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1.6.4 File managers

Table of Contents

What a File Manager Does

A file manager is the graphical tool you use to browse folders, open files, copy things to USB drives, and manage your data without using the terminal.

Common tasks you’ll typically do in any file manager:

On Linux, the exact file manager depends on your desktop environment, but they share similar ideas and shortcuts.

Major Linux File Managers by Desktop

You’ll usually get one file manager installed by default with your desktop environment:

You don’t need to memorize all names, but it helps to recognize that:

Basic Navigation Concepts

Most file managers share these navigation patterns:

You can usually:

Keyboard shortcuts commonly supported (may vary slightly):

Working with Files and Folders

Most everyday tasks can be done with simple mouse actions and context menus.

Creating and Renaming

Use simple, meaningful names, and remember that Linux is case sensitive: file.txt and File.txt are different.

Copy, Move, and Delete

Common methods:

The Trash

Most file managers use a Trash (or Recycle Bin) instead of deleting immediately:

Be careful: emptying Trash is permanent and simple recovery becomes more difficult.

Views, Sorting, and Hidden Files

View Modes

Common view modes:

You can typically change the view from a toolbar button or View menu, or with shortcuts like:

Sorting and Grouping

You can sort by:

Sort options are often in:

Some file managers support:

Hidden Files

On Linux, files starting with a dot (.) are hidden by default (e.g., .bashrc).

To show or hide hidden files:

Use this to access configuration files or special directories, but avoid randomly editing hidden items if you don’t know what they do.

Using the Address Bar and Paths

Graphical file managers can show the current location in two main ways:

  1. Breadcrumb/path bar: A series of clickable segments like
    Home > Documents > Projects
  2. Text location / address bar: Shows full path like /home/you/Documents/Projects

Most file managers let you:

This is helpful when:

You can also copy the path to the clipboard (usually via right-click in the location bar) to paste into a terminal or other programs.

Tabs and Split Views

Many file managers support tabs and sometimes split view:

Tabs are great for working with several locations at once; split view is ideal for file transfers.

External Drives and Network Locations

USB Drives and External Disks

When you plug in a USB stick or external disk:

Before unplugging:

Network Shares

File managers often integrate with network protocols (e.g., SMB for Windows shares, SFTP, NFS):

Common patterns:

Once connected, network shares appear like a mounted drive; you can browse them similarly to local folders (though slower).

Searching for Files

Most file managers provide a search feature:

Search scope may be limited to:

Note: Searching very large trees (like / or system directories) may be slower and is usually not needed for daily use.

File Properties and Permissions (Overview Level)

Right-click any file or folder → Properties:

You’ll typically see:

Use this primarily to:

Deeper concepts about users and permissions are covered elsewhere, but file managers give you a simple and safe interface for basic changes.

Opening Files and Choosing Applications

Double-clicking a file uses its default application (e.g., image viewer for .jpg, text editor for .txt).

To open with a different app:

This is useful when:

Safety Tips When Using File Managers

Practical Exercises

Try these tasks in your own file manager:

  1. Open your home directory and:
    • Create a folder called practice
    • Inside practice, create two folders: images and docs
  2. Download or copy:
    • A few text files into docs
    • A few pictures into images
  3. Practice:
    • Switching between icon view and list view
    • Sorting files by name and then by date
  4. Press Ctrl + H to:
    • Show hidden files, then hide them again
  5. Open two locations:
    • Use tabs or split view to have practice/docs and practice/images visible at the same time
    • Copy a file from docs to images using drag-and-drop, and again using copy/paste
  6. Plug in a USB stick:
    • Open it in the file manager
    • Copy a file to the USB
    • Safely eject the drive from the sidebar before unplugging

Getting comfortable with your file manager will make everyday Linux use much smoother, and it also makes the transition to command-line file management easier later on.

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