As internal storage gets bigger and Android supports more formats, managing files on your Android device is a critical task for any user. Touchscreens impose some limits, but file managers have not only adapted, they have also polished their most positive aspects. Today we present five solid, easy-to-use, and totally free alternatives.
The idea of managing files on a phone the same way we do on a computer would have been real madness ten years ago. After all, the concept of the smartphone hadn't fully developed. Generally, what we did was sync the content of our devices (including Palms and other personal assistants) and make all relevant modifications with the mouse and keyboard combo, but now we have entire gigabytes in our pockets, represented through high-resolution images, 1080p videos, documents downloaded from the cloud, and of course, apps. File management on mobile devices is here to stay, and in the case of Android, you just need to find the right tool. Here are our five suggestions:
ES File Explorer
You can download it from Google Play.
Our first choice is the most obvious, at least according to user opinion. ES File Explorer has over 300 million downloads, and that's no coincidence. Remote administration, built-in viewers, support for compressing and decompressing ZIP or RAR files, transfer via WiFi, Bluetooth or FTP, content analysis on SD cards, and a cache cleaner are more than enough reasons to make ES File Explorer the number one in the market.
FX File Explorer
You can download it from Google Play.
Not as popular as ES File Explorer, but no less powerful, FX File Explorer is a great alternative, especially for those looking for a modern aesthetic inspired by the Material Design that Google uses in its latest versions of Android. Text editing, a hexadecimal viewer (does anyone need that?), and NFC / WiFi Direct support (via its add-on) are part of its interesting repertoire.
Total Commander
You can download it from Google Play.
That's right: the famous file manager for Windows also has a compatible edition for Android. For logical reasons, this build of Total Commander does not adopt the orthodox format of its older brother, but its list of features is equally impressive. Total Commander places a certain emphasis on support for rooted devices, and offers accessibility options, a detail not seen very often in apps. It is updated frequently, and unlike its desktop version, it is freeware.
AirDroid
You can download it from Google Play.
Although much better known for its wireless transfer features, AirDroid is a brilliant resource when it comes to managing files. Accessing the smartphone's content with the help of a traditional browser provides much superior convenience, thanks to a larger workspace, well-defined categories, and detailed reports on the files stored on the device.
Astro File Manager
You can download it from Google Play.
Technically there is nothing preventing the use of Astro File Manager on a smartphone, and in fact its developer recommends it without problems, but tablet users might notice a special attention to this manager. Its features put it on par with ES File Explorer and other direct rivals. It provides support for more than a dozen languages (including Spanish), and if I'm not mistaken, it was updated less than 72 hours ago.
It's hard to place one above the rest when they are all so good. Personally, I lean toward AirDroid because of the time I've accumulated using it, but it would be extremely unfair of me to ignore everything the other managers can do. Do you have another one to add to the list? Comments are open. Good luck!
