Files App goes from UWP to WinAppSDK, some Window 10 features get the Windows 11 touch

Last month, the Files App, which won the 2022 Microsoft Store award for best file management, received a preview update. In that update, the app was migrated over from UWP to the more modern Windows App SDK. Now, the update, version 2.4, is out of preview and available for download.

Aside from that, the latest update also features many many changes, fixes, and improvements. For example, Files App on Windows 10 now has the Windows 11-style grid and details layout with rounded corners. So in case you are still a Windows 10 user and like the look and feel of Windows 11, you could try this update.

New Windows 11-styled rounded corner Grid and Details layout in Files v2.4

The full changelog may be the biggest we have seen from any recent Files update. You can find the full release notes below on the app's GitHub page (linked at the end of the article) but here are the main improvements and fixes:

Changes in v2.4**

• Added support for changing the default layout mode
• Added support for changing the default sorting and grouping options
• Added a tooltip with storage information when hovering over drives
• Added an extract archive button to the toolbar when viewing archives
• Fixed issue where the default file manager option would affect other user accounts
• Fixed issue where sidebar icons were blurry
• Added menu option to compress items into archive
• Display recent searches when clicking on the search box
• Display error message when shortcut target cannot be found
• Added option to set the default column sizes in the details layout
• Fixed issue where right click didn't always select the file/folder hovered over
• Auto select the folder option on the add item dialog
• Added setting to select files and folders on mouse hover
• Updated the listview/gridview styles on Windows 10
• Display prompt when user doesn't have permission to access a folder
• Added support for creating and extracting password protected archives

You can download the Files App version 2.4 from Microsoft Store. The same is also available on GitHub.

Files App goes from UWP to WinAppSDK, some Window 10 features get the Windows 11 touch