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Files app gets massive update with a new layout and improvements for tags, tabs, and more

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Files, one of our favorite third-party file managers for Windows 10 and 11, has been updated to version 3.9. The latest release is a massive update with all sorts of new features and improvements, such as the new Cards View layout, thumbnail improvements, a better Details pane, and more.

One of the most notable changes in Files 3.9 is the new Cards View layout. It replaces the old Tiles View and lets you view more information about each file, such as image resolution, size, tags, media duration, and more.

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There are also improvements for the Grid View, which now has an accented colored border when selecting items for better visibility and accessibility. Details View, List View, Columns View, and Cards View now have improved icons and thumbnails that sync with the selected layout size. They are also DPI-aware to ensure better clarity on different displays.

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The Details Pane now displays drive information, such as total capacity, the amount of available space, file system, and more.

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Upon creating shortcuts, the Files app now lets you set a custom name. Previously, the app would automatically create a shortcut and only then allow you to rename it.

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Files 3.9 also adds improvements to the built-in update mechanism. The toolbar button for release notes now has a new icon and an action that allows viewing the latest changelog at any moment. You will also notice a redesigned icon that shows up when there is a pending update.

Another change is the updated Tags Widget. It now features a fresh design that matches the rest of the app's aesthetics, and it allows tags to be applied to files and folders by simply dragging them onto tags.

The rest of the changelog, which you can check out here, includes the ability to set JPEG-XR images as desktop background, various improvements to the Properties window, focus auto-switching when creating a new tab, new launch protocols for different Files app update channels (Dev, Preview, Stable), performance improvements, and more.

Also, here is the list of fixed bugs:

Actions

  • Fixed a crash that would occur when using the ‘Storage Sense’ action.
  • Resolved an issue with the ‘Run with PowerShell’ action not working for files with spaces in their names.

Address Bar

  • Fixed keyboard navigation in the address path bar.
  • Resolved an issue where the address bar flyouts sometimes displayed duplicate items.

Archives

  • Fixed an issue where the size wasn’t displayed after creating a new archive.

Cloud Drives

  • Addressed various issues with Google Drive support.

Columns View

  • Fixed an issue that caused unexpected scrolling in the Columns Layout.
  • Resolved a crash that would occur when opening the context menu in the Columns View.

Drag & Drop

  • Resolved multiple issues with drag & drop support between Files and other applications.

Git Repos

  • Fixed an issue where soft link details were misaligned in Git repositories.

Group By and Sort By

  • Resolved an issue where changing the grouping and sorting preferences would only update the current tab.

Right Click Context Menu

  • Fixed an issue where right-clicking a file would display the option to open in a new tab.

Startup

  • Fixed a crash that would occur when starting Files from WSL directories.
  • Resolved startup freeze caused by a heavily populated Recycle Bin.
  • Fixed an issue where the previous session’s tabs were briefly displayed when the startup setting was set to ‘open new tab’.
  • Fixed an issue where launching Files from Terminal didn’t use the correct path.

Tabs

  • Resolved an issue where tabs weren’t placed in the correct order when dragged from other windows.

Tags

  • Resolved an issue with displaying properties for tagged items.
  • Fixed an issue where tags sometimes displayed with the wrong color.

Title Bar

  • Fixed an issue where the title bar drag region was sometimes missing.

You can download Files 3.9 from the Microsoft Store or the official website.

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