Your iPhone and iPad have had a file manager for a while now, eloquently called Files. The problem is that it cannot handle all common tasks, which can make working with it rather tiring. That is why in this article we will discuss an interesting alternative, namely FE File Explorer.
There are several excellent alternatives in Apple’s App Store. For example, we already wrote about FileBrowser. That app works great, but leaves something to be desired in terms of transfer speed of shared folders via smb. That’s a shame, because it makes transferring, for example, movies or other large files (think of a downloaded ISO file that you want to use later on your PC) sometimes painfully slow.
Another – less serious – problem is that FileBrowser – like its native Files app, by the way – doesn’t support more advanced FTP settings. Home workers can therefore run into problems if they want to connect to a firmly secured ftp server at work.
FE File Explorer and the free FE File Explorer Light) does not know these two shortcomings. File transfer – depending on the source – is lightning fast, also via WiFi. That alone makes it an extremely suitable candidate if you exchange a lot of files with your NAS. There is also an extensive built-in ftp client.
If you are only interested in that possibility, the makers of the app also have a ftp-only solution In the assortment. FE File Explorer simply has that part on board, with which you are ready in one go. Always nice, because you don’t have to start a separate app for each task.
How does FE File Explorer work?
FE File Explorer does work a bit ‘strange’ when it comes to locally stored files. Initially, files stored locally on your iPad or iPhone are not accessible. Only files in the app’s home folder are available.
If you want to keep all your files in it – divided into subfolders – that’s fine. But there is a very good chance that you already have existing file folders, think of, for example, a copy for downloads and something for example for Word or another Office app. Making FE File Explorer truly versatile requires a trick, which luckily you only have to do once.
From the main panel of the app, tap + above the left column. Then tap – somewhat illogically – on Remote location. Then select the folder On my iPad and tap Ready. From now on you can directly access all file folders on your i-device, via the just added link. That one unfortunately File Provider Storage hot, but that too is solvable. Swipe left on the named item, tap the green penciled edit button and enter a new name. Finished? Tap the entry and you will see all your local folders!
Connect to NAS
By the way, you only add user folders in this way. You simply have to add folders of separate apps – such as Word – in the same way, only then with the desired folder selected. And admittedly: this is indeed arranged a lot better than in the aforementioned FileBrowser.
But there are several features that make up for these (manageable) shortcomings. This way you can – again via the same +button – easily add shared folders on your NAS, just enter IP address and login details under the option NAS. Once that has been taken care of, your NAS share will also appear in the column on the left. Tap it to open it.
As an example, we are going to transfer a Windows 11 ISO downloaded locally on the iPad to the NAS. In our case, that iso is in the folder Downloads in the iPad’s file system. We browse there via the shortcut we just created to the internal storage.
Tap the button with the three vertical dots after the name of the iso file, then in the context menu tap To copy (moving directly to an external folder is not (yet?) possible). Select the previously added NAS share and browse to a subfolder on it if desired. Finally click Save and the copying process begins.
Our iso file, the size of a thick 5 GB, was transferred via WiFi in about a minute and a half. Using a Gigabit Ethernet dongle naturally speeds up this process. Don’t forget to delete the original file on your iPad after transfer if you don’t want to keep unnecessary space hogs there. You do this by tapping the button with the three vertical dots again and then remove to choose.
By the way, remember that no trash is used by FE File Explorer, so gone is really gone. In case of a file just copied to a NAS no drama and even the intention, but watch out with other files.
Via FTP
The ftp client is actually integrated in the same way as any other share (and thus even local directories). To connect to an ftp server, tap the +, followed by a tap FTP, or SFTP if the server is set up as such. You can then enter all the necessary information.
It is worth mentioning that under FTP and protocol the option Explicit FTP over TLS is available. This trick is often used by companies to set up secure connections, but too little to find it in a lot of ftp clients. This one can do it, always nice and it makes your iPad (or iPhone) just a little more communicative.
FE File Explorer also features its own built-in ftp and web server. This allows you to use your iPad or iPhone as a file server. Handy to quickly exchange some things with a computer or other device nearby. The only requirement is that both devices are registered on the same WiFi network.
To enable web and ftp server, tap the settings gear at the bottom of the left column. Tap on built-in servers. For security reasons, enter a username and password, especially if the WiFi network is used by several people (work, school, etc.). Tap on Launch servers and you will see the IP addresses (and ports) where both http and ftp servers can be reached. You can then access those addresses from another system.
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