RELEASE INFORMATION

Thank you very much for installing Ultimate File Manager 16.1. This project was born out of the need to create a tool that makes working on a computer easier. A tool that enables accomplishing any task in a simple, well-thought-out way. A tool that is consistent and modern. A tool that looks the way I want and does what I want. It is thanks to you that, despite many obstacles, I continue to develop this project. I have learned a lot and spent thousands of hours making it even better.

Thank you for your trust and for choosing my software. I sincerely hope that Ultimate File Manager serves you well across all tasks (from the simplest operations to the most complex). I also hope, dear user, that you were able to complete every task faster and better, focusing on getting your work done rather than struggling with the tool itself.

Today, I am handing over to you the latest and most refined release of Ultimate File Manager 16.1. I have spent a LOT of time fixing reported bugs and polishing existing features. Our journey together continues...

The current year, 2026, is a special year - it marks the 10th anniversary of the first Ultimate File Manager release! I hope that over this time, UFM has become a mature and trustworthy product - one that allows you to complete all your tasks faster and better every day. The project started in mid-2016, and its first public version was released in May 2017 (so work on the initial release took nearly a year).

In the past year, the most popular file manager in the Ultimate File Manager project was Total Commander with a share of 70.4% (in 64-bit architecture). The most frequently installed options were the portable version (54.1%), UFM MEGAPack (59.1%), and the dark interface (51.6%). The most popular installation languages were English (27.3%) and Polish (24.2%), while the most popular operating system was (despite everything) Windows 11 (67.8%) with a screen resolution of 1920 × 1080 (96 DPI - 100%) (39.1%).

You can find more information in the Ultimate File Manager usage statistics. These statistics are based on anonymous data reported by UFM installer during installation on the user's disk. This basic installation data helps determine the future direction of the project's development.

Ultimate File Manager 16.1 is a major release. It introduces many long-awaited features. Implementing new functionalities and eliminating known bugs cost me a tremendous amount of time, effort, and financial expense. I hope it was worth it! Ultimate File Manager is available COMPLETELY FREE OF CHARGE. This will never change (however, financial support is essential). It is created with passion and commitment - FOR YOU. I hope it serves you well and does its job effectively. Creating it is a wonderful adventure and brings immense satisfaction.

This release of Ultimate File Manager brings an update to the file manager Multi Commander. The file manager is the heart and most important application of UFM suite, binding all other tools together and allowing you to manage your files quickly and conveniently. Multi Commander 16.5 (Build 3221) introduces many changes and features (most notably a completely overhauled file operations engine enabling faster, safer, and more reliable file management) and fixes reported bugs. You can find more information on the official vendor website in the release bulletin.

Existing external applications have been updated to the latest versions. Existing plugins have been updated to the latest versions (see changelog).

A new plugin for Total Commander has been added - VisualSpace and EverySearch. VisualSpace is a file viewer plugin (WLX). It supports both 32-bit (x86) and 64-bit (x64) architectures. The VisualSpace plugin analyzes directory sizes on disk and visualizes file distribution using custom gradient bars - directly within Total Commander's Lister/Quick View panel.
EverySearch is a Total Commander content plugin (WDX) that opens a live search box (Ctrl+Alt+F) overlaid directly on the active panel, powered by a running Everything (voidtools) instance. Search results can be pushed directly in the Total Commander panel listing.

Ultimate File Manager is designed for 64-bit (x64) Microsoft Windows 11. The 64-bit architecture is dominant and is currently the standard choice. Nevertheless, some users still rely on older operating system versions or even 32-bit architecture (often due to the need to run legacy software that is no longer actively developed). Therefore, I decided to create a special UFM edition tailored for 32-bit systems. I also added support for older Windows versions, including the still very popular Windows 10, as well as legacy systems that are no longer supported (Windows 8/8.1 and Windows 7).

In summary, Ultimate File Manager is designed for the Microsoft Windows platform and is distributed to end users via an installer written in NSIS and Delphi CE. Ultimate File Manager installer allows for quick and easy installation of selected components (a pre-configured file manager, plugins/add-ons expanding its functionality, and carefully chosen external tools), with options to choose the installation mode, select components to install, etc. The following editions are available:

The operating system itself is inherently tied to system architecture. Ultimate File Manager is primarily designed for Windows 11 - the latest and fully supported Windows version holding the largest market share. However, older operating systems (Windows 10/8/8.1/7) and others are also supported. Depending on the OS (and its architecture), the file manager may display different menus and button bars. Noticeable differences occur in system commands. Unknown or unsupported systems display only basic menus/button bars (without system commands).

This release brings the final implementation of UPDATE MODE. As a reminder, Update Mode is designed to update files of an existing UFM installation (already present on the user's disk) with files from the newer version currently being installed. In this mode, only new project files are copied - CONFIGURATION FILES AND USER SETTINGS REMAIN UNCHANGED.

The update system has been supplemented with a mechanism that verifies whether UFM configuration files (specifically those defining file manager menus and button bars) have been modified by the user. A checksum system is utilized here. As a result, files modified by the user (e.g., adding a command or a button bar icon) will never be overwritten by the installer (the installer generates these files dynamically based on user preferences, operating system, etc.).

Ultimate File Manager project has added support for the external search engine Everything. One might say: finally!

What is Everything? Everything is a search utility (developed by David Carpenter from voidtools) that instantly locates files and folders in Windows. Unlike standard Windows Search, Everything indexes all files and folders on your computer upon first run, taking only a few seconds (hence the name "Everything").

The Everything application must be running in the background. File indexing options must also be enabled (NTFS volume indexing requires a running Everything Windows service or running the Everything application with administrative privileges). The file manager (Total Commander or Multi Commander) uses it for instant file searching and lightning-fast file/directory size calculation (provided that indexing and size indexing options are enabled). In Windows, communication between the file manager and Everything is facilitated via Inter-Process Communication (IPC) calls. IPC allows applications to query and retrieve search results from the Everything database. Communication with Everything is restricted to the local computer (the ETP protocol allows network communication).

UFM installer handles all necessary configuration settings. UFM Portable installation utilizes the Everything tool only if the Everything service is already installed (running in the background). Standard installation automatically manages the installation and registration of the Everything service (if one isn't already running; otherwise, it will use the existing instance).

Ultimate File Manager supports both dark and light modes (I personally prefer dark mode). Dark mode is modeled after the native Windows dark theme. I put a lot of work into making it as pleasing to the eye as possible (and consistent across all three supported UFM installer types). Light mode corresponds to the standard Windows light theme. In this UFM release, I added support for system setting detection. If a UFM user selects dark mode and also enables the "Match Windows theme" option (default) in UFM Settings, both the file manager and all internal UFM applications will automatically adapt to the active Windows theme (furthermore, I implemented live theme switching while applications are running, though the file manager requires a restart).

Ultimate File Manager project website has also been updated with auto-detection of the current Windows theme (as well as support for the special 32-bit UFM CORE edition).

I am constantly developing internal applications for Ultimate File Manager, adding new features and fixing bugs. This time, I focused on UFM Clipboard Manager. This application manages Windows Clipboard contents (capturing and handling both text and images). The app is now much more capable, fully configurable, easy to use, and feature-rich. In short, UFM Clipboard Manager can now:

UFM installer is constantly evolving to ensure smooth, fast, and user-friendly operation. In this release, I focused heavily on refining its visual appearance - the first thing users see. The installer theme adapts to the specific edition: green is assigned to UFM CORE (64-Bit), blue to UFM MEGAPack (64-Bit), and purple to the special UFM CORE (32-Bit) edition. Graphic assets follow the same theme scheme. These visual distinctions are also present, though subtler, in light mode. Theme options are reflected on the interface configuration page, including the newly added system theme auto-detection.

UFM uninstaller received numerous improvements, particularly for light mode (which was previously somewhat neglected since I personally use dark mode). I also fixed several bugs and legacy issues.

Another installer screen that saw changes is the installation directory selection page. I refined the display layout, resolved several bugs, and most importantly, polished the directory validation code.

Naturally, the component selection, installation summary, and main installation pages underwent major updates due to changes in Update Mode and the requirement to support the special 32-bit UFM edition.

I removed the installer pages that previously allowed customizing file manager color schemes and icon sets. I deemed them redundant, as all these preferences can be easily configured post-installation in UFM Settings. The installer now defaults to recommended settings.

UFM internal applications complement the file manager and represent the core value of UFM suite. They are continuously updated and enhanced. In this version, every internal app received updates to support dark mode refinements and system theme auto-detection. Beyond that, key updates include:

Ultimate File Manager supports multiple languages (inherited from Total Commander and Multi Commander). Only a few are fully translated ("official" languages). To expand localization and popularize UFM, I created a dedicated UFM TRANSLATOR GUIDE detailing every aspect of translating UFM. I recommend reading it before undertaking a translation (of course, this applies to languages other than Polish). Sincere thanks to all translators for their contributions to the project.

I have also written a UFM INSTALLATION GUIDE. This document walks through the installation process step-by-step, detailing what gets installed, where files are copied, and what options are available. Be sure to check it out!

Work is ongoing on UFM System Manager. The app is in early development and requires significant effort - it will allow launching Windows system utilities/services as well as third-party tool suites (e.g., Microsoft Sysinternals Suite). Currently, these features operate without a GUI.

I am working on UFM internal application - UFM App Manager (and its standalone counterpart, Total Editor). Based on user feedback and bug reports, I plan to refresh and improve them. These tools allow opening or editing files with specific extensions using custom, user-defined applications. While Total Commander natively supports View and Edit actions, my implementation allows tailoring view/edit associations for different file types across various external apps, independent of OS file associations.

CHANGELOG