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Managing files and folders is an essential skill for any computer user. Whether you are running Windows, Linux or macOS, knowing where to find your files and how to do simple tasks such as copying or moving them is an essential skill.
If you are a Windows user, then you most likely use the File Explorer app to manage your files. But if you are not satisfied with the way it works or its features, there are many alternative file managers that you can use. In this article, we will be discussing the muCommander file manger app for Windows, macOS and Linux.
muCommander is free to use and comes in an installable and portable version that doesn’t require you to install anything on your computer. You simply download the zip file, extract it and run the executable file. Both versions have the same features.
Once you open muCommander, you will see that it has a dual pane view like you would see in an FTP program such as WinSCP. If you have used the Double Commander file manager, you will notice that it looks very similar. You can even drag and drop files and folders between the two panes to copy or move them.
Just like File Explorer, muCommander lets you open multiple tabs to different folders so you can have easy access to all the directories you are working in. You can have individual tabs open within each pane.
At the top of the app you will find various text menus that you can use to perform a variety of tasks such as opening a new tab, marking (highlighting) files of a specific type, changing views and so on. There are also several icons in the toolbar that you can use for common tasks such as folder navigation, swapping folders between panes, zipping files and showing the selected file or folder in File Explorer.
At the bottom of the window, there are shortcuts for common tasks such as view, edit, copy, move, make directory, delete and refresh. It also shows the corresponding F key you can use to perform the task. Some of these options will not be active until you highlight a file or folder.
There are many unique features that come with muCommander and we will be going over some of the more useful ones and then you can try the software yourself to see if it will be a good fit for your needs.
Batch Rename
If you have a file or multiple files that you want to rename at the same time, you can select them in muCommander and then change the names as needed using the tool. There is even a search and replace feature.
File Split and Combine
If you have a very large file that you want to split into multiple files, you can choose how many parts you want to split it up in and also where to put it. Then you can combine the parts back into a single file if needed.
Change File and Folder Dates
Many times, when you copy or move a folder from a different drive, it will change the date to the current date. So, if you want to change the specific date and\or time for a file or folder, you can easily do so.
Compare Folders
If you have two folders that have similar contents, you can use the Compare Folders tool to see which files are the same and which are different. You will need to have each folder open in one of the panes to do so. Any file that are not in both folders will be marked in red.
Bookmarks
If you have certain folders that you go to on a regular basis, you can add them to your bookmarks just like you can do with your web browser. This is similar to the Quick Access feature of File Explorer.
Search Functionality
muCommander has a nice search feature where you do things such as use search strings, search within archives and also set a file size limit for the results.
Toggle Terminal Feature
Many times, you will need to open a command prompt to a specific folder. Rather than navigate to that folder using the Windows command prompt, you can simply click on the Toggle Terminal button and it will open a terminal window focused on the folder you are in.
Connect to Cloud Storage
As you can see, muCommander has a lot of features that File Explorer does not. You do not need to use muCommander as a replacement for File Explorer but rather in addition to it to enhance your file management tasks.
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