It's packed with unusual features that you didn't realize you needed, including the ability to select several files at once without the risk of accidentally de-selecting them by clicking elsewhere (Sticky Selecting), an option to quickly identify duplicate files, and color-coding so you can identify files and directories at a glance. Take your pick from either a ribbon-style interface or a more traditional menu bar. Of all the file managers we've tested, Xplorer² is the most modern looking. You can try both versions free for 30 days, then single PC Pro licenses start from around $60 / £60 / AUD$89.Īnother premium file manager, Xplorer² is available in two versions, a general use Professional edition and a more powerful Ultimate edition, and you can try either option free for 21 days. Its interface is customizable interface than that of its lower-priced counterpart, it offers integrated metadata editing, and it can save complex search terms as macros for future use. Both make managing your files far easier, but Pro is worth the extra outlay thanks the the ability to replace File Explorer – for everything, or just specific folders.ĭirectory Opus Pro isn't just a file manager, it also serves as an FTP client and file compression tool. There are two versions of Directory Opus, Light and Pro. There are various useful features, such as multi-pane opening and tabbed browsing, as well as quickly filter or sort your files and folders. It's extremely fast too, using multi-threading for faster processing and enabling you to queue and manage operations.

This is where Directory Opus really shines – pretty much every aspect of its operation can be tweaked and tuned to suit your needs. Like Total Commander, Directory Opus is as premium file manager – and it shows, and comes a very close second in this list. It has an attractive icon-led interface that's busier than Total Commander's, but can be pared down using the various customization options.

Windows file explorer