Files vs PowerToys
Which should you use? A side-by-side look at what each one does, who it suits, what it costs, how hard it is to set up, and where each falls short.
Open source · MIT
A modern Windows file manager for organizing files and folders.
Open source · MIT
A set of Windows utilities for customizing the desktop and speeding up everyday tasks.
The short answer
Choose Files if you need…
- Windows users who want a more modern alternative to File Explorer
- People who manage many folders and want a tabbed or organized browsing experience
- Developers interested in contributing to a WinUI or C# desktop app
- Beginners looking for an open-source, free file manager
Choose PowerToys if you need…
- Windows users who want more control over window layout and multi-monitor setups
- People who rename many files at once or want quick text transformations
- Power users who want keyboard remapping and a quick launcher
- Developers and designers who need a screen color picker or screen ruler
Side-by-side
| Files | PowerToys | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | App | App |
| Price | Free and open source | Free and open source |
| Licence | MIT | MIT |
| GitHub stars | 46.4k | 140k |
| Setup difficulty | Intermediate | Beginner |
| How you get it | Clone and build from source | Install with a package manager |
| Main language | C# | C |
| Last code update | 4 days ago | 4 days ago |
What each one is
Files
Files is an open-source file manager for Windows, built with C# and the WinUI framework and styled with Microsoft's Fluent design. It is meant to be a more modern replacement for the standard Windows file explorer, helping people browse and organize their files and folders. The project is MIT licensed and has a large community of users and contributors.
PowerToys
PowerToys is a free, open-source collection of over 30 small utilities for Windows, published by Microsoft. Each utility adds a specific capability, such as arranging windows into zones (FancyZones), batch renaming files (PowerRename), picking colors from the screen (Color Picker), or remapping keys (Keyboard Manager). People use it to customize Windows and save time on repetitive tasks.
Best for
Files
- Windows users who want a more modern alternative to File Explorer
- People who manage many folders and want a tabbed or organized browsing experience
- Developers interested in contributing to a WinUI or C# desktop app
- Beginners looking for an open-source, free file manager
PowerToys
- Windows users who want more control over window layout and multi-monitor setups
- People who rename many files at once or want quick text transformations
- Power users who want keyboard remapping and a quick launcher
- Developers and designers who need a screen color picker or screen ruler
Strengths
Files
- Open source under the MIT license, so the code can be inspected and reused
- Actively maintained, with a recent push date in the metadata
- Built on a widely used Microsoft UI framework and Fluent design language
PowerToys
- Free and open source under the MIT license
- Large set of utilities in one install, with documentation linked from the README
- Actively maintained, with a recent push and frequent releases
Not ideal for
Files
- Users on macOS or Linux, since the project is built for Windows (reason: its stack is WinUI and Windows-specific)
- People who need a stable, fully polished release, since the latest release listed has no downloadable binaries (reason: install path is unclear from the metadata)
PowerToys
- Users on macOS or Linux, since the README describes Windows utilities only
- People who want a minimal system with no extra tools installed, because it bundles many utilities that each run as separate features
- Users who need an official support contract, as the README points to community and documentation resources rather than a support guarantee
Trade-offs
Files
- The latest listed release has no binaries, so installing may require building from source
- Windows-only, so it does not help users on other operating systems
- The README was truncated here, so details on features and setup are limited
PowerToys
- Works only on Windows, as stated in the description and topics
- Many separate utilities mean you may need to enable only the ones you want
- The README is truncated here, so detailed system requirements are only available on the linked install docs
Getting started
Files
Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/files-community/FilesPowerToys
Install with WinGet (user scope, default)
winget install Microsoft.PowerToys -s wingetInstall with WinGet (machine-wide scope)
winget install --scope machine Microsoft.PowerToys -s wingetFrequently asked questions
What is the difference between Files and PowerToys?
Files: A modern Windows file manager for organizing files and folders. PowerToys: A set of Windows utilities for customizing the desktop and speeding up everyday tasks. Files suits windows users who want a more modern alternative to file explorer, while PowerToys suits windows users who want more control over window layout and multi-monitor setups.
Are Files and PowerToys free?
Files: Free and open source. PowerToys: Free and open source.
Which is easier to set up, Files or PowerToys?
PowerToys is easier to get started with (rated beginner); Files is rated intermediate and usually needs more setup.
Is Files or PowerToys more popular?
PowerToys has more GitHub stars (140k) than Files (46.4k). Popularity isn't the same as fit — check which one matches your use case above.
What are other alternatives to Files and PowerToys?
Other options people compare them with include DevToys, Calculator, UniGetUI, Notepads, Yazi.
Keep comparing
Built from our catalogue entries for both products: open-source details come from each project's README (AI-assisted, refreshed weekly) and GitHub data; AI-tool details are editorial. Spotted something wrong? Let us know from either product's page.