8 Best File Manager for Linux in 2024

Most Linux distributions come with a pre-installed file explorer that gives you a handful of file management features. But if you want a more feature-rich file manager with advanced customizable options, try using a third-party file manager.

Fortunately, there are many different file managers for Linux, each having its functionalities and benefits.

In this guide, we review several top-ranked file explorers available for Linux. Give it a read and choose the perfect manager for your Linux system.

Quick Overview of Best Linux File Managers

Here is a brief overview of several user-friendly file explorers for Linux in 2024.

1. Dolphin: A lightweight, efficient, and highly customizable file manager.

2. AirDroid Web: The best web-based Android file manager for Linux with a sleek interface.

3. Konqueror: A powerful file management program, built primarily for KDE systems.

4. Nemo: Comes with plugin support and dual pane-view support.

5. Nautilus: A default file manager for GNOME-powered distributions with many friendly management features.

6. Caja: A simple and easy-to-use file manager with plenty of basic functionalities.  

7. Krusader: An advanced file manager with mounted filesystem support and two split panels.  

8. Ranger: Another great Linux file manager that can automatically the specific program for a specific file type.

Review of the Best Linux File Managers

Let us take a look at the key features and downsides of all the Linux file managers in detail.

1. Dolphin

Best for: Quickly access the files on the hard drive, USB drives, and SD cards as well as perform basic editing functions.

Dolphin is the default file manager for the KDE Plasma Environment and is highly popular among both professional Linux users and newcomers. It features a friendly interface that allows great flexibility and customization options to the users.

Some of its key features include:

• Comes with a built-in terminal emulator from where you can run commands.
• Its navigation bar lets you browse through the local directory.
• Users can preview local and remote files easily.   
• Download additional plugins from its official website.
• Quick editing options like rename, share, move, duplicate, and compress files easily.
• A single click redo/undo options for quick working.

Cons

• No split view.
• As it is part of KDE Plasma, installing it on other machines is a lengthy procedure.  

2. AirDroid Web

Best for:  Access and manage all the files on your Android phone from a Linux machine. It also supports wireless file transfer across all platforms.

AirDroid Web allows you to directly view and manage all the Android files on your Linux system via its browser. It is well-known for its fast file searching capabilities to help you locate the desired content in Android internal memory and SD card easily. Users can perform a range of functions like move, copy, delete, rename, and so on.  

The best thing about AirDroid Web is its ease of use. Compared to other Linux file managers, it doesn't need any coding or commands for installation. Just install it on your Android and connect with AirDroid Web with a single click. This freedom in using AirDroid Web makes it the Linux file manager for Windows, Android, and other devices.

One of its key advantages is seamless file transfer across any device wirelessly. It connects your Linux with any PC or smartphone remotely and after that, sharing large files is at your fingertips.

Here are its key features:

• Access and manage Android files on your Linux.
• Move content and apps from Android internal memory to the SD card.
• Transfer files between your devices remotely.
• Manage Android SMS, calls, and notifications from the Linux system.
• Mirror Android on Linux to view its media on a big screen.

Cons

• Its free version offers limited features.

3. Konqueror

Best for: A great tool that fulfills your file managing and web browsing requirements.  

Konqueror Is always going to make it to the list of the best file managers in Linux. It uses the KDEWebkit and KHTML rendering engine to navigate through web pages. It offers a spectacular view of your directory in both sidebar and directory panels.

Key Features

• Built-in web browsing functionality
• Drag and drop support
• Integration with version control.
• Highly customizable
• Supports third-party plugins for accessing different files and embedded applications

Cons

• All web pages don't display properly.
• Supports limited HTML features.

4. Nemo

Best for: Preview and navigate through the files as well as launch applications associated with the files.

A feature-rich Linux GUI file manager that works seamlessly on both local and remote Linux filesystems. Nemo utilizes GNOME's Virtual filesystem (Gvfs) and GIO (Gnome Input/Output) to offer a sleek and clean interface to users.

Here are its notable features:

• Comes with many useful extensions like Nemofilenae-repairer, Nemo-emblems, and Nemo-image-converter.
• Integrated terminal for direct execution of the commands from the file manager.
• Guarantees support for Media Transfer Protocol (MTP) and File Transfer Protocol (FTP).
• Offers the bulk renaming option.

Cons

• Limited file opening features like "Show hidden files."
•  Shows compatibility issues with many programs.

5. Nautilus

Best for: A one-stop solution to manage and browse your files effortlessly.

Nautilus is the official file manager for the GNOME desktop environment. This Linux terminal file manager supports many different file types and allows you to drag files from your desktop to open them into the Nautilus window.

Because of its simple interface, it's often the first Linux graphical file manager that most beginners tend to use.

Here are its key features:

• Drag and drop functions.
• Search files by their names.
• Offers file compression and extraction capabilities.
• Run scripts and launch apps.

Cons

• Fewer configuration options.
• Copying and moving files takes time.

6. Caja

Best for: Newcomers to browse files stored on their Linux machines without any tech-savvy commands.

Caja is the default file manager for the MATE desktop environment that boasts a simple interface with many useful functionalities. If you're a new user, Caja might be the best file manager for Linux you're looking for to perform basic file browsing operations.

Some of its features include:

• Clean and simple GUI interface.
• Offers Split view.
• Launch applications directly from the file manager.
• Plenty of customizable options.  

Cons

• Doesn't have a lot of advanced file management features.

7. Krusader

Best for: An exceptionally efficient file manager with excellent drag-and-drop functionality.

Another top-ranked file manager Linux with an easy terminal integration feature for entering commands from any folder. Krusader offers advanced features like batch renaming, customizable file synchronization, and file content comparison options, view and edit capabilities, and an advanced search module.

Here are its main features:

• Handles both FTP and SFTP file transfer.
• View and edit file permissions easily.
• Supports all popular archive formats.
• Get additional plugins from the Krusader store.
• Gives multiple file synchronization options.

Cons

• The last update was in 2019.
• Shows bugs when working with multimedia files and images.

8. Ranger

Best for: A perfect console file manager for Vim users that can accomplish file management tasks with easy shortcuts.

If you're looking for an efficient Linux console file manager, consider trying Ranger. It has a nice curses interface with a sleek view of the directory hierarchy.  

Some of its key features include:

• Free and open-source Linux explorer.
• Easily open PDFs, torrents, and other file types.
• Numerous keystrokes to complete file management tasks quickly.

Cons

• Users complain of stuck/freezing issues when applying commands.

Factors We Considered for Choosing the Best File Explorers for Linux

Most people rely on file managers to traverse through file systems and browse content on their devices. Almost all Linux file managers perform these basic tasks and also have some additional features for individual requirements.

To select the best Linux file managers for our readers, we have taken into account the below factors:  

1. Interface

The list includes both GUI file managers and terminal file managers.

2. Desktop Compatibility

The file explorers we shortlisted are compatible with almost all types of Linux machines including GNOME or KDE.

3. Drag and drop

Any file manager offering drag-and-drop support is handy for users who prefer a mouse-based experience.

4. Additional Functionality

Most of these file managers possess advanced features like File Transfer Protocol (FTP) or Secure File Transfer Protocol (SFTP).

5. Easily Customizable

Users can adjust the settings or interface according to their specific work needs.

6. Customer Support

These Linux file managers come with efficient support resources including online help and how-to tutorials.

7. Quick Integration with Different Versions

For developers who want to access platforms like GitHub or GitLab, these file managers offer easy integration with version control from within the file manager.

Final Remarks

And that's all about our presentation of the top Linux file manager tools in 2024. Depending on your requirements and preferences, shortlist your favorite tool. You can also give a try to all these file managers a before selecting one or two as Linux is all about having freedom.

Moreover, we talked about AirDroid Web as the most ideal solution to view and manage Android files on your Linux machine. It offers functions like file transfer, remote file management, and screen mirroring, among others.

FAQs

1. What features do Linux file managers have?

Almost all Linux file managers allow basic file and folder management operations. Some additional functionalities that might vary from tool to tool include:

• Execute commands from within the directory.
• Support multiple tabs and views.
• Rename multiple files at once.
• Drag-and-drop function.
• File transfer with FTP and SFTP
• Read and write data.
• Run scripts and redo and undo features.
• Plugin support

2. What terminals are compatible with Linux file managers?

There are dedicated Linux terminal file managers that allow access to a terminal within the folder you're working. Generally, most file managers require users to type the program name for launching in the Linux terminal.