I changed Files by Google with an uglier app, and I’m not returning

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Released Oct 8, 2026, 4:00 PM EDT

Tashreef’s fascination with customer innovation started in the school library when he came across a tech publication, CHIP, which eventually motivated him to pursue a degree in Computer Science. Because 2012, Tashreef has actually expertly authored over a thousand how-to short articles, adding to Windows Reportand How-To Geek.He presently focuses on Microsoft Windows material at MakeUseOf, which he has actually been utilizing given that 2007.

With hands-on experience structure sites and innovation blog sites, he brings useful designer insights to his technical writing. You can see his total work portfolio at itashreef.com.

You may likewise come across his brief how-to video explainers, streamlining complicated subjects. Beyond composing, Tashreef delights in producing brief explainer videos, video gaming, and checking out animated programs.

Files by Google works fantastic for standard file management, has a great UI, and is available in useful when you wish to do some clean-up and maximize storage. It does not let you make folder faster ways or move files from Drive to regional storage.

After attempting a number of popular file supervisors for Android, I decided on X-plore. This is not the best-looking app in regards to UI, however it beats all the beautiful ones in regards to functionality. From WiFi file sharing and integrated audiences to modifying ZIP files and conserving them back, X-plore has actually changed Google Files on my phone for great.

Dual-pane tree view

See both source and location without changing tabs

The very first thing you discover when you open X-plore is the dual-pane design. Your screen divides into 2 panels, each revealing a tree of folders you can broaden and collapse. If you have actually ever utilized Windows Explorer or those old DOS-era file supervisors like Norton Commander, this will feel familiar.

This design makes copying and moving files far less tiresome. Rather of browsing to a folder, choosing files, striking relocation, and after that searching for the location folder one tap at a time, you can see both the source and the location side by side. Select submits on one side, tap the target folder on the other, and struck copy or relocation. It sounds easy since it is, and it’s something most submit supervisors still do not use.

The tree view likewise assists when you’re attempting to find out what’s consuming your storage. You can broaden folders level by level and see precisely where things are buried, rather of using one folder after another and misplacing where you began.

Network and cloud gain access to

One app for your NAS, servers, and cloud drives

X-plore gathers every remote storage choice I appreciate into a single user interface. It supports SMB/LAN for accessing shared folders on my Windows PC, FTP for fast transfers, SFTP over SSH for safe and secure connections, DLNA for media servers, and WebDAV for self-hosted setups. If you utilize a NAS in the house, you’ll actually like what X-plore needs to use.

What’s more, you can include numerous accounts from the exact same cloud service. If you have, state, 3 Google Drive accounts for work, individual, and a shared one, they all reveal up

as different entries in the sidebar. Very same opts for Dropbox and OneDrive. A lot of file supervisors let you link one account per service, so this is a step-up if you deal with several cloud accounts. Supports WiFi file sharing and web server

Transfer files without touching a USB cable television

Credit: Tashreef Shareef/ MakeUseOf

Now Wi-Fi file sharing is the function that made me spend for the complete variation. Approved, it’s not the most pricey app in the world, however it constantly takes something unique for an app to make me pay. Turn Wi-Fi submit sharing on, and X-plore begins a little web server on your phone. It provides you a URL that you can open in any web browser on your computer system. From there, you can search your phone’s files, download them, or upload files to your phone, all through the web browser window.

I’ve just utilized Blip or LocalSend to move a big video or a batch of screenshots to my PC. With X-plore I can toggle the Wi-Fi sharing alternative, open the link on my laptop computer, and drag files in either instructions. It deals with any gadget linked to the very same network, whether that’s a Mac, a Chromebook, and even another phone.

The web user interface is bare-bones, however it does its task. You get a fundamental file listing, upload buttons, and folder navigation. You are not going to error it for a refined web app, however it works quickly and does not require any setup beyond tapping a button.

Integrated audiences

Open PDFs, videos, and databases without leaving the app

X-plore features its own audiences for PDFs, images, videos, music, and plain text files. That indicates you do not require to leap out of the file supervisor and into another app simply to examine the contents of a file. Tap a PDF, and it does not trouble you with selecting a devoted app, however opens it in its own audience. If you tap an image, you get a full-screen sneak peek.

There’s a SQLite database audience too.

If you’re into Android advancement or simply curious about how apps keep information, X-plore lets you open.db files and search their tables.

It’s a specific niche function, however it conserves you from setting up a different database web browser. There’s likewise a hex audience if you require to check raw file information.

You can set up X-plore to utilize its integrated audiences by default or hand off files to whatever system app you choose. I keep the integrated audiences for fast sneak peeks and just change to devoted apps when I require to modify something. It minimizes the variety of apps I require set up, so that’s a plus.

Advanced includes

Root-level gain access to and power tools most apps avoid

Credit: Tashreef Shareef/ MakeUseOf

X-plore can reach folders that the majority of file supervisors would not. After Android 11 locked down access to the Android/data directory site, a great deal of file supervisors lost the capability to search app information. X-plore uses much deeper gain access to, and if you have Shizuku established on your gadget, it can go even much deeper without requiring complete root gain access to.

For rooted users, X-plore has actually committed root functions that let you search and modify system files. Even without root, the power tools are strong. Disk Map offers you a visual breakdown of what’s utilizing your storage, sized by just how much area each folder takes.

There are checksums for validating file stability, a vault with genuine AES file encryption for delicate files, sync tasks for keeping folders mirrored in between areas, and an app supervisor that reveals APK signatures.

When use beats quite user interface

X-plore can be a little bothersome on the totally free variation. It reveals full-page advertisements when you initially open the app or while you’re browsing in between folders. It does not occur continuously, however it’s regular enough to break your circulation when you’re in the middle of moving files around. The contribute variation, which costs about $ 3 on the Play Store, eliminates those advertisements completely and opens premium functions like WiFi file sharing and SSH. For what you get, that’s a no-brainer.

Compared to FX File Explorer, X-plore gets much more regular updates, despite the fact that FX does make rising and coming down arranging a bit much easier. If you’ve been utilizing Total Commander, X-plore will feel simply as effective however more user-friendly, specifically the WiFi file sharing that Total Commander does not have. And if you matured utilizing Windows Explorer, the tree design will seem like getting back.

It’s not the most beautiful file supervisor on Android, once you’ve dealt with that dual-pane view and those network tools, returning to anything easier seems like a downgrade.

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