QuickExplorer - Guide

Getting Started

1. Launch the app — you land on the File Browser with your home directory in view.
2. Navigate folders by tapping or clicking items in the file list. Use the breadcrumb bar at the top to jump back to any parent directory.
3. Open the sidebar to access tools: Cloud Storage, Diff & Merge, Split & Merge, Archive, Disk Usage, Search, Batch Rename, and Backup.
4. Add a cloud account from the Cloud Storage section to browse remote files alongside local ones.
5. Bookmark folders by adding them to the Library panel for quick access later.

Interface Overview

Sidebar

The collapsible sidebar provides quick access to all major tools and sections:

• File Browser — the primary file navigation view
• Library — bookmarked folders, recent locations, and tagged files
• Cloud Storage — manage and browse connected cloud accounts
• Diff & Merge — compare and merge files or folders
• Split & Merge — split large files or reassemble parts
• Archive — create, extract, and browse compressed archives
• Disk Usage — analyze storage consumption
• Search — find files by name, type, size, date, or content
• Batch Rename — rename multiple files using patterns
• Backup — create and manage file backups
• Settings / Help — at the bottom of the sidebar

File Browser

The central workspace displays:

• A breadcrumb bar at the top showing the current path — click any segment to jump back
• The file list with columns for name, size, date modified, and type
• A toolbar with actions: new folder, copy, move, delete, rename, sort, and view mode
• A preview panel (toggleable) on the right for quick file previews
• A status bar at the bottom showing item count and selection info

Library Panel

The Library gives you instant access to your most important locations:

• Bookmarks — pinned folders you access frequently
• Recent — recently visited directories, auto-populated
• Tags — custom color-coded labels assigned to files and folders

File Browser

Navigation

• Single-click a folder to open it. Single-click a file to select it.
• Double-click a file to open it with the system default application.
• Use the breadcrumb bar to navigate to parent directories. Click any path segment to jump directly.
• Press Backspace to go up one directory level.
• Type in the path bar to navigate directly to a specific location.

View Modes

• List View — detailed rows with name, size, date, and type columns. Sortable by any column.
• Grid View — thumbnail tiles for visual browsing. Great for image folders.
• Column View — hierarchical column layout inspired by Finder. Each column shows the contents of the selected item.

File Operations

• Copy / Move / Delete — select files, then use toolbar buttons or keyboard shortcuts
• New Folder — create a new directory in the current location
• Rename — press F2 or use the context menu to rename a selected item
• Properties — view detailed file metadata including size, permissions, and timestamps

Dual-Pane Mode

Enable dual-pane mode from the toolbar to display two file browsers side by side. This is ideal for copying or moving files between locations. Each pane has its own breadcrumb bar and navigation history.

Cloud Storage

Connect to your cloud accounts and browse remote files as if they were local.

Adding a Cloud Account

1. Open Cloud Storage from the sidebar.
2. Tap Add Account and select your provider.
3. For Google Drive, OneDrive, or Dropbox: sign in through the OAuth flow in your browser.
4. For WebDAV, SFTP, or SMB: enter the server address, port, username, and password.
5. Once connected, the account appears in the sidebar under Cloud Storage.

Working with Cloud Files

• Browse cloud files just like local files in the file browser.
• Copy or move files between local and cloud storage using dual-pane mode or drag-and-drop.
• Upload files by dragging them from a local pane into a cloud pane.
• Download files by copying them from a cloud pane to a local pane.

Diff & Merge

Compare two files or folders side by side with syntax-highlighted differences.

File Comparison

1. Open Diff & Merge from the sidebar.
2. Select the left file and right file using the file pickers or drag-and-drop.
3. The diff view highlights added, removed, and changed lines with distinct colors.
4. Scroll through differences using the navigation arrows or the diff minimap on the right edge.

Folder Comparison

• Select two folders to compare their contents. Files are matched by name and path.
• The result shows files that are identical, modified, added, or missing on each side.
• Double-click any modified file to open a detailed file diff.

Merging

• In file diff view, use the arrow buttons between the panes to copy changes from one side to the other.
• Edit either side directly in the merge editor to make manual adjustments.
• Save the merged result to a new file or overwrite one of the originals.

Split & Merge

Break large files into smaller parts for transfer or storage, then reassemble them when needed.

Splitting a File

1. Open Split & Merge from the sidebar.
2. Select Split mode and choose the source file.
3. Set the chunk size (e.g., 10 MB, 100 MB, or a custom value).
4. Choose the output directory for the split parts.
5. Tap Start to begin. The app creates numbered part files with a checksum file for verification.

Merging Parts

1. Select Merge mode and choose the first part file or the checksum file.
2. The app automatically detects all related parts in the same directory.
3. Choose the output location and tap Start to reassemble.
4. The checksum is verified automatically after merging to ensure data integrity.

Archive Handling

Create, extract, and browse compressed archives in multiple formats.

Supported Formats

• ZIP — universal archive format, widely compatible
• TAR — tape archive, commonly used on Unix/Linux systems
• GZ (gzip) — single-file compression, often combined with TAR
• BZ2 (bzip2) — higher compression ratio than gzip
• 7Z — excellent compression ratio with the 7-Zip format

Creating an Archive

1. Select files or folders in the file browser.
2. Right-click and choose Compress, or use the Archive tool from the sidebar.
3. Choose the archive format and compression level.
4. Optionally set a password for encrypted archives (ZIP and 7Z).
5. Tap Create to generate the archive.

Extracting an Archive

• Double-click an archive file to browse its contents without extracting.
• Select files inside the archive and choose Extract Selected to extract specific items.
• Use Extract All to decompress the entire archive to a chosen directory.

File Search

Find files anywhere on your system or connected cloud storage with powerful search filters.

Search Filters

• Name — search by filename with wildcard support (e.g., *.pdf, report*)
• Extension — filter by file type (e.g., .jpg, .docx)
• Size — find files larger or smaller than a specified size
• Date — filter by creation date, modification date, or access date
• Content — search inside text files for specific strings or patterns

Using Search

1. Open Search from the sidebar or press Ctrl + F.
2. Enter your search term and select the scope (current folder, entire drive, or cloud account).
3. Add filters to narrow down results.
4. Results appear in real time as the search progresses.
5. Click any result to navigate to its location in the file browser.

Backup

Protect your important files with flexible backup options.

Creating a Backup

1. Open Backup from the sidebar.
2. Select the source folders you want to back up.
3. Choose a destination — local drive, external drive, or cloud storage.
4. Select the backup mode: Full (copies everything) or Incremental (copies only changed files).
5. Tap Start Backup to begin.

Scheduled Backups

• Set up automatic backups on a schedule: daily, weekly, or monthly.
• Configure exclusion rules to skip specific file types, folders, or patterns.
• View backup history and restore individual files or entire snapshots.

Restoring from Backup

• Open the backup history and select a snapshot date.
• Browse the backed-up files and select what to restore.
• Choose to restore to the original location or a new directory.

Settings

General

• Default View Mode — choose between List, Grid, or Column view on startup
• Show Hidden Files — toggle visibility of dotfiles and system files
• Confirm Before Delete — require confirmation before moving files to trash

Cloud Accounts

• Manage connected cloud storage accounts
• Re-authenticate or remove existing connections
• Set per-account download/upload limits

Toolbar

Customize which quick-action buttons appear in the top toolbar. Add, remove, or reorder actions to match your workflow.

Backup

• Configure default backup destination and schedule
• Set global exclusion patterns for backups
• Manage backup retention policy

Appearance

• Theme — Light and Dark modes with Vivid and Chic variants
• Font Size — adjust text size throughout the app
• Accent Color — customize the highlight color

Accessibility

• Large Touch Targets — increase button sizes for easier interaction
• High Contrast Controls — bolder visual indicators
• Reduced Motion — minimize animations throughout the app

Keyboard Shortcuts

Tips & Tricks

Troubleshooting

Privacy

• QuickExplorer does not require an account or sign-in for local file management.
• No usage data, analytics, or telemetry is collected.
• Cloud credentials are stored securely on your device and never sent to third parties.
• No files are uploaded, shared, or accessed without your explicit action.
• SFTP and SMB connections use encrypted protocols. WebDAV connections use HTTPS.
• The app works fully offline for local file operations. Internet is only needed for cloud features.