Now that Microsoft has officially launched Windows 11, some early adopters find the operating system’s new File Explorer a bit lacking. It’s still missing highly-requested features, such as a column view, and some of its assets are reused from previous versions of Windows. The solution? A free, third-party add-on called Files v2.
Files v2 is the latest version of a popular Windows add-on, and it works on both Windows 11 and Windows 10. Along with new icons and customizable themes, the Files v2 software unlocks a ton of handy features for your File Explorer. There’s a cool columns view (my favorite feature), quick grouping and tagging tools, and even a Compact Overlay setting that keeps File windows from disappearing behind active applications. Oh, and FTP support!
We are excited to announce that Files v2 has reached general availability! Check out the blog post to find out what’s new 🎉🎉https://t.co/ZqhMz2aG0j#FilesV2 #Windows11 pic.twitter.com/ms8iL1EpEu
— Files (@FilesForWindows) October 4, 2021
All of Files v2’s new features are listed in a blog post by developer Yair Aichenbaum. Of course, the features listed here are just the tip of the iceberg—like previous versions of Files, the Files v2 add-on supports tabs, lets you preview files, and even integrates with cloud services like Google One.
You can download Files v2 for free from the Microsoft Store. It works on Windows 11 and Windows 10 systems. For detailed information, visit the Files community or take a look at the Files GitHub.
