File Pilot outperforms Windows File Explorer with advanced features the native tool lacks

At a glance:

• File Pilot adds tabs, multi‑pane layout, folder‑size view, and layout saving – features missing from Windows File Explorer.
• The tool is only about 2 MB, highly customizable, and offers a keyboard‑driven workflow with a command palette.
• It outperforms Explorer in speed and flexibility, but remains in beta and may carry a future price tag.

Why Windows Explorer falls short

Windows 11’s File Explorer had a tumultuous launch but is slowly trying to mend its ways. The biggest change was introducing tabs and offering support for archive formats, along with some improvements to the details pane. Yet it still isn’t the snappiest, configurable File Explorer I want it to be. It still doesn’t have an option to display folder size, adjust the appearance, save layouts, and feels like an old car with flashy new paint.

Microsoft finally saw merit in introducing some new features, like a tabbed interface, which is very common in other file managers. Tabs are a great way to open and isolate multiple folder locations that you currently need. However, File Pilot goes a step beyond the usual tabbed interface.

File Pilot’s feature set

File Pilot is an excellent alternative that supports extensive customization, uses very little storage space, and feels more responsive. You can open as many tabs as you like and can also split the window into a multi‑pane view, and arrange it in horizontal and vertical layouts. So, you can have multiple tabs open in a split mode and don’t need to switch between tabs. It’s great for comparing files, moving files from one to another, and I wish File Explorer had this feature.

File Pilot doesn’t just stop here. You can save the layout, which makes it easy to open your most‑frequent folder locations in one click. It’s possible even to name the layout to avoid confusion. The tool can even remember the last open tabs and manage sessions. Windows File Explorer can relaunch the last open tabs and locations to some extent, but it’s not as powerful as File Pilot.

You can also view the folder size, which is one of the biggest pain points of Windows File Explorer. I don’t need to hover over a folder icon and wait for a few seconds to check its storage size or open the Properties window. File Pilot shows all files and folder sizes by default, and it’s convenient to identify big folders.

File Pilot is only about 2 MB and overpowers File Explorer in most areas. The file search responses are snappy and don’t take a long time to load, and I rarely encountered any glaring glitches in the tool. Fast navigation and search are the cornerstone of any file manager app, and File Pilot excels at it. You can use it in standalone mode as a portable app or install it and add it to the system PATH.

Keyboard‑driven workflow

Unlike File Explorer, File Pilot promotes a keyboard‑driven workflow. It means that you can get most of the things done without moving the mouse or clicking and navigating nested menus. File Pilot has a floating command bar just like Command Palette. The bar appears when you press the shortcut, and it becomes easy to search and find settings and options.

You can also define the shortcuts that appear when opening the command bar. It’s also possible to map shortcuts via the bar, and once I learned the most useful ones, clicking the mouse became a choice for the most common actions. File Explorer doesn’t go beyond the simple file shortcuts, and there’s no option to enable and manage a keyboard‑driven workflow.

Customization options

File Explorer is rigid in design and doesn’t support a lot of UI tweaks. It’s possible to hide or show some panes, but that’s about it. You cannot change the theme (aside from simply following the system light or dark themes), adjust font styles, or manipulate panels.

File Pilot supports extensive customization options, and I can change most of these elements without resorting to system‑wide changes. I don’t like the default File Explorer fonts, and File Pilot gives me the control to swap them for any other one. I can even change the font size and style of the preview pane (Inspector) in File Pilot, which is helpful when I need to preview documents. There are options to control the default theme, toggle animations for better performance, adjust the space between elements in the UI, and define click actions. File Pilot can even show inactive panels and apply alternate row colors.

File Pilot opens the full context menu by default, and it saves me the effort to expand the context menu as I do in File Explorer. All the useful options are visible, and I don’t need to allow Windows to decide which options to show in the context menu. There’s a slider to adjust the file icon display size rather than using the scroll wheel. While searching for an item, I can use filters to switch between folder and file search, and can even save the filter for that pane.

Performance and footprint

Another thing to note about File Pilot is that it’s a mere 2 MB tool that overpowers File Explorer in most areas. The file search responses are snappy and don’t take a long time to load, and I rarely encountered any glaring glitches in the tool. Fast navigation and search are the cornerstone of any file manager app, and File Pilot excels at it.

It’s still in its beta stage with plans to launch at a steep price, but the current version works well on my system. Its lightweight nature comes from the fact that it doesn’t clutter the UI with ads and suggestions like File Explorer. There are no Copilot suggestions, OneDrive banners, or Microsoft 365 promotions in the tool, and it’s bliss.

Final thoughts

File Pilot is a great example of what a powerful, well‑thought‑out file manager can be. I like the multi‑panel interface that opens different locations inside the same window. The ability to manage layouts, save configurations, and use the command palette makes it miles better than File Explorer and other programs. Its interface is completely customizable, and you’ll not find such freedom to adjust things in most tools. I agree that the keyboard‑driven approach might sound intimidating at first, but when you start using it, you’ll notice the difference in productivity.

File Pilot is still in beta, but it already delivers on most of the pain points that Windows File Explorer leaves behind. If you’re a power user who needs a lightweight, feature‑rich alternative, it’s worth giving it a try.