Winfile
Last Updated March 26, 2024 Version 10.4.0.0
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Privacy Statement The privacy statement can be found here
Introduction Winfile is the well known old File Manager from Windows NT. It has been revived by Microsoft and shared with the public via the Winfile github repository under the MIT License.
I have spent some time on this repository to fix bugs and more important to make it symbolic link, hardlink and junction aware. I have prepared a git branch on my fork of the repository which contains all my combined contributions.

Further more I added Hardlink, Junction and UNC support via this git branch for Winfile, so that an W2K/WXP version is also available.
Installation Copy Winfile.exe to some directory referenced by your PATH environment variable. %systemroot% is a good place.

Changes The changes I contributed to Winfile are
  • Create symbolic links during drag and drop by pressing CTRL + SHIFT
  • Create hardlinks during drag and drop of a file by pressing CTRL + SHIFT + ALT
  • Create junctions links during drag and drop of a directory by pressing CTRL + SHIFT + ALT
  • Issue symbolic link creation from the File menu or via F11
  • Issue hardlink or junction creation from the File menu or via SHIFT + F11
  • Create symbolic links via CTRL + C and CTRL + L
  • Create hardlinks or junctions links via CTRL + X and CTRL + L
  • Path length support up to 1024 characters
  • CTRL-E opens an explorer in the selected directoy
  • Full UNC path support with new drives from 0: to 9:
These changes make Winfile the fastest tool, when it comes to creating hardlinks, symbolic links and junctions.
All features of the version can be found here
 
Symbolic Link Creation
Hardlinks/Junctions 		Winfile now can create symbolic links/hardlinks or junctions quite easily
  • Select one or more files/directories
  • Press CTRL+SHIFT for symbolic links or press CTRL+SHIFT+ALT for Hardlinks/Junctions
  • Drag the file(s)/directory(s) with the mouse to its target location
Create Symbolic Link via Drag and Drop

The cursor now shows an arrow symbol if you pressed CTRL+SHIFT. If you pressed CTRL+SHIFT+ALT a chain symbol is shown as cursor.
Once the file/directory is 'released' a symbolic link/hardlink/junctions is created in the target.

In general to create symbolic links one of a few constraints has to be met:
Symlinks/Hardlinks/Junctions can be created by selecting File/Symlink/Hardlink from the menu

Create Symbolic Link/Hardlink/Junction via Menu

 
Very Long Path Winfile supports up to 1024 characters, which is an improvement, but not the full scope of 32767 characters. Anyhow this should be enough to solve most real world problems.

Show up to 1024 characters
 
UNC Name support Winfile allows you to quickly navigate among UNC paths.
  • Press CTRL+G
  • Paste path into
Navigate among UNC Path

Up to 10 different UNC path can be stored in Winfile and can be switched between via CTRL+0, CTRL+9 and its 'numbered' drives.
Use CTRL+W on an open UNC path window to close such a UNC mapping and delete its numbered drive.
 
W2K WXP UNC support Winfile allows you to quickly navigate among UNC paths.
  • Copy Path from e.g. noptepad via CTRL-C
    • Navigate among UNC Path


  • Press CTRL+G in Winfile
    • Navigate among UNC Path



Up to 10 different UNC path can be stored in Winfile and can be switched between via CTRL+0, CTRL+9 and its 'numbered' drives.
Use CTRL+W on an open UNC path window to close such a UNC mapping and delete its numbered drive.
 
64bit W7/W10/W11 Download and extract winfile.zip (432kb)

 
32bit W7/W10/W11 Download and extract winfile_32.zip (410kb)

Static 64bit W7/W10/W11 Download and extract winfile_static.zip (494kb). No need for runtime dlls, thus can run under WinPE

 
Static 32bit W7/W10/W11 Download and extract winfile_32static.zip (475kb). No need for runtime dlls

 
Download precompiled 32bit W2K/WXP binaries Download and extract winfile_xp.zip (367kb)