FX File Explorer

No ads. No annoyances. No tracking. Manage your files. Retain your privacy.

FX File Explorer

App stats

Version: 9.0.1.2 (Last updated: 2023-04-09)
Creation date: 2011-08-17
Permissions
Location: approximate location (network-based), precise location (GPS and network-based)
Photos/Media/Files: read the contents of your USB storage, modify or delete the contents of your USB storage
Storage: read the contents of your USB storage, modify or delete the contents of your USB storage
Wi-Fi connection information: view Wi-Fi connections
Other:
  • view network connections
  • pair with Bluetooth devices
  • access Bluetooth settings
  • change network connectivity
  • allow Wi-Fi Multicast reception
  • connect and disconnect from Wi-Fi
  • full network access
  • control Near Field Communication
  • set wallpaper
  • prevent device from sleeping
  • modify system settings
  • install shortcuts

Other platforms

Not available on Chrome
Not available on Firefox
Not available on Edge
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App summary

FX File Explorer features a Material Design UI and new ways to transfer your files between devices and computers:

* SMBv2 support.
* New "FX Connect" transfers files from phone-to-phone with Wi-Fi Direct. Supports NFC to connect two phones by physically touching their backs together. (requires FX+)
* New "Web Access" enables transfer and management of files and media from your computer's web browser. You can drag-and-drop entire folders to your phone from your computer, or stream your phone's music playlists to your computer over Wi-Fi. (requires FX+)

FX is a file explorer built to make working with files and media on your phone or tablet as easy as it is on your computer:

* Productivity-oriented "Home Screen": Directly access your important folders, media, and cloud storage
* Multiple window support, with dual-view mode to see two windows at once
* "Usage View" mode shows the total size and content makeup of every folder, as you browse and manage files
* Support for most file archive formats

FX protects your privacy:

* No advertisements
* No tracking of user activity: FX does not ever "phone home"
* Built by NextApp, Inc., a US corporation founded in 2002; all proprietary code was developed in-house

The optional FX+ Add-On module enables more functionality:

* Access networked computers, including FTP, SSH FTP, WebDAV, and Windows Networking (SMB1 and SMB2)
* Connect to cloud storage including Google Drive, Dropbox, SugarSync, Box, SkyDrive, and OwnCloud
* Manage installed applications, with support for browsing applications based on their required permissions
* Create and explore inside AES-256/AES-128 encrypted zip files
* Browse audio content by artist/album/playlist; manage and organize playlists
* Directly browse photo and video folders
* Encrypted password keyring (use one password to access network and cloud locations)

FX includes a number of built-in editing/viewing applets:

* Text Editor (with undo/redo history, cut/paste, search, and pinch-to-zoom)
* Binary (Hex) Viewer
* Image Viewer
* Media Player and pop-up Audio Player
* Zip, Tar, GZip, Bzip2, 7zip archive creators and extractors
* RAR file extractor
* Shell Script Executor

Android 8 / 9 Location Permission Notice

* NOTE: Android 8.0+ unfortunately required us to add the "approximate location" permission, as it's now required for apps that support Wi-Fi direct (because Wi-Fi direct leaks this information). FX does not ever actually query your location, and this permission will only ever be asked for on Android 8.0 and later when using FX Connect. This requirement previously applied only to Android 9.0, but because FX now specifies full support for the latest Android API, Android 8.0 also requires this permission.

User reviews

These summaries are automatically generated weekly using AI based on recent user reviews. Google Play Store does not verify user reviews, so some user reviews may be inaccurate, spammy, or outdated.
Pros
  • Clean, responsive interface with great functionality
  • Supports multiple cloud storage services and network storage features
  • Good privacy features with no ads
  • Highly customizable and easy to use once learned
  • Excellent performance for file management tasks
Cons
  • Has not been updated recently, leading to concerns about compatibility with newer Android versions
  • Issues with connecting to Google Drive due to permissions
  • Some functionality has been broken in recent updates
  • Latency when viewing non-local images and issues with swiping in photo viewer
  • Missing features like unpacking multiple archives at once and filtering by file extension
Most mentioned
  • Outdated and lack of support for newer Android versions
  • Functionality issues after recent updates
  • Strong performance and feature set for file management
User reviews
My go to and only file tool for a very long time, but it seems like it may no longer be supported. It's been well over a year since the last update and that description is "better support for Android 11/12". We're on 15. I'm in the IT & security biz so not refreshing APIs/libraries and providing newer Android version support is very concerning to me. Will be a 5 star app again if it gets a refresh.
by Sam Schafer, 2024-11-16

The Pro version of this app has been my go to for a while, but it has recently stopped allowing me to connect Google Drive, with a message saying that the app has been blocked by Google for trying to access sensitive info. I was previously very pleased with FX as a file explorer, but this issue breaks the functionality I needed.
by Justin Kendrick, 2024-09-28

There are a ton of unique things FX can do as a file manager. Read some Windows Doc and Word files. Zip files, apk inspector, read dynamic xml files. It used to do pdf.js i think but at some point i think it stopped working. Hope the maintainers manage it. But when the time comes and FX gets pulled, it will be remembered as one of the best. Hands down. Just wish i knew how to use certain features or could ask a few specific questions ill never find answers for.
by Sam, 2024-09-03
View all user reviews

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