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ZDNET Key Takeaways
- Material Files is a well-designed Android file manager.
- This app beats the competition.
- Material files are free and can be installed from the Play Store.
I’ve tried a lot of Android file managers over the years. I’ve seen ones that look good but lack features, ones that have too many features and have pleasing aesthetics, and ones that look terrible and don’t have enough features.
It was an exhausting journey that eventually made me give up and stick to the default. So far.
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Recently, I came across Material Files, an open-source Android app, and I almost immediately declared it to be an ideal Android file manager. It looks pristine on my Pixel 9 Pro and has just the right amount of features. When you open Material files, you would think that it was created by Google specifically for Android, but it is not.
What’s so great about content files?
content files Hai is developed by Zhang and, to my surprise, it is free to install and use and has no annoying in-app purchases. How can this be possible? Well, it is, and I don’t want to see this gift horse in the choppers.
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Material Files includes features like bookmarks, remote connections, a built-in FTP server, connection options for FTP, SMB and WebDAV, the ability to open multiple windows at once, select all, open in terminal, copy path, share, filters and more.
In other words, it has everything a good file manager should have. Now you might be wondering why a nice file manager is making me do the happy dance. One of the biggest problems I have with so many file managers is the lack of SMB support.
I keep a Samba server running on my network, so I can easily save and open files from any machine. Most Android file managers do not have the ability to connect to that server, or, if they do, the UI is very poorly designed and cumbersome to use.
The remote connectivity feature is what makes this file manager one of the best.
Jack Wallen/ZDNET
Material Files fixes this with easy SMB connections and an easy to navigate UI. For example, if I want to connect to an SMB server, I tap the three-line menu button at the top left, tap “Add Storage,” tap the SMB server when prompted, and either wait for the app to automatically find the SMB server (which it does every time) or tap “Add manually” and enter the details myself.
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Content files support multiple options for remote connectivity.
Jack Wallen/ZDNET
Once I’ve added a server, the Material files save the connection for easy access. Nothing can be simpler than this.
Material Files does a great job of accessing DCIM storage, downloads, movies, music, and pictures, and has shortcuts to screenshots. The method of accessing screenshots with Google File Manager is awkward at best, so this feature is a boon.
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Another feature I like is that you can navigate to a location in Content Files, tap the three-dot menu button at the top right, and tap “Create Shortcut” to add a home screen launcher for that particular folder or location you’re currently browsing. I’ve created a shortcut to my SMB directory so I can quickly access it from my home screen. it is convenient.
How to get content files
Content files are installed via Google Play Store.
To install an app, all you have to do is search for it in the Store, tap on the entry, and then tap on Install. That’s it. Once installed, open it and start navigating your files and connecting to your remote locations. You won’t find a better file manager for Android. Duration. This is what all others should be compared to and all developers should aspire to.
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Trust me when I say this is the only Android file manager you need. Get it, use it, and forget about other file managers.
