Alt Commander

Needless to say that there’s a lot of file management involved when using the computer for work, and even leisure activities. File Explorer is the default tool to handle all management needs, but there are other, more powerful alternatives like Alt Commander which come equipped with extended functions, and better navigation.

The first impression might not make a strong point, but the simplicity of the main window is only to help you accommodate faster, with a lot of functions to be accessed from the upper toolbar. Most space is used for navigation, with two panes letting you stay active in two separate directories at once.

You’re free to navigate anywhere you need to, with quick link buttons to drives, optical disks, and network places. Unfortunately, there’s no address field to write down the path, and it can be a bit tricky and time-consuming to jump from folder to folder. On the other hand, writing down the name of the next directory to jump in filters the whole list in real time.

There’s no context menu attached to functions, with the right-click used to mark files and get them ready for operations. What’s more, these can be quickly triggered either through hotkeys, or via the toolbar buttons. It’s possible to view, edit, copy, move, create a new folder, rename, or delete.

In case the navigation style is giving you a hard time, you can always add items to the favorite list, and easily access them from the dedicated menu. Applications can be added to a quick launch menu. There are some additional tools you can take advantage of, such as packing in an archive, converting pictures, or renaming multiple files at a time.

All things considered, we come to the conclusion that Alt Commander is a suitable alternative to the default File Explorer. The visual design is simple so you don’t feel overwhelmed, with two navigation panes, favorites manager, and quick launch menu for more comfort. It takes a bit of getting used to, but worth at least a try in the end.