4Dir
Multi-pane tabbed file manager for Windows — free, portable, light on your PC.
Website & download · Releases · 한국어
Download the release zip from Releases (4Dir_v….zip).
The green Code → Download ZIP button gives source code only — it won't run without Python 3.12+ and PySide6.
- Up to 20 panes — 1/2/3/4/6 pane layouts with one click, or any grid up to 5 × 4. Tabs in every pane.
- Stays out of the way — reads folders directly (no Windows shell view), no timers or polling when idle. Safe next to 3ds Max, games and other heavy apps.
- Instant search — its own file-name index with real-time updates, no admin rights.
- SVN status — badges read straight from
.svn; Git / Perforce through Windows overlays.
- Feels like Explorer — same shortcuts, full Windows context menu, drag & drop.
- Portable — settings stay in the folder. Light/dark theme, 10 languages.
Install
- Download the zip from Releases.
- Right-click the zip → Properties → Unblock → OK.
- Extract anywhere and run 4Dir.vbs.
The release zip contains the official python.org embeddable Python, PySide6 (Qt, LGPL-3.0) and pywin32 — nothing to install.
Run from source
Python 3.13 + pip install PySide6 pywin32, then run 4Dir.vbs (uses pythonw on PATH) or pythonw bin/main.py.
Build a release: python _build/make_release.py (needs your own _build/corp_words.txt, one forbidden word per line).
Problems / feedback
In 4Dir: Tools → Save log for problem report → Send by email, or email the zip to [email protected]. GitHub users can also open an issue.
Support
4Dir is free and has no ads. If it saves you time, you can support development on the website.
License
GPL-3.0 — see LICENSE. The name "4Dir" and its icon identify the original project; please use a different name for forks.