Last Updated on March 13, 2026
Files (formerly known as Marlin) is a file browser designed for elementary OS.
The smart pathbar makes it easy to browse with breadcrumbs, search, or path completion.
Quickly navigate with the column view and enjoy browser-class tabs with smart features like tab history.
It is loosely a fork of GNOME Files.
This is free and open source software.
Key Features
- Simple but modern graphical user interface.
- Titlebar acts as toolbar.
- Thumbnails, list, and compact view modes. Support for local and remote thumbnails.
- Zoom with keyboard support.
- Basic navigation, address bar, single-click to open, go back/forward.
- Basic file manipulation, including copy/paste, delete, make new folder.
- Color folders.
- Multitabbing.
- Left panel displays Home, Partitions, and Network groups of locations.
- Capacity indicator in every active Partition.
- Search functionality.
- Option to double-click to navigate.
- Recycle bin.
Website: github.com/elementary/files
Support:
Developer: elementary LLC
License: GNU General Public License v3.0
Files is written in Vala. Learn Vala with our recommended free books and free tutorials.
Related Software
| File Managers | |
|---|---|
| Krusader | Advanced orthodox file manager for KDE |
| nnn | Fast and flexible file manager |
| Dolphin | Default file manager for KDE |
| Midnight Commander | User-friendly yet powerful orthodox file manager |
| Double Commander | File manager with two panels side by side |
| Ranger | Console file manager with VI key bindings |
| PCManFM-Qt | Lightweight Qt-based file manager which uses GLib |
| PCManFM | Default file manager for LXDE |
| Files | File browser designed for elementary OS |
| GNOME Files | Spatial file manager; default file manager for GNOME |
| lf | Terminal file manager written in Go |
| GNOME Commander | Orthodox file manager for the GNOME desktop environment |
| Spacedrive | Powered by a virtual distributed filesystem |
| CliFM | Shell-like, command line terminal file manager |
| Xfe | Very similiar to Windows Explorer |
Read our verdict in the software roundup.
| GTK File Managers | |
|---|---|
| Double Commander | File manager with two panels side by side |
| PCManFM | Slim and useful, but not to have any feature bloat |
| Files | File browser designed for elementary OS; loose fork of GNOME Files |
| GNOME Files | Simple file manager for GNOME |
| GNOME Commander | Two-panel graphical file manager |
| 4Pane | Multi-pane, detailed-list file manager |
| Sunflower | Small and highly customizable twin-panel file manager |
| Thunar | xfce’s file manager |
| Tux Commander | Windowed file manager with two panels side by side |
| A couple of GNOME Files forks are also worth mentioning. | |
| Nemo | File manager for the Cinnamon desktop environment |
| Caja | File manager for the MATE desktop |
Read our verdict in the software roundup.
 Explore our comprehensive directory of recommended free and open source software. Our carefully curated collection spans every major software category.This directory is part of our ongoing series of informative articles for Linux enthusiasts. It features hundreds of detailed reviews, along with open source alternatives to proprietary solutions from major corporations such as Google, Microsoft, Apple, Adobe, IBM, Cisco, Oracle, and Autodesk. You’ll also find interesting projects to try, hardware coverage, free programming books and tutorials, and much more. Discovered a useful open source Linux program that we haven’t covered yet? Let us know by completing this form. |