Get started with X-plore File Manager for Android


Get started with X-plore File Manager for Android

Seriously managing files in Android is always a bit problematic. Especially if you also want to access shared files and folders elsewhere on the network. Fortunately, there is the app X-plore File Manager, which makes everything and more in the field of file management possible.

After installing X-plore File Manager you can get started. In essence the app is free, but you can – if you like it all – make a donation to motivate the maker to continue improving the software. The main window of X-plore File Manager is divided into two panels. In the middle, the case is separated by a column of functions. Pay attention to the direction of the arrow at the top of this column: it indicates the ‘working direction’. In other words: if that arrow points from right to left, it means that if you later perform a copy action, files or folders will be transferred from the right to an open folder on the left. So the arrow always points to the destination folder.

Network folders

We start with the most obvious application of the app: access to shared network folders, for example on your NAS. In this example we choose the left panel as the destination folder and the right as the source. If necessary, tap the arrow at the top of the middle column to make it point from right to left. To add a network share, tap a few times first Up (middle column) until you cannot go back any further in the folder structure.

Then tap in the panel on the right Show and switch LAN in. Then tap LAN and then on Add server, and then again Add server to. Fill in the requested information, including the name you want to give to the share, the IP address of the share, possibly the path, plus the username and password associated with the share. Be sure to switch further SMB2 in that is faster and above all safer than the antique SMB1.

Unfortunately, the even faster SMB3 is not supported. No idea if that is a limitation of Android or the app. If it is the last, we may see it appear again in a future version. Tap SAVE to save the data. As soon as you are asked to save the password in Google, tap of course NO THANKS. Google doesn’t need to know everything about you! Your share (s) is (are) now available.

Activate LAN in the folder view.
Activate LAN in the folder view.

Scanning also an option

With the above method, we naturally assume that you know your own NASs or shared server folders in terms of rights management and path. If that’s not really the case, you’d be one step earlier instead of ahead Add server also on Scan can tap. After a while you will see a list appear with all available servers on your network. Tap a found copy and then enter the username and password of the relevant server (this will often be a NAS). And again do not pass on those login details to Google.

Create a folder

Whichever way you went, you can now use shared folders on your NAS or server as if they were local folders. Browse to a local folder in the left panel, for example Download (can be found under / storage / emulated / 0, something we did not come up with either, but is the structure of Android). Create a map test in Download. For that you have to set the left panel as a target first; tap on the arrow at the top of the column in the middle. With the Download folder open, tap New map in the middle column (Note: the arrow direction above the middle column changes automatically!). Tap the folder name and tap OK. Then tap the check mark behind the newly created folder to select it.

To copy

We are now going to copy a file from one of our NAS shares. To do this, tap on a previously added server in the panel to the right (the target arrow will automatically change direction again) and browse to a folder with a test file you want to transfer. Consider, for example, a few photos. To select multiple files at once, click on the check marks after the file names. In fact, you are now ready to copy. Then also tap Copy in the middle column. In the dialog box that opens, tap OK. If you want to move a selected file (or files and folders), then enable the option Move in. But it should be clear that the source files will then be deleted from your network share.

And copy!
And copy!

Use storage space

Mission accomplished: all selected photos have been copied to the local folder in our tablet. If you want to know how much storage space is still available, first tap test in the column on the left (or another folder if you have previously given a different name to your test folder. If you do not, a calculation will be performed on the last used folder and that is the NAS folder from which the files were transferred (so pay attention to the arrow direction again) Can be fun, but also a very long job if there are many (sub) folders and files in your share . Click on Disk overview. You can see what files are taking up after a while in the left column, neatly displayed graphically. You can pull the graph a bit to the right and down to see the parent folders and contents as well. Or tap the back button a few times (the arrow pointing to the left <- top left of the left column) to ‘zoom out’. To close the graph, tap the cross at the bottom left.

The use of storage space in a handy graphical overview.
The use of storage space in a handy graphical overview.

Zipping

To zip files, select them first. In addition, you first browse the source folder for the files to be zipped and select a destination folder in the other panel. In the source folder, select the files or folder to zip, then tap Make ZIP. Again you can indicate whether you want to delete the original files and (or) folders by clicking Move (in fact it is a kind of ‘copy to ZIP’ option). If you want to protect your ZIP with a password, tap the lock behind the file name in the dialog box in front of you. Tap on OK to start the zipping. Depending on the size of the source selection (and the speed of your Android device), the zip will take more or less time. Also remember that these types of jobs require a lot of energy if they run longer; so keep the charger at hand if necessary. Incidentally, files are first copied and then compressed!

Zipping can sometimes take a while ...
Zipping can sometimes take a while …

Unzip and share folders

Unzipping is a matter of tapping a zip. You will now see a subfolder containing all zipped files. To actually ‘unzip’ the case ‘permanently’, you copy that folder (actually the content of the zip that is integrated in the folder structure) to another folder. For the rest, X-plore has all kinds of handy features. Such as a built-in file viewer and also a WiFi server. For this it is important to first set a password for the WiFi connection that is being set up.

To do this, tap the button with the three vertically placed dots at the top right of the screen. Tap on Settings, scroll down and then tap Share options via WiFi. Enter a password below password. To play it safe, you can also choose the option Read only access to turn on. Then use the Android back button to return to the main window and tap WiFi server in the middle column. For example, connect your computer to the WiFi network set up by your Android device.

For this it is important to first find out the IP address of your Android device, which you can find in the (Android) Settings below System and About tablet. Launch a browser on the PC (and make sure both PC and Android device are connected on the same network) and go to the IP address of your Android device followed by : 1111 (the default port that X-plore uses for this service), or for example: 192.168.1.170:1111. You will now see a nice web interface where you can do your thing. Oh yes: this option requires a small donation of € 3, but you will get something in return!

X-plore File Manager for Android can also serve up a slick web interface if you wish.
X-plore File Manager for Android can also serve up a slick web interface if you wish.
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