It’s presented differently, but your Android smartphone is essentially a pocket computer crammed full of mysterious files, just like your PC or laptop. Thankfully, you can dig into your file structure and have a look around if you so desire. You may want to organize things or free up some space. Whatever your aim, one of the best file managers for Android will ensure the process is easy and painless.
Most Android phones come with some sort of file manager pre-installed, but they’re often very limited in terms of features and usability. If you’re looking for a bit more, then check out one of these alternatives.
Files by Google
After a makeover, Google’s Files Go app became Files by Google — and it’s our favorite file manager for Android. It has a clean look and it’s very easy to use, with three main functions: Clean, Browse, and Share, appearing as tabs along the bottom. You’ll get suggestions to delete files you no longer need, like junk files and backed-up photos. You can browse through the categories on your phone, search for files, rename them, back them up to the MicroSD card or the cloud, and more. There’s also a handy, secure tool for rapidly sharing files with people nearby that uses Wi-Fi Direct.
Asus File Manager
Here’s a free Android file manager with a wealth of features that enable you to find, move, delete, and share files on your smartphone. It can also access your MicroSD card, shared LAN files, and a range of different cloud storage accounts, allowing you to stream photos, music, or even videos. You’ll find compression and analyzer tools here as well, rounding out a decent package that will be more than enough for most people.
X-plore File Manager
This file manager is all substance and very little style, but it is absolutely packed with features. It supports dual-pane browsing, which makes moving files very easy, you can hook it up a number of cloud storage services, and it has built-in music and video players. It also allows for sharing via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, has a secure vault for sensitive files, and can offer full access to system data for rooted phones. You can even use X-plore to share folders of files across a LAN.
FX File Explorer ($3)
This file manager offers a similar laundry list of features including dual-view mode, configurable network access, cloud storage support, image viewer, media player, and more — but you will have to pay $3 for the FX+ license key to unlock all the features. We appreciate the commitment to no advertisements and no tracking of user activity. It has great sharing options, too, with an easy drag-and-drop function that allows you to share files through your computer’s web browser via Wi-Fi, or phone-to-phone with Wi-Fi Direct.
Solid Explorer ($2)
You can try this file manager out for free for two weeks before you have to pay, so it’s worth checking out. It also offers dual-window support, cloud service integration, root access, fast search, batch rename, remote access, built-in music player, image viewer, and a lot more. What sets it apart from some of the others on our list is the customization options, which go beyond picking colors to themes and icon sets.
