A collection of utilities bringing back classic features to Windows.
Publisher’s description
What is Open-Shell?
Open-Shell by The Open-Shell Team is open-source Windows software in the file managers & search category. It ranks 3rd by popularity among file managers & search in this catalogue. It is written in C++.
Installation and requirements
The publisher provides EXE installers for 64-bit and 32-bit Windows. Installation asks for administrator rights. A silent install is possible with the installer’s documented switches.
Updates and version history
The current version is 4.4.198, released on May 12, 2026. The version history goes back to September 29, 2018: 11 releases, all linked to the official files. That is about 1.4 releases a year.
Popularity and file types
The Chocolatey package has been downloaded 861,199 times. The source code on GitHub (Open-Shell/Open-Shell-Menu) has 9,422 stars. Similar programs include Elasticsearch, Double Commander and Files - Stable.
Project description on GitHub: “Classic Shell Reborn.”
Pros / Cons
Pros
- Open source: the code can be inspected and built by anyone
- Documented silent install
- Large user base
Cons
- No native ARM64 build
- Installation needs administrator rights
In short: Open-Shell is an open-source file managers & search tool for 64-bit and 32-bit PCs. Administrators can deploy it unattended.
Is Open-Shell safe to download?
- The file is served by github.com, the publisher’s own domain
- The download link uses HTTPS
- A SHA256 hash is published, so you can verify the file:
A4D2D4459DE55B5E962BA2A14F7BB794170511649138173DFA72949837B48C3F· Open the VirusTotal report for this hash - The link has not been checked yet
- The source code is public
- ExeAtlas does not host, wrap or modify installers
Related guide: How to check a file’s SHA256 hash on Windows
Recent versions
All 11 versions ›11 versions over 8 years · about 1.4 a year
| Version | Date | Size | Files |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4.4.198Latest | May 12, 2026 | — | 64-bit EXE32-bit EXE |
| 4.4.196 | May 8, 2025 | — | 32-bit EXE64-bit EXE |
| 4.4.195 | January 4, 2025 | — | 64-bit EXE32-bit EXE |
| 4.4.194 | December 4, 2024 | — | 32-bit EXE64-bit EXE |
| 4.4.191 | August 16, 2023 | — | 32-bit EXE64-bit EXE |
| 4.4.190 | July 24, 2023 | — | 64-bit EXE |
| 4.4.170 | May 27, 2022 | — | 32-bit EXE |
| 4.4.160 | May 29, 2021 | — | 32-bit EXE |
Install from the command line
Silent install ›winget install --id Open-Shell.Open-Shell-Menu -echoco install open-shell -yOpenShellSetup_4_4_198.exe /quiet /norestartRelated guide: How to use winget: install and update apps
Information
- Publisher
- The Open-Shell Team
- Category
- File managers & search
- Licence
- MIT
- Price
- Free
- Source code
- github.com/Open-Shell/Open-Shell-Menu
- Written in
- C++
- Requires
- Windows 11 / 10
- Architecture
- 64-bit, 32-bit
- Installer
- EXE
- Version
- 4.4.198
- Released
- May 12, 2026
- Added to the catalogue
- March 30, 2021
- Versions listed
- 11
- Updates / year
- 1.4
- Chocolatey downloads
- 861,199
- GitHub stars
- 9,422
- GitHub forks
- 534
- Website
- open-shell.github.io
- winget ID
- Open-Shell.Open-Shell-Menu
- Chocolatey package
- open-shell
Ratings and reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to rate it.
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Frequently asked questions
Is Open-Shell free?
Yes. Open-Shell is open-source software under the MIT licence.
Is Open-Shell safe to download?
The download comes from github.com, which belongs to the publisher; ExeAtlas does not host or change the file. Compare its SHA256 hash with the one shown here, or open the VirusTotal report for that hash.
How do I install Open-Shell with winget?
Open PowerShell or Windows Terminal and run the winget command shown on this page. winget downloads the official installer and checks its SHA256 hash before running it.
Can Open-Shell be installed silently?
Yes. The silent install page lists the exact command for each installer.
Does Open-Shell run on ARM (Windows on Arm)?
There is no ARM64 build; Windows 11 on Arm can run the 64-bit and 32-bit version through emulation.
Where can I download an older version of Open-Shell?
The versions page lists all 11 versions with links to their official installer files, back to September 29, 2018.
What are alternatives to Open-Shell?
Elasticsearch, Double Commander, Files - Stable, Total Commander and Service Bus Explorer. The alternatives page compares them.
