# microsoft/winfile

Original Windows File Manager (winfile) with enhancements

Repository: https://github.com/microsoft/winfile
Canonical: https://ross.abutalabs.com/products/winfile
Language: C
License: MIT
License Family: permissive
Archived: true
Last push: 2025-02-22T02:50:39+00:00

## Health v2 (maintenance only)
Score: 10/100 (v2, computed 2026-09-02T17:46:02.011165+00:00)
- activity 8, release rhythm 8, longevity 100
- inputs: {"age_days": 3075, "days_push": 557, "days_rel": 557, "gap_med": null, "n_releases_24m": 1}
- flags: archived
- formula: round(0.45*activity + 0.35*rhythm + 0.20*longevity); archived -> min(score, 10)

## Adoption (not part of the score)
Stars 7062, forks 746 (observed 2026-08-28T04:09:55.629403+00:00)

## What it is
The original Windows File Manager (WinFile) from Windows 3.0/NT4, revived by Microsoft as a native x86, x64, and arm64 desktop application with enhancements for modern Windows versions. It preserves the classic dual-pane file management interface while compiling with Visual Studio and running on currently supported Windows releases.

## Use cases
- manage files on Windows with the classic File Manager interface
- get a lightweight dual-pane file manager for Windows
- relive the nostalgic Windows 3.0 file manager experience
- replace File Explorer with a simpler native file browser
- browse, copy, and organize files and directories on Windows 10/11
- install a retro file manager via winget, Chocolatey, or the Microsoft Store

## When to choose
- you prefer the classic WinFile dual-pane layout over modern File Explorer
- you want a small, fast, native Windows file manager without heavy dependencies
- you are nostalgic for or dependent on the original Windows File Manager workflow
- you need a file manager that runs on all currently supported Windows versions including Windows 11

## When to avoid
- you need actively maintained software - the repository was archived on March 1, 2025
- you need modern file manager features like tabs, cloud integration, or search indexing
- you are on a non-Windows platform
- you require long-term security support, since archived repositories carry increased security risk

## Facets
- artifact type: application
- maturity: abandoned
- function: file-system, gui
- domain: desktop-applications, files, windows
- platform: windows
- tags: file-manager, retro, classic-windows, dual-pane, native-app, desktop

## Member repositories
- microsoft/winfile (main) score 10

## Provenance
- Observed fields: from GitHub, fetched 2026-08-28T04:09:55.629403+00:00.
- Health v2: computed from the inputs above; adoption is never an input.
- Inferred fields (summary, facets, guidance): AI-extracted, prompt v1, taxonomy v1, on 2026-08-29T17:40:28.979849+00:00, confidence not recorded.
  - readme: https://github.com/microsoft/winfile (fetched 2026-08-28T04:09:55.629403+00:00, sha 806705b092a2)
- Data as of 2026-08-30T08:39:29.467469+00:00.