ZExplorer
Frequently asked questions
Answers about installing, folder access, drag and drop, search, and what ZExplorer does not do yet.
Does ZExplorer replace Finder completely?
You use ZExplorer to browse and manage files; Finder keeps running for the desktop and system tasks. If you like, ZExplorer › Default File Viewer… makes ZExplorer receive “Show in Finder” requests from other apps; choose it again to go back to Finder.
When is a drag a move, and when a copy?
As in Finder: on the same drive it moves, to another drive it copies. Hold ⌥ to always copy, ⌘ to always move. The cursor shows a green + when the drop will copy.
What if the destination already has a file with that name?
ZExplorer asks: Keep Both (the new one becomes “name 2”), Replace (the old item goes to the Trash rather than being deleted), Skip or Stop. Tick “Apply to all” to use the same answer for the rest.
Why does macOS ask about Desktop, Documents and Downloads?
macOS protects these folders from every app. Click Allow so ZExplorer can list and manage the files there. Review it in System Settings › Privacy & Security › Files and Folders, or give ZExplorer Full Disk Access.
Does copying a big file freeze the window?
No. Copy and move run in the background with progress by bytes and a Cancel button; you can keep browsing meanwhile. On APFS drives, copies are instant clones.
What can I undo?
⌘Z undoes rename, Move to Trash, duplicate, new folder, copy, move, compress and extract. ⇧⌘Z redoes renames, moves and Trash.
Does it run on an Intel Mac?
Yes. The installer is universal: Apple silicon (M1 and later) and Intel Macs, macOS 13 Ventura or later.
Does ZExplorer send any data anywhere?
No file data. The only connection ZExplorer makes on its own is the update check: once a day it downloads a small release description from cdn.z-cms.org, sending only its version number. Turn it off in ZExplorer › Settings… › Updates. No analytics, no ads, no account; the built-in terminal and SSH run only what you type.
Why does a folder on a network drive not update?
ZExplorer updates folders through macOS FSEvents, which network shares do not report. Press ⌘R to reload the folder.
Can ZExplorer browse a server over SFTP?
Not yet. SSH and SFTP open in the built-in terminal (with OpenSSH and your ~/.ssh/config). A remote file pane is for a later version.
Can ZExplorer copy photos from my iPhone?
Yes. Connect an iPhone, iPad or camera by cable, unlock it and tap Trust. It appears under Devices in the sidebar: click it to see its photos and videos in the pane, pick some and import them into the folder in the other pane. ZExplorer uses macOS Image Capture and reads only the Camera Roll's photos and videos.
How do I upgrade?
ZExplorer checks for a new version once a day and shows a notification when there is one; ZExplorer › Check for Updates… checks right away. Download the installer and install over the old one — Favorites, pinned apps and settings are kept. ZExplorer never installs an update by itself.
How do I uninstall ZExplorer?
If you made it the default file viewer, choose ZExplorer › Default File Viewer… again to go back to Finder. Then quit the app and drag /Applications/ZExplorer.app to the Trash. Details are on the Install page.
Ready?
Open two folders and start dragging
Download the installer, open ZExplorer from Applications and allow access to the folders you need.