Feature • Last updated: August 11, 2026

Dual-Pane File Manager for FTP, Cloud & NAS

Two panels side by side, drag and drop between them, and every connected storage in the same window - FTP, SFTP, cloud, NAS and your local disks.

FTPie's Storage Explorer offers a Total Commander-style dual-pane interface with advanced file management capabilities for all your connected storage systems.

Demonstration: Dual-pane file management in Storage Explorer

Dual-Pane Interface

Work efficiently with two independent panels that can display different folders or storage locations. Drag and drop files between panels or perform side-by-side comparisons of directory contents.

Two file panes side by side, one showing an FTP server and the other Google Drive, with a two-way drag between them; either pane can hold FTP, Google Drive, a NAS share or your local disk
Two panes, two different storages - and the drag between them is a transfer.
FTPie with two panels open side by side: a local folder of design files on the left, a folder on an SFTP server on the right, each with its own toolbar, breadcrumb and columns
Both panes at once: a local folder on the left, an SFTP server on the right. Every connected storage is in the sidebar.

Viewing Options

Details View

Comprehensive list with columns for name, size, type, modified date, and other metadata

Icons View

Visual representation with file type icons (500+ supported extensions)

Preview View

Thumbnail previews for images and other supported file types

Preview view in FTPie: a folder of photographs shown as thumbnails rendered inside the file panel, with file names underneath
Preview view renders thumbnails in the panel - on a remote storage as readily as a local one.

Navigation Features

  • Tree View - Hierarchical navigation pane (can be toggled on/off)
  • Breadcrumbs - Quickly navigate folder paths and jump to parent directories
  • Smart Search - Filters current view instantly, initiates deep search on Enter

Fast access: Favorites and Recent Documents

Power users don’t browse to the same folder twice a day - they jump there. FTPie has two dedicated views that make your most-used files reachable in one click, no matter which storage they live on.

Favorite / Pinned Folders

Pin any folder from any storage - FTP, SFTP, cloud, self-hosted, local - to the dedicated Favorites panel. One click opens it, regardless of how deep in the tree it lives. Especially useful if you work across multiple accounts; surface your 5-10 hot folders and stop re-navigating.

Recent Documents

A dedicated panel showing the files you’ve opened or edited most recently across every connected storage. Jump straight back to the exact remote file you were working on, without remembering which cloud or server it was on.

Pair either with desktop Folder Shortcuts to launch FTPie straight into a specific path from outside the app - the fastest way in and out of your storage.

File Operations

All standard file management actions are supported:

  • Drag & drop (within storage or between panels)
  • Copy, cut, paste
  • Rename files and folders
  • Create new files/folders
  • Delete items (with optional recycle bin support)
  • Sort by name, size, date, etc.
  • Multi-select operations
Bi-directional integration with Windows Explorer

With the shell extension installed, drag-and-drop and clipboard (Ctrl+C / Ctrl+V) work both ways between FTPie and Windows Explorer:

  • Explorer → FTPie - drag local files or folders into any FTPie pane to upload them to the storage shown there.
  • FTPie → Explorer - drag any cloud, FTP, SFTP or WebDAV file out of FTPie and drop it onto the desktop or into any Explorer folder to download it directly to that location. No “download first, then move” dance.
Files dragged from Windows Explorer into an FTPie pane are uploaded, and files dragged out of a pane into Explorer are downloaded; the clipboard works the same way in both directions
The boundary works in both directions, so remote files behave like local ones at the drop point.
Visual Customization

Choose between light and dark themes, both carefully designed for comfortable extended use. Theme changes apply instantly throughout the application.

Speed up navigation further with Folder Shortcuts to pin your most-used locations. New to FTPie? The getting started guide walks you through connecting your first storage.

What it does not do

FTPie is Windows-only, and the dual-pane workspace is a file manager rather than a sync client - it does not mirror a remote folder onto your disk in the background. If what you want is an always-synced local copy, a vendor sync app is the better tool. If you want to reach files across many storages without filling your disk, this is the right shape.

Common questions

What is a dual-pane file manager?

Two independent panels side by side, each showing a different folder - or a different storage entirely. You drag files from one to the other instead of juggling two windows. Total Commander popularised the layout; FTPie applies it across FTP, SFTP, cloud and NAS.

Can the two panels show different storages?

Yes. One panel can be an FTP server while the other is Google Drive, a NAS share or a local folder. Dragging between them starts a transfer.

Can I see what a file is without downloading it?

Preview view shows image thumbnails directly in the panel, and the built-in viewers open PDFs, code, images and video in a tab. Video streams rather than downloading in full.

Is the dual-pane view free?

Yes. The workspace is part of the free plan, which covers up to 3 FTP/FTPS/SFTP connections. Cloud, WebDAV, NAS and self-hosted storage are part of Pro, with a 14-day free trial. See the plan comparison.

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