Can you recommend any good, free file browsers for Android?
from odeliarei@sh.itjust.works to privacy@lemmy.ml on 11 Jan 17:32
https://sh.itjust.works/post/53231228

#privacy

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14th_cylon@lemmy.zip on 11 Jan 17:43 next collapse

i use f-droid.org/en/packages/org.fossify.filemanager/

Valarie@lemmygrad.ml on 11 Jan 17:45 next collapse

+1 for fossify

kumi@feddit.online on 12 Jan 00:39 next collapse

I haven’t dug into them deeper but Fossify have what seems to be decent basic options for all of the base Android apps: Phone, SMS, keyboard, camera, etc.

Just replacing all the stock apps with the Fossify suite looks like it could be an easy privacy win for someone stuck on a device with locked bootloader and dodgy stock apps from vendor or Google.

TheJnx@piefed.social on 16 Jan 05:12 collapse

Very basic compared to Material Files

JeromeVancouver@lemmy.ca on 11 Jan 17:47 next collapse

I use Cx File explorer. Pretty sure I never paid for it. Let’s me reach Windows shares as well as browse files on my phone

JohnnyCanuck@lemmy.ca on 11 Jan 18:36 collapse

The full version was offered for free at one point. That’s how I got it. I’ve never been sure how safe it is from a privacy standpoint.

It does a lot, but can’t create uncompressed zip files. I discovered this recently when I was changing phones and wanted to grab a bunch of uncompressable stuff from my secure folder. Solid Explorer can but isn’t free.

I have Material Files installed (recently) but haven’t played with it yet.

JeromeVancouver@lemmy.ca on 11 Jan 19:39 collapse

That makes sense. I also have no idea from a privacy stand point, I saw the sub after commenting

cdzero@lemmy.ml on 13 Jan 21:08 collapse

CX does have a Google tracker in it.

hperrin@lemmy.ca on 11 Jan 18:00 next collapse

I like OwlFiles. I use it for the WebDAV support. It’s free, but has a paid version with more features, so it’s not 100% free.

RmDebArc_5@feddit.org on 11 Jan 18:00 next collapse

I use f-droid.org/packages/me.zhanghai.android.files/. Looks good and does all I need it to

schnurrito@discuss.tchncs.de on 11 Jan 18:02 next collapse

I use this f-droid.org/packages/com.ghostsq.commander

Zerush@lemmy.ml on 11 Jan 18:28 next collapse

Vivaldi, with which you can sync with it’s desktop version. Inbuild ad/trackerblocker (editable) in both.

nkk@programming.dev on 11 Jan 20:06 collapse

Not a file browser and not very good for privacy either.

defrostedLasagna4921@piefed.zip on 11 Jan 18:36 next collapse

I use Prism File Explorer. It’s more advanced, has built in viewers for various file types, and lets you browse the root directory without rooting your phone.

RodgeGrabTheCat@sh.itjust.works on 11 Jan 18:53 next collapse

I’ve been using ghost commander for years. f-droid.org/packages/com.ghostsq.commander/

GreyCat@lemmy.world on 11 Jan 18:54 next collapse

Material Files because of its general design and the quick access to bookmarks and other things in its sidebar accessible through a simple swipe.

kylian0087@lemmy.dbzer0.com on 11 Jan 18:59 next collapse

Plus one for this. It also works with things like ftp sftp WebDAV smb etc.

diemartin@sh.itjust.works on 11 Jan 19:44 collapse

And its awareness of SAF. I use it on my tablet to access for example Termux home directory. Doesn’t work with Google Drive for some reason tho

Honse@lemmy.dbzer0.com on 11 Jan 19:46 collapse

It also works with rooted devices to access root files, if that’s something you care about.

Goretantath@lemmy.world on 11 Jan 18:55 next collapse

Been using Total Commander. Haven’t heard anything bad about it yet.

thenetnetofthenet@lemmy.ml on 13 Jan 18:00 collapse

+1 for Total Commander and the optional add ons you can install to support what you need - don’t need SFTP? Don’t install that add on

NarrativeBear@lemmy.world on 11 Jan 19:30 next collapse

  • Material Files
  • Fossify File Manager
  • FX File Explorer
BorisBoreUs@lemmy.world on 11 Jan 20:00 collapse

FX File Explorer, seconded.

Tiritibambix@lemmy.ml on 11 Jan 20:42 next collapse

Wait. Nobody mentioned the extraordinary MiXplorer ?!?!

I don’t know why it is not more popular, it just does EVERYTHING.

Don’t forget to donate to the dev if you use and like it :)

lukecooperatus@lemmy.ml on 11 Jan 21:03 collapse

Thanks for sharing, but I imagine it doesn’t get mentioned as much here because from a privacy perspective, that app seems kinds shady.

No source code available as far as I can tell, no builds available from a reputable source like F-Droid (just unvetted APK downloads from someone’s Google Drive), no apparent issue tracker beyond a confusing and seemingly outdated network of thread links from 2016 on a forum.

Tiritibambix@lemmy.ml on 11 Jan 21:41 next collapse

That’s fair, you’re absolutely right. I probably like it enough that I never had the courage to go through all 2,453 pages of the XDA thread :) Running it through Exodus showed a clean result, so I likely trusted it a bit too quickly. It still feels miles better to me than most proprietary apps on the Play Store, but clearly less easy to trust than the open source apps mentioned above.

Thrawn@lemmy.dbzer0.com on 12 Jan 04:56 collapse

Yea it is a case of found it years ago and worked so incredibly well I haven’t had the slightest interest in using anything else.

user224@lemmy.sdf.org on 11 Jan 22:12 next collapse

For quick graphical management I use FX File Explorer because it keeps the timestamps when moving files.

For something more I use… Termux. I like to sort things based on timestamps as well, but often I like to set some custom modification time, or copy modification time of a file being replaced (e.g. replacing old 128kbps MP3 for FLAC), and I don’t know of any other way than touch.
Similarly I don’t know what else to use for syncing directories other than rsync.
Plus, I can run SSH in Termux, that means Rsync-ing between PC and my phone is pretty easy.
And it also means I can mount the phone over SSHFS (granted KDE Connect already takes care of this).
I can also use GPG for encryption and decryption of files.
And Vim works fine for me for text editing too.
And now since I already have that, say I want to access some files on any computer. It probably has a browser, and Termux has NGINX, coupled with FancyIndex it gets pretty nice for file access. I like the Material theme.

Now, a bit of a disclaimer: BE CAREFUL WHAT ADDRESSES THE PHONE IS LISTENING ON
I set them manually rather than the typical default of all interfaces. Unfortunately, Android seems to have no firewall. I can easily reach things on my phone connected to mobile data thanks to IPv6. This may or may not be desired. Oh, and NAT isn’t for security either, so don’t think you’re safe because you only use IPv4. Perhaps devices behind same NAT aren’t isolated.

Edit: Example of the WebUI with Material theme (sorted by date because I was able to set the file timestamps):
<img alt="" src="https://files.catbox.moe/9kxrnu.png">

AstroLightz@lemmy.world on 12 Jan 00:53 next collapse

Material Files for me. It feels like KDE’s Dolphin if it had an android port.

YiddishMcSquidish@lemmy.today on 12 Jan 02:29 next collapse

I use 7 zipper as my defacto file manager.

Ui leaves something to be desired, but it’s fairly robust considering that is not what it was originally intended for.

softwarist@programming.dev on 12 Jan 02:38 next collapse

It’s perhaps not as featureful as others mentioned but if you like Rclone then Round Sync is a solid option.

MonkderVierte@lemmy.zip on 13 Jan 12:55 next collapse

Material Files.

HoleSailor@feddit.org on 13 Jan 17:22 next collapse

Ghost Commander