The update train just keeps on rolling for Files, the energetic third-party file manager trying to give good ol’ File Explorer a run for its money—and you have to admire the sheer audacity of it. While Microsoft cautiously adds new ribbons and context menus to File Explorer like one nervously seasoning soup, Files unapologetically dives in with features that Microsoft users have been screaming for across a decade’s worth of feedback hubs. Now, with version 3.9.7, Files isn’t content to rest on its laurels—or its tabs, preview panes, or delightful customization—no, it’s here to add polish, tweak, and subtly wave in the direction of Redmond: “Hey, look what a hobbyist can do.”
This latest update, announced with the quiet confidence of a chef presenting an amuse-bouche, brings a mix of practical improvements and those niche delights that only reveal their genius after you’ve used them thrice. If you've ever glared at nonsensical file size units or cursed a corrupted ZIP extracted with the wrong encoding, this one’s for you.
The changes and fixes aren’t mammoth, but sometimes it's the small, well-placed tiles that complete the mosaic. And let's be honest: at this point, the File Explorer status quo has made “small but mighty” look positively revolutionary.
Is it possible to feel heard and informed by a file manager? Files certainly tries. Microsoft, may I suggest you borrow this approach before forcing another Bing pop-up onto everyone?
Sidebar blankness: vanquished. Existential dread: still working on it.
Not for the faint of heart—or the “I’ll just use defaults” crowd.
Because, let’s face it, IT folks can argue about 1,024 vs. 1,000 like it’s the meaning of life.
In a perfect world, this feature would be as standard as Ctrl+C, Ctrl+V. Until then, Files is out here flying the compatibility flag.
This is the kind of little modern touch that makes you question why the default Windows archiver still clings to the late 1990s.
Let’s do a lightning round of features File Explorer fans pine for and Files users enjoy:
Files is a breath of modern air. Features like customizable units and encoding detection are more than nerdy baubles—they genuinely help prevent costly mistakes, like unzipping massive log archives only to find they’re unreadable, or miscalculating storage quotas by trusting a less precise size display.
And for anybody managing fleets of devices, or fanatically organizing terabytes of assets, the ability to tweak, preview, and filter right in the manager saves time, reduces mistakes, and—most importantly—cuts down on workplace profanity.
Yet, it’s not all sunshine. Third-party tools bring with them the usual risks: inconsistent support, unpredictable update cycles, and the ever-present specter of “What if it stops being developed?” Microsoft’s own offerings might be staler, but their continuity is undeniable.
Also, convincing end-users to abandon something as iconic as File Explorer is never trivial. “It’s better, I promise!” is powerful, right up until that unfamiliar interface triggers a mild office panic.
The strength is clear: You get features before Microsoft even acknowledges them, a slicker interface, and the feeling of being part of a living, breathing app. For Windows professionals who remember the dark days of “now with Live Tiles!”—it’s exuberantly re-energizing.
But with innovation comes chaos. Rapid releases mean occasional regressions or bugs slide through. If you’re running the update on 500 endpoints, that’s less “fresh” and more “terrifying.” Files is robust, but not always enterprise-grade in support or documentation—something IT departments need to put into the risk register before going all-in.
It’s complicated. Microsoft’s built-in File Explorer is a cornerstone technology: monumentally backward-compatible, laced with legacy hooks, and expected to be the same from Windows NT to next year’s cloud-desktop. Making radical changes here isn’t just a matter of coding, it’s moving tectonic plates.
Files, unburdened by this legacy, can chase modern UI fads, adopt open standards (hello, UTF-8), or add features without wrangling three decades of shell extensions. But don’t be surprised if File Explorer eventually gets these ideas—just at the pace of glacial drift.
If you administer enterprise machines and your users call IT when the background changes, you might proceed with more caution—though Files does offer enough settings to keep even the most creatively destructive user hemmed in.
Adventurous sysadmins can at least use it for themselves—a day with some of these features, and you might start regarding File Explorer as that well-meaning relative who still writes checks at the grocery store.
Plus, you’re supporting a dev who builds out of love for the platform. In an era of $100 subscription bloatware, eight bucks is the price of a large latte—without having to spell your name in whipped cream on the cup.
IT professionals, power users, and anyone feeling let down by the glacial pace of Windows interface improvements should give Files a whirl. In a digital landscape where the default option so rarely innovates quickly, Files is a breath of fresh, hexadecimal-scented air. Just remember: with great customization comes great responsibility—and, occasionally, a broken file association or two.
Still, if File Explorer is the “safe” choice, Files is the rebel with a cause. And sometimes, a little rebellion is what keeps Windows interesting. So, next time your coworker’s ranting about needing tabs or preview panes, just lean in and ask: “Still using File Explorer?”
Source: Windows Central Still using File Explorer? I prefer this alternative, and it just got an upgrade.
The Files 3.9.7 Update: Small Polish, Big Impact
This latest update, announced with the quiet confidence of a chef presenting an amuse-bouche, brings a mix of practical improvements and those niche delights that only reveal their genius after you’ve used them thrice. If you've ever glared at nonsensical file size units or cursed a corrupted ZIP extracted with the wrong encoding, this one’s for you.The changes and fixes aren’t mammoth, but sometimes it's the small, well-placed tiles that complete the mosaic. And let's be honest: at this point, the File Explorer status quo has made “small but mighty” look positively revolutionary.
What’s Actually New? Let’s Unpack (and Preview and Tag...)
Files v3.9.7 arrives with a few updates that shout “quality of life!” but politely. Among them:Refined Release Notes Experience
No more peering into obscure dialogs and promptly forgetting what was fixed. Now, release notes get their own special tab, making transparency less of a scavenger hunt. It pops up automatically post-update with all the news and improvements.Is it possible to feel heard and informed by a file manager? Files certainly tries. Microsoft, may I suggest you borrow this approach before forcing another Bing pop-up onto everyone?
Placeholder Content for an Empty Sidebar
Let’s be honest, we all have that one friend who removes every sidebar feature and then wonders where life’s meaning went. Now, instead of existential emptiness, Files gently fills the sidebar with context clues and helpful placeholder content.Sidebar blankness: vanquished. Existential dread: still working on it.
Settings Context Menu (For the Power-Obsessed)
For those IT professionals who immediately comb through JSON files just to change a window pixel by 1, rejoice! Right-clicking the settings button lets you open the raw settings JSON directly. You are now a Settings Wizard, with no more click-mazes required.Not for the faint of heart—or the “I’ll just use defaults” crowd.
Customizable Size Formats
Some measure in bytes, others in elephants. Whichever your preference, Files now lets you customize how file size units are displayed, found handily in the Files & folders settings page. Petabytes, gigabytes, mebibytes? The power is yours.Because, let’s face it, IT folks can argue about 1,024 vs. 1,000 like it’s the meaning of life.
Automatic Encoding Detection for ZIP Files
Files now auto-detects encoding when extracting ZIPs. Ever tried to unzip a Japanese-named folder on a Western install and ended up with hieroglyphics? No more. If you’re a control freak, you can still override the encoding manually.In a perfect world, this feature would be as standard as Ctrl+C, Ctrl+V. Until then, Files is out here flying the compatibility flag.
Default UTF-8 for ZIP Creation
When creating ZIP archives, Files now defaults to UTF-8 encoding, promoting inter-system harmony. So whether your recipients are using Linux, macOS, or their Windows box on the other side of the planet—contents display as intended.This is the kind of little modern touch that makes you question why the default Windows archiver still clings to the late 1990s.
Features that Beat File Explorer at Its Own Game
Over the years, Files has methodically closed the feature gap and then (with ironic glee) leapt far ahead. Tabs? Had ‘em long before Microsoft decided they were no longer “experimental.” Column view, customizable interface, diverse file previews—you get the sense that Files isn’t just trying to be an alternative, but a blueprint.Let’s do a lightning round of features File Explorer fans pine for and Files users enjoy:
- Tabs: Yes, real tabbed browsing, as if it were already 2020.
- Column View: Perfect for those who like to live life like it’s macOS Finder—column by column, drill-down style.
- Tagging and Sorting: Want to tag your tax files “procrastination” and your photos “questionable”? Go for it.
- File Preview: See what’s actually in that cryptically named PDF before opening it.
- Unabashed Customization: Colors, layouts, the aforementioned file size units—design it your way or break it your way.
- Filtering, Grouping, Search: Microsoft is still posting “Coming Soon” banners for some of these.
Real-World Implications for IT Professionals: Why Should You Care?
For IT admins and power users, there’s a constant tension between stability and capability. File Explorer, with all its calcification, is the Mr. Rogers sweater of Windows—comforting, timeless, but maybe not ideal for powerlifting your documents.Files is a breath of modern air. Features like customizable units and encoding detection are more than nerdy baubles—they genuinely help prevent costly mistakes, like unzipping massive log archives only to find they’re unreadable, or miscalculating storage quotas by trusting a less precise size display.
And for anybody managing fleets of devices, or fanatically organizing terabytes of assets, the ability to tweak, preview, and filter right in the manager saves time, reduces mistakes, and—most importantly—cuts down on workplace profanity.
Yet, it’s not all sunshine. Third-party tools bring with them the usual risks: inconsistent support, unpredictable update cycles, and the ever-present specter of “What if it stops being developed?” Microsoft’s own offerings might be staler, but their continuity is undeniable.
Also, convincing end-users to abandon something as iconic as File Explorer is never trivial. “It’s better, I promise!” is powerful, right up until that unfamiliar interface triggers a mild office panic.
Hidden Risks and Notable Strengths: What the PR Doesn’t Say
Let’s give credit where it’s due. Third-party developers like Yair (Files’s endlessly inventive creator) aren’t shackled by enterprise inertia, so their software endeavors feel lively and—dare I say—ambitious. That means new features come fast, innovation happens in real-time, and you’re often surprised in pleasant ways.The strength is clear: You get features before Microsoft even acknowledges them, a slicker interface, and the feeling of being part of a living, breathing app. For Windows professionals who remember the dark days of “now with Live Tiles!”—it’s exuberantly re-energizing.
But with innovation comes chaos. Rapid releases mean occasional regressions or bugs slide through. If you’re running the update on 500 endpoints, that’s less “fresh” and more “terrifying.” Files is robust, but not always enterprise-grade in support or documentation—something IT departments need to put into the risk register before going all-in.
Why Microsoft Can’t—or Won’t—Just Steal These Features
If File Explorer is a majestic old oak, then Files is a zippy seedling that grows where it pleases. So, why doesn’t Microsoft just, well, clone the good stuff?It’s complicated. Microsoft’s built-in File Explorer is a cornerstone technology: monumentally backward-compatible, laced with legacy hooks, and expected to be the same from Windows NT to next year’s cloud-desktop. Making radical changes here isn’t just a matter of coding, it’s moving tectonic plates.
Files, unburdened by this legacy, can chase modern UI fads, adopt open standards (hello, UTF-8), or add features without wrangling three decades of shell extensions. But don’t be surprised if File Explorer eventually gets these ideas—just at the pace of glacial drift.
Who Should Try Files?
Power users, digital neat freaks, and anyone dealing with non-English ZIP files should give Files a spin. If you love the feeling of freshly-cut grass and hate cobwebs, Files’s interface will delight you.If you administer enterprise machines and your users call IT when the background changes, you might proceed with more caution—though Files does offer enough settings to keep even the most creatively destructive user hemmed in.
Adventurous sysadmins can at least use it for themselves—a day with some of these features, and you might start regarding File Explorer as that well-meaning relative who still writes checks at the grocery store.
The Subtle Joy of Modern Shareware
Files is available on the Microsoft Store for $8.99. That may come as a shock to anyone raised on the “free as in beer, or at least as in system utilities” ethos, but consider what you’re getting: a vigorously maintained, joyfully modern app that feels like it cares about you, the user, in a way the built-in Explorer can’t.Plus, you’re supporting a dev who builds out of love for the platform. In an era of $100 subscription bloatware, eight bucks is the price of a large latte—without having to spell your name in whipped cream on the cup.
Files vs File Explorer: Is It a Knockout?
For now, Files isn’t going to unseat File Explorer for every scenario. There’s still a gap in deep shell integration, certain edge-case compatibility, and the sheer inertia of Windows history. But for those who want more now rather than later—or features that may never arrive natively—Files offers a robust, modern, and occasionally charming supplement (or even replacement).IT professionals, power users, and anyone feeling let down by the glacial pace of Windows interface improvements should give Files a whirl. In a digital landscape where the default option so rarely innovates quickly, Files is a breath of fresh, hexadecimal-scented air. Just remember: with great customization comes great responsibility—and, occasionally, a broken file association or two.
Still, if File Explorer is the “safe” choice, Files is the rebel with a cause. And sometimes, a little rebellion is what keeps Windows interesting. So, next time your coworker’s ranting about needing tabs or preview panes, just lean in and ask: “Still using File Explorer?”
Source: Windows Central Still using File Explorer? I prefer this alternative, and it just got an upgrade.
