FAQ

Some commonly asked questions. For additional support, please refer to the documentation, or create a post in the forum.

General

Translations

Technical


General

What versions of Windows does Explorer++ run on?

Version 1.4 runs on Windows 7, 8, 10 and 11 as well as Windows PE. Earlier versions run on Windows XP and up.

Does Explorer++ have a dark mode?

Yes, there is dark mode support in more recent dev versions when running on Windows 10 1809 and newer. It can be enabled by going by to Tools > Options > Appearance and selecting the "Dark" theme option. Almost all controls are correctly styled in dark mode, but there are some controls that still show up with the standard light theme.

Why does Explorer++ crash when I right-click on a file?

Usually this is caused by a bug in a third-party extension handler. Using an application such as ShellExView, you can selectively disable extensions until you find the one that is causing the crash.

Can I use multiple versions of Explorer++ - for example the beta and a dev build?

Yes, but I highly recommend you backup your existing settings first.

If Explorer++ is configured to save to the config file (named config.xml), simply copy that file to another folder. Otherwise, you can export the HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Explorer++ key (navigate to the entry in regedit, right-click and select export).

The simplest option is then to download the alternative version of Explorer++, and place it in a separate folder. Run the executable, and configure it to save to the config file. Because the config file is always saved (and loaded) from the same directory as the Explorer++ executable, the settings saved here will be independent of any other settings.

How do I uninstall Explorer++?

Simply delete the executable. If you'd like, you can also remove your settings by deleting config.xml and HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Explorer++.

Important: If Explorer++ is set as the default file manager, make sure you select "Don't replace Explorer" before you delete the application.

Translations

How do I make use of a translation?

First, download the translations and extract them to the same folder as the Explorer++ executable. Then, run Explorer++, open the options dialog, and select your language from the list. Finally, restart Explorer++.

How do I create a new translation, or update an existing translation?

Translations are managed with Crowdin. To contribute to a translation, sign up with Crowdin, then edit the file corresponding to your language. If your language isn't listed, use the contact link shown on the project page to request it.

Please note the following:

  • Strings containing '%s' are updated dynamically. For example, the string 'Explorer++ Version %s (%s)' will become something like: 'Explorer++ Version 1.4 (64-bit Unicode build)'. Therefore, the translated string should also contain '%s' in the appropriate place. If you're unsure how or where a string is used, please ask me.
  • An ampersand (&) within an items text indicates that that item has an access key. For example, the string '&Show on Bookmarks Toolbar' has an access key of 'S'. Translated items should also have access keys when possible.
  • Items containing a keyboard accelerator within their text should have a corresponding accelerator when translated. '&New Tab Ctrl+T', for example, indicates that a new tab can be created when pressing Ctrl+T. This portion of the string should also appear in the translated text.

How can I test translations I've made?

Updated translations are periodically incorporated into the development builds. Once that's happened, you can use the the translation like any other and check that it looks correct. If you've updated a translation and the updates haven't appeared in the development build yet, please contact me and I'll make sure the development build gets updated.

What's the best way to report issues with a translation?

If you find issues with a translation (e.g. sections that haven't been translated or words that haven't been translated correctly), the best thing to do is to contribute to the translation on Crowdin.

Technical

How do I compile Explorer++?

See BUILDING.md in the repository for instructions on how to compile Explorer++.