When we say ‘Windows Explorer’, we’re not talking about Microsoft’s internet browser. Instead, we’re talking about the program you use to view files and folders within Windows.
While Windows Explorer does a fairly good job of managing our programs and files, it’s far from perfect. Sometimes, it can be slow. Other times, it can crash. And sometimes, it might just display a weird error message when you try to perform a basic task.
Many people aren’t even aware that alternatives to Windows Explorer exist. But they do exist. And they’re an ideal way to speed up your computer’s performance while minimizing its downtime.
Without further ado, here are the best Windows Explorer alternatives available on the market today – including the features that make them unique and easy to love:
Search Everything
If you’re looking for a minimalistic interface, Search Everything is a good place to start. Search Everything is little more than a blank Explorer window with a search feature. As the name suggests, users can type anything into the search bar in order to instantly scan through the list of files below.
The search feature – and the explorer itself – is surprisingly fast. Once you give Search Everything an opportunity to build its first database (which it does the first time you use the search bar), you’ll find that finding the files you need has never been easier.
The only problem with Search Everything is the fact that it doesn’t have advanced search commands. So if you need to narrow down your list of files, then you can only do that by typing text into the search bar. But that doesn’t distract from the fact that Search Everything is a fantastic alternative to Windows Explorer.
To download Search Everything for any version of Windows, click here.
UltraSearch
UltraSearch has the instant searching capabilities found in Search Everything, but it also goes a little further by adding advanced search functionality. The interface looks like a cross between default Windows Explorer and Search Everything. It’s not as minimalistic as Search Everything, but it still looks clean and tidy enough.
UltraSearch also provides percentage breakdowns of hard drive space. So if you need to instantly see how much space is remaining on your hard drive, UltraSearch displays that information in the bottom of the screen.
Locate32
Locate32 is less of an ‘Explorer’ tool and more of a search application. Locate32 creates a database of all the files on your computer (this takes a few minutes) before giving users access to a simple, easy-to-use menu. This menu allows visitors to search information based on name extensions, folder location, date, size, and more.
Copernic Desktop Search
Finally, we arrive at Copernic Desktop Search, which is the most unique Explorer alternative on our list. Unlike the other Explorer alternatives listed here, which use boring colors and simplistic designs, Copernic throws dozens of options at users along with a slightly different looking color scheme.
Copernic makes it easy to find the files and folders you need, and it can also categorize files based on what they’re used for, including:
-Music
-Emails
-Pictures
-Contacts
-Favorites
-Etc.
As you add new files to your computer, Copernic will also index them automatically, which means finding files is a breeze both today and in the future. If you want to choose a unique looking Explorer alternative that comes with more features and functionality than all of the other options listed here, then Copernic will do the trick. But if you’d rather have a simplified design and instant usability, Copernic may not be your best option.
Of course, if none of the interfaces above look appealing to you, then there’s nothing wrong with default Windows Explorer. After all, if you’ve used Explorer since Windows 95, then it might be a good idea to stick with what you know.
