Feature: Please a portable version..

[Lauraq2]

What feature or improvement do you think would benefit Files?

Hi :)
Is possible have a portable version of Files? Thanks:)

Requirements

• This proposal will accomplish X
• This proposal will accomplish Y
• This proposal will accomplish Z

Files Version

latest

Windows Version

Win 11

Comments

No response

[Josh65-2201]

Thanks for the feedback, a portable version isn't possible

[Lauraq2]

thanks anyway :)

[yaira2]

To be clear, it's not technically impossible, but it's not on our radar for the time being.

[Lauraq2]

I can only tell you that I hate apps, I hate the fact that they install themselves where I don't know and that they do what I don't know. And I think that, like me, a lot of people love programs that are transparent and portable, at least that's what people I know think... maybe we're wrong :)

[0x5bfa]

the fact that they install themselves where I don't know and that they do what I don't know.

Where to be downloaded is handled by Windows in a very controlled way (installed under the sandbox made by Windows). It's installed under C:/Program Files/WindowsApp, where even you can't access unless you change the access control of that folder. That being, how our app is downloaded is completely different from how the classic apps are downloaded. For more info, search MSIX.

And I think that, like me, a lot of people love programs that are transparent and portable, at least that's what people I know think... maybe we're wrong :)

Well, Files is pretty transparent as the full source code available and you can build from that that is completely same as what you download from Store. Plus, the place where we store the app settings and logs is under the control of Windows, therefore, if you uninstall the app from the Windows Settings, everything will be gone except you set Files as the default file manager or modify your folders using the app.

[Lauraq2]

that Microsoft controls the app, I don't care, I want to control the app :)
The fact that it's in a position that I can't even access, shows that there's something wrong with how these apps are built. The future, FOR ME :) will absolutely be with portable programs, that you can configure as you want and take them wherever you want and export your settings and share them with others. Then you do as you prefer, I don't understand it but the fact that I don't understand it doesn't mean anything :)

[yaira2]

I can only tell you that I hate apps, I hate the fact that they install themselves where I don't know and that they do what I don't know. And I think that, like me, a lot of people love programs that are transparent and portable, at least that's what people I know think... maybe we're wrong :)

It might sound a bit ironic, but I prefer portable apps as well 🙂

Files was originally built with UWP which didn't provide a portable option. We've since moved over to WinAppSdk which does have a portable option, however multiple changes would need to be made to the Files codebase to properly handle all those scenarios (something we don't have resources to do right now).

[kimusan]

I would vote for a portable version as well. The program is great and it would be good to be able to use it in corp environments where installing apps is not an option. Also, it would be great to have on a USB stick to bring along when you need to use a nice file manager on a borrowed machine