Firefox is the most commonly used browser among the bloggers and blog followers. If you don’t like to clutter your windows experience by opening lots of windows then you can use Firefox as Windows Explorer or File Manager. As Firefox comes with tabbed interface, you can open all the file locations in different tabs which otherwise would have come in different windows.
So How to use Firefox as Windows Explorer or File Manager?
By default, Firefox can not be used as Windows Explorer. As Internet Explorer can be used as Windows Explorer also, all that you have to do is install the IE Tab plugin for your Firefox.
(Windows XP Theme used in the image: Micorsoft Zune XP Black Theme)
Now, open an IE Tab in the Firefox and use the file extension “file:///” followed by local drive to use Firefox as Windows Explorer (For example, “file:///D:/Lyte%20Byte”). These file locations can also be bookmarked like a regular webpage, so the next time all you have to do is just click a link in Firefox to open up a folder in your computer.
If you are looking for a Windows Explorer with a tabbed interface, you can also use IE7 in Windows Vista or XP. Also checkout “How to get a tabbed Windows Explorer or File Manager?”
Update: This method does not work with Vista as the structure of Windows Explorer is different from the one used in IE Tab
nice hack there. i always love the IE Tab, there is no need to switch if some lame people still makes websites firefox-unfriendly.
kool.. knew about IE can be used as explorer but never thought of this :p
just a doubt.. why would anyone use this? when windows explorer is available at a simple shortcut of Win E..
Cool tip
Cool tip. Thanks for sharing.
@dEEPAK, Good question Deepak but there are some people who prefer Firefox over anything else…and I still prefer use Windows explorer…
Even I prefer to use windows explorer but die hard firefox fans would love this.
never heard before! Nice! I’ve stumbled it!
Awesome! Thanks for sharing!
Hi,
Thanks for the info.
I have been a windows user and it takes less time as well as little memory to open explorer (i mean windows explorer) than to use a browser window.
However if i need multiple windows at the same time, this comes in very handy..
Neway, i am a voracious mozilla freak, that i hate ie too much.
Try ie7.com for the best browser, no i am not kidding. just try that url..
Hi_there
This use of the ie-tab to get windows explorer
maybe I am not too clever(ie a thickie) but the info to get the above did not connect with me - I have the ie-tab, but I have not used it as yet
Could you explain more fully how to get win explo’
I can understand, if u do not reply to me - I’m ashamed
myself.
elwaltura
@WALTER, First of all, this does not work with Vista…On XP you can use IE Tab from Firefox and use file extensions like file:///D:/ to access Windows Explorer.
@Mr.Byte,
dude it does work im using it right now!!!!!
This would be very useful if the default view of IE-Tab would display files in detailed view and if I didn’t get the following pop-up, “Running a system command on this item might be unsafe”, whenever I tried to change the view or run an app on a file.
Does anyone know of a way to turn off the annoying pop-up or how to get IE-Tab to display the files in detailed view?
Where in Windows Explorer can I find the Mozilla-FireFox bookmarks?
Mike…did you find a solution to the problem you posted??
When I try to do this, i tested it in both IE7 and with the extension, and it just opens a new windows explorer window. Is there anyway to fix this?