Mini Explorer

When it comes to user interfaces, many developers tend to provide as many visible options as possible, in an attempt to make the layout easier to navigate for those with mouse-focused workflows. However, in the process, some space that would otherwise be used for the core functionality needs to be sacrificed, and Windows’ File Explorer is no exception to this scenario, which is where a neat utility known as Mini Explorer comes into play to regain some of the lost space for your convenience.

Once downloaded, double-clicking the program’s executable greets users to a compact window with a minimalist design showcasing the desktops’ files, folders and shortcuts on a dark background meant to go easy on your eyes during nighttime computing sessions. Being based on Windows’ original File Explorer, the app supports the operating system’s legacy right-click context menu that lets users create new items, rename existing ones or sort them according to their preferences, thus providing a simpler interface without sacrificing on too many features in the process.

As such, while the default view method is in the quintessential tile format, one can switch to any of the original ones, including the detailed style for displaying more information regarding each file when having to differentiate between multiple copies of a text document, for instance. Where the app shines most, however, is in its lack of a top-placed address bar or tree-style view, providing users with a clean layout that ultimately fits more files and folders in a resizable window.

While the app works well for what it was designed for, some improvements can be implemented in order to augment the user experience, such as the inclusion of maximize and minimize buttons on its title bar in order to let you make use of Windows 11’s snap layouts focused on making the most of the available screen space. Finally, in order to access any other folder apart from the desktop one, users must place a shortcut to their desired directory on the desktop and click it, which may become an inconvenience for some.

Whether you have a 13-inch laptop as the core of your mobile workstation, and you wish to make the most of its screen real estate, or you simply have no use for Windows Explorer’s top toolbar section, Mini Explorer may be the right tool for you, given its portable form factor, lightweight memory footprint and compact layout designed to let you focus on the essentials.