interestingly, the larger these icons are, the more information about each file and each folder will be displayed.

A number of actions are available for each file, including deleting, renaming, copying and much more.

As mentioned above, Explorer copes well with archived files and allows you to either unzip the necessary files or work with them directly in the archive.

In principle, the user will not even notice that he has opened the archive, because it will be displayed like any other regular folder.

ES File Explorer has an automatic grouping feature. So, in the left drop-down menu there are items - “Music”, “Video”, “Downloads” and more.

The developers pay special attention to additional functions.

There is convenient navigation.

Users also like how X-plore File Manager displays thumbnails of files - you can almost always understand what kind of file it is and whether it is worth opening it in full screen mode.

X-plore File Manager can also work with applications - delete them. Among the minor features, it is worth noting the opening of APK files in the form of the most common ZIP.

On Google Play, X-plore File Manager has an overwhelmingly positive rating - an average rating of 4.5.

Interestingly, this file manager has also existed for a very long time. You can often find comments on the Internet that people have been using it since the days of Symbian.

Flaws

Of course, everything has its drawbacks.

This also applies to X-plore File Manager. For example, you can often come across comments that the manager does not see the memory card, the video player does not work on him, and many other small points.

In principle, they can also be found on ES File Explorer, but this happens much less often there.

We can’t say that this is some kind of flaw, it’s just that the program is very popular and bugs are quite possible somewhere.

Still, most reviews about X-plore File Manager are extremely positive and the two-window mode still attracts a huge number of users to this application.

Visually it is clear that X-plore File Manager has something to praise for even when not working in two-window mode. Next to each file is written its extension, creation date and volume.

At the top there are icons of actions that can be done with each specific file.

It is also interesting that there is a progress bar at the bottom that shows how much memory is already full. In general, all this is really convenient for a variety of users.

No. 3. Total Commander

Good old Total Commander, which we all have used at least once on our home computers.

Indeed, many years ago, this file manager attracted all of us because it allowed us to see all files, even hidden ones, with a convenient interface and a huge number of various additional functions.

It is worth saying that the mobile version of Total Commander, like the computer version, is not intended for ordinary users, but for “advanced” ones.

This can be said for the reason that it simply has a huge number of small functional icons - each of them is responsible for one or another action.

Some people spend more than one hour just trying to figure out how Total Commander works and which button does what.

But among those same “advanced” users, it is truly the most popular.

Ordinary users of Total Commander can also be attracted by the absence of advertising materials, the ability to work with archived files, the interface in Russian and the fact that it is simply free.

The interface itself also looks quite solid. As mentioned above, in addition to the basic functions, the mobile Total Commander has a huge number of additional features.

As you can see in Figure 4, at the bottom of the Explorer window there are those notorious additional buttons for Total Commander.

So, there we can see a button for selecting several files, a button for archiving, deleting, saving under a different name, buttons for various sorting options, and much more.

At the top there are buttons for search and other additional functions.

It is interesting that all those main buttons that we can see in the figure above do not represent all the functions of Total Commander; there are many more of them. All this looks very solid.

Flaws

As for the disadvantages, the main one is the lack of the ability to work with cloud storage.

It is quite possible that the developers will soon solve this problem, because today every fifth user uses the “cloud” and because of this, Total Commander is losing a rather large audience of customers.

But the main disadvantage of Total Commander is the complexity of this conductor. If you look at it from the other side, this file manager has a huge number of functions, which makes it simply irreplaceable for many users.

Negative ratings are given only by those who simply do not need this functionality.

In any case, Total Commander accepts all files that can be downloaded and which imply the presence of video, audio and photographic materials.

Most importantly, all this functionality is free and the program does not involve any advertising.

In fact, Total Commander is one of the most functional applications in principle, not only among file explorers.

Important! Total Commander does not freeze, sees all removable media and does not crash. So if you like functionality and are not afraid to understand all the buttons of Total Commander, feel free to download it and use it for your pleasure!

You can install Total Commander in exactly the same way as any other application.

No. 4. Solid Explorer

This is one of the few such programs that are not distributed free of charge. But its price is purely symbolic - 65 rubles.

In principle, you can pay for all the wide functionality of Solid Explorer (of course, not as wide as that of Total Commander), which we will talk about later.

Interestingly, the main reason for the popularity of Solid Explorer is its attractive interface.

Many people write that it makes the phone look very modern and stylish.

Some owners of Samsung phones indicate that Solid Explorer is the best for their devices - it fits very well.

Although, by and large, this is a completely standard explorer that has all the standard features of such programs.

As you can see, the interface really looks very impressive. Although there are people who see absolutely nothing special in this appearance.

Still, Solid Explorer is highly customizable.

For example, you can put your own unique theme in which the entire explorer will be designed.

Among the shortcomings, one should highlight the inferior Russian language. Most users from Russia and nearby countries write that the application does not have a complete translation.

Of course, this negatively affects the popularity of this program.

Some users point out that Solid Explorer with root rights is a very dangerous tool that can cause viruses to enter the device or by accessing personal data.

The fact is that this file manager has, for example, access to calls. This means that the program can independently call someone from your phone.

Many people simply do not understand why the conductor needs such a function at all.

But still, Solid Explorer has many more advantages than disadvantages. Its average rating on Google Play is 4.6. In fact, very few programs could boast such an indicator.

Yes, this manager is not free, but it should definitely be installed by novice users. Compared to Solid Explorer, the famous ES File Explorer looks like a “food processor”.

They say this because ES has a lot of extra unnecessary features. Solid Explorer is all about the basics.

Description of work

It should be said right away that in Solid Explorer everything is much clearer than in Total Commander. Therefore, this file manager is more suitable for ordinary users.

These are obviously the majority, which is why the enormous popularity of Solid Explorer seems quite logical. By the way, this manager also has the ability to work with several windows at once.

True, in X-plore File Manager this mode is created a little better.

Additional tools include analysis of memory cards and internal memory. In exactly the same way, you can analyze a separate folder.

Additional tools appear when you click on each file/folder.

In general, the process of use is very simple. On the left side of the program window you can see all available sources from which data is taken.

Here are the usual folders on the memory card or internal memory of the device, as well as cloud storage.

Each of them has a load level, which is displayed as a percentage. At the top of this section of the program there is a settings button.

The folders themselves in the main window are also displayed along with the creation date and occupied space, just like files.

The number of files in a particular folder is also shown. When you open a folder, you can see a thumbnail of each individual file.

No. 5. File Manager by Cheetah Mobile

Interestingly, there is a regular File Manager, which is most often installed on phones by default. Most likely, File Manager will be your first file manager.

But Cheetah Mobile's File Manager is very different from standard file explorers.

And it is also quite different from all the similar programs described above.

At the same time, until one of the latest updates, File Manager from Cheetah Mobile was a standard explorer that contained a minimum of functions.

Today, this program is a very functional explorer that is easy to install and pleasant to use.

The differences lie in appearance. On the main screen there is a library of categories where all files are distributed.

File search is available, and this applies to both the shared library and individual folders.

There is a sliding panel on the left side, which presents the same file library and the “Shortcuts” section.

This section contains buttons for going to the “home”, that is, the initial directory, network checks, and more.

It is worth noting that everything here is very conveniently divided into categories. In the library, for example, there is a folder called “New Files”, which contains everything that was last added to the phone’s memory.

There is also a folder “apk files”, where installation files are collected.

There is a section called “Bookmarks”. The user can independently enter his favorite folders and files into it.

There are, of course, many additional elements. All of them are placed in a separate section.

Among them are a memory analyzer and a check for so-called junk files, that is, those that are not needed, but only clutter up the memory.

In the aforementioned "Shortcuts" section, there is a shortcut called "Network". It allows you to connect cloud storage or other functions related to working on the Internet to Explorer.

What is important is that archive files are supported, that is, those with the extension .zip and .rar. The settings in this file manager are also very convenient.

In general, everything was created, as they say, for people.

What people say

Interestingly, on Google Play the rating for File Manager from Cheetah Mobile is 4.4, but there are very few negative reviews on the page of this application.

Some of them are due to the fact that some updates were released incorrectly or were simply installed incorrectly.

For example, people write that after updating the version of File Manager from Cheetah Mobile, some standard functions, such as copying or moving files, stopped working.

Basically, users write that they really like this application, and they will recommend File Manager from Cheetah Mobile to their friends and acquaintances.

The main advantages of File Manager from Cheetah Mobile, according to users, are as follows:

There is the ability to conveniently sort files, thanks to which you can organize everything that is in the device’s memory, on removable media and on cloud storage;
It is possible to see those files that will not be visible in other explorers;
You can connect to your computer without physical cables;
You can unpack and compress various files;
There are no advertisements or banners hated by users.

In general, File Manager from Cheetah Mobile is also created for people and it exists according to the principle “everything ingenious is simple.”

No. 6. ASTRO File Manager

Another very worthy representative of file managers. Among the advantages, you should pay attention to the well-developed work with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth networks.

Although for this you will still need to install certain extensions.

There is also a convenient search for files in all possible storages and individual folders in them.

A huge advantage is the support for files with the tar.gz extension, which are intended for Linux operating systems.

Of course, working with classic archives is also at the same level.

Moreover, all this extensive functionality does not require root rights; the program itself can access the functions it needs.

On the other hand, this can be somewhat intimidating, because ASTRO File Manager, theoretically, has the ability to access secret and private functions.

But there have been no complaints from users about this yet.

By the way, if we talk about ASTRO File Manager reviews, users most often highlight the following advantages of this file manager:

Simplicity and clarity of all functions. People write that you don’t need to spend hours figuring out this file manager, as happens with some of the above-mentioned explorers.
No freezes or glitches. Moreover, this is true even for inexpensive Chinese analogues of European mobile products.
The program allows you to create installation files, that is, .apk, from already installed programs, which can then be easily transferred and installed on another device.
User-friendly interface.

As for the latter, it’s worth stopping here and talking in more detail.

Interface

The appearance of ASTRO File Manager itself looks as shown in Figure No. 7.

As you can see, the program has a menu that displays all files and folders, as well as installed programs.

Each of these items can be launched, checked, deleted, copied and performed other standard functions with it.

There is a convenient option to organize files by name, size, creation time and extension. The interface is quite friendly and fits well into the average versions of Android.

ASTRO File Manager, to be honest, does not fit very well with the appearance of the latest versions of this operating system. But very few users notice this.

In principle, this file manager was created according to the best traditions of the industry for the production of conductors for mobile phones. Although, of course, it also has its drawbacks.

Flaws

The main disadvantages of ASTRO File Manager that users noticed and wrote about on Google Play and on the forums are the following:

The presence of advertising materials that often prevent you from viewing various files and folders normally;
Inconvenient photo viewing mode (although this can still be adjusted to individual user preferences);
There are quite a lot of crashes in certain phone models (no one can name an exact list of such models, for example, this is the Sony XPERIA M4);
Problems with copying files, often the program does not see some storage media;
Problems with moving files (quite a few comments on Google Play are devoted to this particular problem).

But it’s interesting that the developers of ASTRO File Manager sit on the same Google Play and read comments about their program.

They respond to most posts about problems, advise you to write to them by email, or simply write how to fix this or that problem.

They were also seen on some other sites. This is very rare to see these days. In general, ASTRO File Manager can only attract you with its friendly interface and simplicity.

But based on all the comments I've read, I can give one simple piece of advice.

Advice: Ifimmediately after launch it starts to crash, there are problems with copying and so on, it is better to delete it immediately and not try to fix the problems.

Results

So, above we looked at 6 file managers that are very popular among users from all over the world.

Of course, all of them have certain problems and shortcomings, but this does not prevent them from occupying very high positions in the “audience sympathy” ratings.

Which manager is the best?

The subtotals look like this:

In favor of ES File Explorer is the absence of advertising and payment for program services, as well as reliability, proven over the years.
X-plore File Manager is liked by many for its well-designed two-window mode. In principle, otherwise this is the most ordinary conductor.
Total Commander is intended only for experienced users; beginners may simply get confused by such a variety of functions. On the other hand, if you understand all this, Total Commander simply cannot be exchanged for anything else.
Solid Explorer contains all the most basic things you need to work with files. File Manager by
Cheetah Mobile will appeal to those who want everything sorted and structured. Otherwise, this is also an ordinary conductor.
Finally, ASTRO File Manager also boasts a friendly interface, beautiful design and the ability to create installation files (other managers also have this, but here it is much better developed).

And the result of all this is this: most often users mentioned ES File Explorer in their comments. And the main reason for its continued popularity over the years is its reliability.

This program crashes very rarely.

Therefore, today the yellow jersey of the leader goes to ES File Explorer. Although, if you have time to understand the functionality, try Total Commander.

If everything works out, you definitely won’t exchange it for something else!

Some more information on our today's winners can be found in the video below. There is also the opinion of one of the users about which one is better.

Choosing the best file manager

The best file manager for Android: TOP 6 programs

Android's built-in file management tools are good, but they still lack a few very valuable features. For example, root rights or a built-in archiver. You can solve this problem by installing a third-party file manager. How to choose the best file manager for Android? Recommendations below.

#10 – Amaze File Manager

The ranking of the best file managers opens with Amaze File Manager. This application can be called an ideal lightweight client for managing user files. Amaze File Manager has a clear design, customizable design and Root Explorer.

Amaze File Manager is equipped with all the necessary functionality for quickly deleting applications, navigating folders and synchronizing with Google+. The file manager interface is entirely in Russian, supported Android versions are 4.0 and higher.

Conclusion: a lightweight and functional client with a complete absence of advertising. Ideal for novice users.

#9 - MK Explorer

The design of MK Explorer is made in the Material style, a trend that most software developers are now following. The design of the file manager is as simple as possible; you can master all its functionality in just a few minutes. Inside the application, control is carried out mainly by swipes, which is very convenient.

MK Explorer is a very versatile client; it can act as an archiver, grant superuser rights to access hidden sections of the smartphone, and edit text using the built-in lightweight text editor. For easy access to frequently used files, you can use bookmarks.

Conclusion: MK Explorer is very versatile and simple; mastering the basic principles of the application will not be difficult even for novice users.

#8 - Astro File Manager

This file manager is interesting primarily because of the ability to synchronize with data from external devices. To connect to shared local network resources, just download the ASTRO SMB Module add-on, and the ASTRO Bluetooth Module allows you to conveniently manage the transfer and reception of files via Bluetooth.

Astro File Manager can also quickly synchronize with cloud storage; the user will be prompted to complete the synchronization procedure immediately upon launching the application. The only drawback of this file manager is the abundance of advertising, which can only be removed by purchasing a paid version of the application.

Conclusion: an excellent solution if you need constant access to files on a local network or cloud storage. We recommend that you immediately purchase a paid subscription to get rid of annoying advertising.

#7 - Cheetah File Manager

Until recently, File Manager from Cheetah Mobile had rather limited functionality, which was not much different from the standard pre-installed file manager. Now Cheetah has added the ability to synchronize with cloud data storage. The application can also unpack zipped files and add frequently used programs to the Quick Launch panel.

This client differs from other file managers primarily in its convenient system for sorting data on a memory card. It allows you to customize sorting not only by date or name, but also by individual preferences. Another plus is that File Manager is completely ad-free.

Conclusion: a fast and convenient file manager for all occasions. It is distributed absolutely free of charge, and the interface is completely free of advertising.

#6 – MiXplorer

MiXplorer is a must have for any user who wants to be able to edit hidden settings of smartphone system files. Don't have enough rights to access these same files? No problem, the list of user permissions can be changed directly in the MiXplorer window.

In addition, MiXplorer has several preset content display styles. Each of them can be customized individually in the application settings. MiXplorer also does not require a USB connection to transfer files to a computer. All you need is a connection to a local Wi-Fi network, no wires.

Conclusion: excellent choice if you need installationroot rights or fine-tuning system files.

#5 - X-Plore

The key feature of X-Plore, which distinguishes this application from other similar file managers, is the ability to work in dual-window mode. Now you don’t need to collapse individual folders or go to the task menu, just drag a file from one corner of the screen to another. There is a clear system of file thumbnails; each extension is indicated by a separate icon type.

X-Plore can also open .apk files in archiver mode, which allows you to edit individual libraries of such an application. The file manager has an intuitive interface and simple swipe controls. Work with cloud storages is supported.

Conclusion: X-Plore has the ability to provide multitasking, which is so lacking in modern file managers.

#4 - Root Explorer

As the name suggests, Root Explorer by default grants root rights to the user to access hidden folders on the device. The application has a built-in SQLite database viewer. The properties of each file in the internal storage have a very detailed description. Here you can see the creation date, version, size and MD5 amount.

Root Explorer works well with older smartphones whose RAM does not allow running many applications at the same time. The file manager consumes device resources very economically, even when archiving a large file or synchronizing with cloud storage.

Conclusion: a simple and economical client with minimal RAM consumptionphone. An ideal choice if you are very limited in smartphone resources.

#3 - Total Commander

Total Commander is a true classic, familiar to almost every user of old PCs. The program was one of the first convenient file managers, so it is not surprising that the developers decided to implement similar functionality on mobile devices. Just like in the good old days, Total Commander for Android is designed more for advanced users than for beginners. This is hinted at by the abundance of icons in the interface and perhaps the largest number of options in the settings.

The mobile version of Total Commander does not contain any advertising; the client is distributed absolutely free through the Play Market. The file manager is equipped with a built-in text editor, root rights, two-window mode and a lot of other useful options. The program interface is completely translated into Russian.

Conclusion: The best choice for those who want complete control over all aspects of their smartphone's file system. The only small drawback is that novice users will have to understand a little about all the capabilities of the application.

#2 - ES File Explorer

ES File Explorer ranks first in popularity in the Play Store. The file manager has earned such great recognition because it is one of the first of its kind on the Android platform. Naturally, since its creation, ES File Explorer has changed many times, both externally and functionally.

So, the latest version of the client supports: working with cloud file storage (Google Drive, Dropbox), archiving applications, quickly editing texts using the internal editor and changing themes. The program is distributed absolutely free of charge, there is no advertising inside.

Conclusion: one of the oldest and best file managers. It is distinguished by high speed and pleasant interface design.

#1 - Solid Explorer

Today's top is headed by Solid Explorer - a paid file manager for Android. Do not rush to put this application aside just because of this; for only 69 rubles Solid Explorer can offer much more than other representatives of this rating.

The first thing you should buy Solid Explorer for is its interface. The file manager has perhaps the most beautiful and intuitive interface among all similar applications. Solid Explorer is also the fastest in our synthetic tests.

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