7-Zip File Browser: A Fast Alternative | Stupid Geek Tricks

A Faster File Management Solution with 7-Zip

Many Windows users find the built-in file browsing experience to be frustrating. It can be slow, prone to errors, and often reverts from the preferred "Details" view. If you already utilize the 7-Zip archiving utility, a robust alternative file manager is readily available to you. We consider 7-Zip to be an exceptional file archiving tool.

Accessing the 7-Zip File Manager

Locating the 7-Zip File Manager is straightforward. Simply begin typing "7" into the Windows search box from the start menu. The default display is a clear details view, which reliably maintains its settings as you navigate between folders.

Furthermore, 7-Zip allows you to browse directly into archive files (such as zip, rar, or iso) as if they were standard folders.

Enhanced Features for Productivity

The View menu provides access to a dual-pane mode. This enables convenient drag-and-drop functionality for transferring files between the two panes.

For rapid folder access, you can define Favorites, even assigning hotkeys to them. This simplifies navigation to frequently used, deeply nested folders.

Customization Options

Within the options panel, several beneficial features can be enabled. These include displaying real file icons, integrating the standard Explorer system menu, and activating full row selection.

Browsing History

Lost track of a previously visited folder? The Folders History dialog, accessible via the Alt+F12 shortcut (or through the View menu), saves a record of your browsing history. This feature proves to be exceptionally useful.

The file context menu already incorporates powerful functionalities. While there are existing methods to add "Copy To" and "Move To" options to Explorer, their inclusion as standard features would be ideal.

Creating a Direct Folder Shortcut

A shortcut can be created to launch 7-Zip directly to a specific folder. Right-click on your desktop and select New > Shortcut from the menu.

Use the Browse button to navigate to the following path (adjust if your installation directory differs):

"C:\Program Files\7-Zip\7zFM.exe"

Ensure the full path is enclosed in quotation marks. Then, append the desired folder path as a parameter, separated by a space. For instance, the shortcut will open the C:\ folder in the example provided. This creates a dedicated icon for quick access.

This is a simple, effective, and useful technique – a true Stupid Geek Trick. Do you have any tricks of your own to share? Please contribute them in the comments. You can download 7-Zip from z-zip.org.