Explorer for Mac

macOS · File manager

The Windows Explorer feel, right on your Mac.

Explorer for Mac is a native macOS file manager built for people coming from Windows. Stop fighting Finder — browse and manage files with the exact structure your hands already know.

  • Cut, copy, paste, and F2 rename — your Windows shortcuts just work
  • Undo and Redo for renames, moves, deletes, and copies — ⌘Z to take it back, ⌘⇧Z or ⌘Y to redo
  • Multiple tabs and Favorites — plus an editable address bar with history and drag-and-drop
  • Folder sizes right in the Details view — visible at a glance, sortable like any column
  • File safety first — Trash by default, clear errors, never a silent failure
  • Fully offline · zero telemetry
Free download

Version 1.1.8 · macOS 14 Sonoma or later · Apple Silicon & Intel

Explorer for Mac app icon
Explorer for Mac main window showing the folder tree, tabs, address bar, Details view, and preview pane

Right-click, like you're used to

Cut, copy, duplicate, and rename — plus Copy Path and Open in Terminal. The context menu works the way your muscle memory expects.

Explorer for Mac context menu with Cut, Copy, Duplicate, Rename, Copy Path, and Open in Terminal

How to install

1

Download

Grab the DMG with the download button above and open it.

2

Drag to Applications

Drag the Explorer icon into the Applications folder — that's the whole install.

3

Allow folder access

On first launch, macOS asks for access to Desktop, Documents, and Downloads. It's the standard permission for browsing files; change it anytime in System Settings ▸ Privacy & Security.

When the DMG opens, drag Explorer onto the Applications folder.

Privacy. Explorer for Mac works fully offline and never collects or transmits anything — no file names, no paths, no usage data. The app is notarized by Apple. Found a problem? Use Help ▸ Report a Bug inside the app, or write to support@yjlab.io.

Release notes

1.1.8 2026-06-17

  • Tidier Trash context menu. Inside the Trash, the right-click menu no longer offers Duplicate (which would clone a file back into the Trash) or Add to Favorites (pinning something you’re about to delete).
  • Rename sits above the delete verb in the context menu, so the safe action is above the destructive one.

1.1.7 2026-06-17

  • The Trash offers “Delete Immediately” instead of “Move to Trash”. Inside the Trash, “Move to Trash” was meaningless for already-trashed items. The menu now reads “Delete Immediately…” and permanently removes the selected items, with the usual confirmation.

1.1.6 2026-06-17

  • No more repeated “access other apps’ data” prompt. Browsing your home folder — or the whole disk at “Macintosh HD” — no longer pops the macOS prompt on every launch. Folder-size measurement never walks into ~/Library or the Trash, even while measuring a parent like /.
  • ~/Library and the Trash show “—” for size by default. They aren’t measured (to avoid that prompt). Grant Explorer Full Disk Access and they measure like any other folder.
  • Trash permission message points to the right place. Opening the Trash without access now sends you to Full Disk Access, not “Files & Folders” (which has no toggle for it).
  • “Calculating size…” indicator. The status bar shows a blinking indicator on the right while folder sizes compute in the background — it stays visible as you move around.

1.1.5 2026-06-15

  • No dead context menu on Home/Gallery. Right-clicking the Home or Gallery row no longer shows an all-greyed-out menu — it shows no menu at all.
  • Sort and View buttons disable on Home/Gallery. They don’t apply to those views, so they now appear disabled instead of looking active but doing nothing.

1.1.4 2026-06-15

  • Friendlier installer. The DMG opens to a laid-out install window — app on the left, arrow, Applications on the right.
  • Gallery context menu matches the file list, with the same image-relevant verbs (Open, Show in Finder, Copy, Duplicate, Rename, Share, Get Info…).
  • Undo in the Gallery. Rename, Move to Trash, and Duplicate are undoable (⌘Z) and redoable, and the grid refreshes immediately.
  • Home tiles have a context menu and follow the double-click convention (single click selects, double-click opens). Opening a bundle from Home launches it.
  • Fixes: image preview EXIF alignment, and empty folders no longer stay stuck on “Loading…”.

1.1.3 2026-06-15

  • macOS bundles now behave like files. Packages such as .app, .photoslibrary, and .lrlibrary sort with files, open/launch on double-click, and show their recursive size — matching Finder. Right-click for “Show Package Contents” to step inside.
  • Sidebar navigation after entering a package. A stale pin highlight could swallow the next click; it’s now cleared so a click always navigates.

1.1.2 2026-06-14

  • Folder-tree navigation options (“Expand to open folder”, “Show all folders”) and a deep-reveal fix.

1.1.1 2026-06-13

  • Fixed repeated Documents/Desktop/Downloads permission prompts (kqueue → FSEvents) and icon-view drag-into-subfolder.

1.1.0 2026-06-12

  • Undo/redo for file operations, plus paste/clipboard polish.