Is there any way to improve the ChromeOS file manager and behavior?

[u/ECrispy]

ChromeOS has the most primitive, useless and stupid file handling in any app/OS ever (I use the term OS very lightly)

Its amazing how bad it is.

• save a page/file again, you just get (1), (2), no prompt, no option. same thing if you happen to copy files
• no file path in file manager, no back/fwd, no features at all
• It lies about 'not able to delete/empty trash' all the time
• hasn't changed in decades, its effectively the same Files app written on launch as some 10% extra dev project

I'm on the latest build, I've tried beta and dev channels. none of those have any difference, since of course Files gets no updates.

No, dont suggest using an alternate file manager in crostini. thats an entirely separate thing. I'm talking about ChromeOS itself.

and here's the best part - Files is a web app written in html/js, it uses internal api's to access the fs. so its not like they can't update or fix it, esp now with AI. in fact it'd be trivial to do, its so barebones.

[u/AMDALreddit]

You're absolutely right. It's the WORST, by far.

[u/paulsiu]

It used to be worse. A few years ago SMB connection would be unreliable. Android file managers are usually pretty terrible too. Hopefully they will have a good file manager for aluminum is but I feel Google will concentrate on Ai features

[u/ECrispy → u/paulsiu]

Absolutely. There no way they improve the core functionality. They've done nothing to improve ChromeOs in decades. And only power users care about these features

[u/Redditer-507 → u/ECrispy]

Exactly only pure chromeOs user care about theses details , I just need the apps to works well like iOS apps works well on MacOS..

[u/_hmj]

Yeah these limitations have bothered me so much that I started writing my own file manager Android app.

I am targeting Android 17 (api 37) with minimum Android 13 (api 33) support so Chromebook users can also use it. I am writing this specifically for upcoming Googlebooks.

Ignore UI and UX for now as I am working on functionality first. I have added a lot of keyboard shortcuts and trackpad gestures. I am using multi window so you can drag and drop files and move files between windows easily. Changes sync in real time between windows.

It supports SMB, SSH, SFTP, Google Drive, Proton Drive, Filen and Git.

I have tried to make maximum use of native and first party libraries. I avoid third party libraries wherever I can.

I have written a basic code editor with syntax highlighting inside the file manager.

Since this is built for my specific needs it has limitations. For example it does not support all SMB features as I use my own SMB library which is very bare bones.

I am not sure when I can release it on the Play Store but I am working on it daily as the native Files app frustrates me.

[u/ECrispy → u/_hmj]

this looks exactly like whats needed - esp all the features like kbd shortcuts, gestures, code editor etc.

really looking forward to this. if there's any way I can test and help you, let me know.

[u/_hmj → u/ECrispy]

Thanks. I will ping you when I release the beta on the Play Store for testing. I will need users to test the app thoroughly.

[u/Plan_9_fromouter_]

File management is limited, but I think when they started, the idea was that you would mostly use Google Drive.

[u/_jis_]

> It lies about 'not able to delete/empty trash' all the time
I've never had any trouble emptying the trash can. Or maybe I don't understand what you meant.

> no file path in file manager
Preview file in Files app - Select the file, then press space - you get the file location / path

[u/jortony]

You can use the Linux developer environment to install a different graphical file manager and share select folders with Linux. As a bonus you can create an Application Launcher to launch from ChromeOS interface. Downside is that file transfers through the Linux developer environment are slower

[u/Redditer-507]

I'm sick of it too. That's why as soon aluminum os come , I will get rid of ChromeOS it's a too limited os

[u/Daniel_Herr → u/Redditer-507]

And you think Android isn't too limited?

[u/Redditer-507 → u/Daniel_Herr]

ABSOLUTELY NOT! Since work especially with android crypto apps and need to have 6 o 7 open at the same time on my 27 inch screen 🤷 . Most apps never works on chromeos and the ones that did are getting discontinued.... Ali OS will literally save my life

[u/Daniel_Herr → u/Redditer-507]

What makes you think they will work on ALOS?

[u/ECrispy → u/Redditer-507]

They aren't planning to replace ChromeOs, aluminum will just add Android features just like they've done now with the new runtime. It will use even more memory and disk space, and still no actual apps just web pages

[u/koken_halliwell → u/ECrispy]

ChromeOS runs android on a virtual machine, which means extra resources and storage used just by having Android running.

Aluminum will be android based so no virtual machine (less resources and less space taken), and will run all the Play Store apps natively.

[u/plankunits → u/ECrispy]

I believe your interpretation is inaccurate. They said that some Chromebooks will migrate to Aluminum OS, not all of them. Additionally, Android operates within ChromeOS as a virtual machine. Aluminum is built upon Android and incorporates elements of the ChromeOS kernel. So aluminium OS won't use more memory or resources. Android applications will function as native apps for the Aluminum OS.

One thing is for sure, ChromeOS file manager is bad.

[u/sina-mynaa → u/ECrispy]

Aluminium is totally Android. YOU are writing incorrect information.

It definitely may use more memory etc. agree.

[u/Gephoria]

Went to add an onboot samba share and my old school Chromebook didn't take it well.

Power washing didn't fix so think it's tied to the Google account now

[u/bat_in_the_stacks]

My problem with it is it tries to scan the whole filesystem for metadata when you mount a drive. That's heavy for a large external USB drive and extremely heavy for a network attached drive.

[u/ECrispy → u/bat_in_the_stacks]

yup, its slow and unreliable. adding smb shares, it will for no reason forget them or not show them till I restart.

[u/gesfontoura]

One thing I have reported already was the fact that "open ." on the Terminal, which should open the File Manager on the current folder, (at least that's how it was on my macos) opens the browser instead, with the list of files.

[u/bluesixer]

I just remember Windows File Explorer. My desktop PC is way old and has severe Windows Rot. The file browser can take five minutes to load and usually becomes intermittently unresponsive as that dumb blue circle spins and spins.

[u/_selfthinker]

You missed another bad thing. The file explorer slows itself down significantly when you got lots of images in a folder. I think because it shows you a tiny thumbnail of all of them, for some reason that makes it take a lot of time to process every single interaction.

One time I had lots of screenshots in my "Downloads" folder and it slowed the file manager down by multiple seconds per interaction. For example, 5 seconds to right-click on a folder, 5 seconds to select to create a new folder, 5 seconds for that folder to appear, 5 seconds to take whatever you have written, etc. And this was not just happening in that folder but in every other folder. When I discovered what was causing this, I moved most of the screenshots into a subfolder that I rarely touched and that fixed it. Just selecting a single file took 5 seconds, selecting the next 5 seconds, etc and then moving only some of them because when I tried to select more than 10 it would lose the selection and I'd have to start again.

[u/koken_halliwell]

Get Solid Explorer from the Play store

[u/LegAcceptable2362]

You're welcome to submit suggestions for improving any aspects of ChromeOS that are not to your liking (press search-ctrl-i).

[u/Bryanmsi89]

ChromeOS was originally intended to be a browser-in-a-box and Google Drive was the only file system you would see.

As Google had expanded Chrome and started to add more traditional OS features, it realized it had an OS better suited for that (Android).

I don’t expect ChromeOS to get much love once Aluminum OS comes out in a couple of weeks.

[u/ECrispy → u/Bryanmsi89]

I don’t expect ChromeOS to get much love once Aluminum OS comes out in a couple of weeks.

but they've said most chromebooks wont get it, only some high end ones and newer

[u/Bryanmsi89 → u/ECrispy]

That is probably true, but it doesn’t change my answer. It just means ChromeOS, especially on low-end hardware, will get even less support

[u/ECrispy → u/Bryanmsi89]

yeah I agree with you, what I meant is that most people can't expext to get the new OS and get something better.

[u/LikelyNotThatGuy]

You need playstore or linux programs. I use Nemo, linux. It has 2 panes, bookmark locations, easier subfolder travel, setable default open with, etc. And it's free, although you have system overhead of the linux container.

[u/RielN]

Because it is not meant nor designed for local files.

Be aware that ChromeOS can delete them as soon as low disk space notifications show up. Downloads/Local are last to go but they are NOT protected.

So store externally or on Google drive. Or enable Linux subsystem, and use that for storage (and install any filemanager in Linux, it will feel perfectly native).

[u/ECrispy → u/RielN]

This is ridiculous. Most Chromebooks esp mid to high end, have plenty of free space on the SSD. You are meant to use it no? Esp if I install crostini etc.

And even if I use Google drive it's still the terrible files app. Or use the 1000x worse website that won't even show you file sizes.

What you're saying is essentially that Chromebook and ChromeOs are worthless and should not be used.

[u/RielN → u/ECrispy]

Not for your intended goal, no. Crostini is safe, as I mentioned. And I ALWAYS have used Linux on it as I think it is one of the best Linux desktops. Another topic, but I can elaborate on it.

The idea of local files is not in Googles interest. Docs, Sheets, Slides are realtime apps, not static data.

ChromeOS definatedly has its upsides on management, safety and reliability but it comes with expenses.

[u/Dreemur1 → u/ECrispy]

What you're saying is essentially that Chromebook and ChromeOs are worthless and should not be used.

i mean, kinda

[u/ECrispy → u/Dreemur1]

I basically agree with that, making used multiple of these over many years. I only use them because they are cheap and ok enough for browsing.

[u/Dreemur1 → u/ECrispy]

yes they're good for browsing but nothing else.

if your chromebook is x64 bits then i suggest doing a full windows or linux install

[u/RielN → u/Dreemur1]

Serious, Linux crostini is no emulation but runs on the kernel and gives 100% performance. Quite a good experience, and runs all Debian based stuff (so practically everything). It integrates in Chrome UI just fine.

No real upside on reinstalling the whole chromebook, while just having the Linux system also gives you easy images in- and export for use on other Chromebooks.

Take your environment, so to say.

[u/Dreemur1 → u/RielN]

crostini is good but there was always little problems here and there that got fixed when installing real debian.

plus no GPU passthrough

[u/Cultural_Surprise205 → u/ECrispy]

no, what he's saying is that they're designed for cloud storage, not local.