File Manager is a file manager program originally bundled with releases of OS/2 and Microsoft Windows between 1988 and 2000. It is a single-instance graphical interface, replacing the command-line interface of MS-DOS to manage files (copy, move, open, delete, search, etc.) and MS-DOS Executive file manager from previous Windows versions.
Although File Manager was included in Windows 95 and Windows NT 4.0 and some later versions, Windows Explorer was introduced and used as the primary file manager, with file management via a two-pane view different from that of File Manager, and a single-pane view obtained by clicking a "My Computer" icon.
File Manager was reintroduced on 6 April 2018 as an open-source project which improves some aspects of the program, including being offered as a native 64-bit application. It has been made as an optional download for all modern releases of Windows (including Windows 10 and later) via the Microsoft Store.
From the Wikipedia article “Windows File Manager”, CC BY-SA 4.0
What is Windows File Manager?
Windows File Manager by Microsoft Corporation is open-source Windows software in the system utilities category. It ranks 9th by popularity among system utilities in this catalogue. It is written in C. Besides Windows, it is available for Linux.
Installation and requirements
The publisher provides Portable installers for 64-bit, ARM64 and 32-bit Windows. It runs without installation (portable).
Updates and version history
The current version is 10.4.0.0, released on February 22, 2025. The version history goes back to April 6, 2018: 8 releases, all linked to the official files. That is about 1.2 releases a year. The last update is more than a year old. The source repository has been archived, so further updates are unlikely.
Popularity and file types
The Chocolatey package has been downloaded 6,092 times. The source code on GitHub (microsoft/winfile) has 7,057 stars. Wikipedia has an article about it in 17 of our languages. Similar programs include AutoHotkey, Bazel and osquery.
Project description on GitHub: “Original Windows File Manager (winfile) with enhancements”
Pros / Cons
Pros
- Open source: the code can be inspected and built by anyone
- Native ARM64 build for Windows on Arm
- Portable: runs without installation
- Also runs on Linux
- Large user base
Cons
- No update for more than a year
- Source repository archived
In short: Windows File Manager is an open-source system utilitie tool for 64-bit, ARM64 and 32-bit PCs. Updates have slowed down.
Screenshots
Is Windows File Manager 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:
5C7F9504FCE89CEB2D127529E4157869BEA7A5A0114FB400F49905E0203DD3BA· 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
Security practices (OpenSSF Scorecard)
Automated checks of the microsoft/winfile repository on GitHub by the Open Source Security Foundation, last run on October 19, 2026.
- Security policy10
- No binaries in the repository10
- Licence declared10
- Code review2
- Actively maintained0
- OpenSSF Best Practices badge0
- Fuzzing0
- Signed releases0
- Branch protection0
- Static code analysis0
The score rates how the project is developed and released, not whether the program is safe to install. scorecard.dev
Recent versions
All 8 versions ›8 versions over 7 years · about 1.2 a year
| Version | Date | Size | Files |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10.4.0.0Latest | February 22, 2025 | — | 32-bit ZIP64-bit ZIPARM64 ZIP |
| 10.3.0.0 | March 25, 2024 | — | 32-bit ZIP64-bit ZIPARM64 ZIP |
| 10.2.0.0 | December 9, 2022 | — | 32-bit ZIP64-bit ZIPARM64 ZIP |
| 10.1.4.0 | June 16, 2020 | — | 64-bit ZIP32-bit ZIP |
| 10.0.1901.1 | January 7, 2019 | — | 32-bit ZIP64-bit ZIP |
| 10.0.1806.1 | June 30, 2018 | — | 64-bit ZIP32-bit ZIP |
| 10.0.1805.1 | May 16, 2018 | 1.5 MB | 64-bit ZIP32-bit ZIP |
| 10.0.0.0 | April 6, 2018 | — | 32-bit ZIP |
Install from the command line
Silent install ›winget install --id Microsoft.winfile -echoco install winfile -yscoop install extras/winfileRelated guide: How to use winget: install and update apps
Also for other systems
flatpak install flathub com.expidusos.file_managerInformation
- Publisher
- Microsoft Corporation
- Category
- System utilities
- Licence
- MIT
- Price
- Free
- Source code
- github.com/microsoft/winfile
- Written in
- C
- Content rating
- 13+
- Requires
- Windows 11 / 10
- Architecture
- 64-bit, ARM64, 32-bit
- Installer
- Portable
- Other platforms
- Linux
- Version
- 10.4.0.0
- Released
- February 22, 2025
- Added to the catalogue
- March 30, 2021
- Versions listed
- 8
- Updates / year
- 1.2
- Chocolatey downloads
- 6,092
- GitHub stars
- 7,057
- GitHub forks
- 745
- Website
- github.com
- winget ID
- Microsoft.winfile
- Chocolatey package
- winfile
- Scoop package
- extras/winfile
Ratings and reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to rate it.
Alternatives to Windows File Manager
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Frequently asked questions
Is Windows File Manager free?
Yes. Windows File Manager is open-source software under the MIT licence.
Is Windows File Manager 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 Windows File Manager 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.
Does Windows File Manager run on ARM (Windows on Arm)?
Yes, there is a native ARM64 installer.
Where can I download an older version of Windows File Manager?
The versions page lists all 8 versions with links to their official installer files, back to April 6, 2018.
Can I use Windows File Manager without administrator rights?
Yes, it is portable: unpack and run it.
What are alternatives to Windows File Manager?
AutoHotkey, Bazel, osquery, LocalSend and Hydrus Network. The alternatives page compares them.
