Shafat Mahmud Khan

<p>Frontend File Explorer is a modern, Windows Explorer–inspired file manager for WordPress. It gives you a clean admin interface to organize and share files plus a responsive frontend explorer powered by a simple shortcode.</p>
<p>Use it to create download areas for courses, client file portals, or resource libraries — without relying on heavy external file management tools.</p>
<p>The plugin provides a seamless experience for both administrators and frontend users:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Explorer-style UI:</strong> Navigate with breadcrumbs, toolbar actions, pagination, and Material Icons.</li>
<li><strong>Dedicated Directory:</strong> Files are stored in a secured <code>wp-content/uploads/downloads</code> directory.</li>
<li><strong>Admin Management:</strong> Create folders, upload files, delete items, and download ZIPs directly from the admin dashboard.</li>
<li>Frontend Integration: Embed the explorer anywhere using the <code>[frontend_file_explorer]</code> shortcode.</li>
<li><strong>AJAX-Powered:</strong> Fast, smooth navigation and pagination without page reloads.</li>
<li><strong>Translation Ready:</strong> Fully localized with the <code>frontend-file-explorer</code> text domain.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>How to use the Explorer:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><strong>Admin Interface:</strong><br />
Navigate to <strong>File Upload</strong> in your WordPress admin sidebar. From this dedicated dashboard, administrators can create nested folders, upload bulk files (featuring multi-select and drag-and-drop), import existing Media Library assets, delete items, and download entire directories as ZIP archives.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><strong>Frontend Shortcode:</strong><br />
Embed the user-facing explorer interface on any Page, Post, or Custom Post Type using the following shortcode setup:</p>
<pre><code>[frontend_file_explorer]
</code></pre>
<p><em>(Renders the explorer starting at the root storage directory)</em></p>
<p><strong>Advanced Shortcode Usage:</strong><br />
You can explicitly define the starting folder path relative to the root <code>uploads/downloads</code> directory by using the <code>folder</code> attribute:</p>
<pre><code>[frontend_file_explorer folder="/course-materials"]
[frontend_file_explorer folder="/clients/acme-corp"]
</code></pre>
<ul>
<li><strong>Frontend Capabilities:</strong> Visitors browsing the frontend can view contents, click files to download them, and copy direct sharing links.</li>
<li><strong>Security:</strong> Destructive or mutating actions (like file upload, folder creation, or deletion) remain strictly hidden and blocked from public visitors. They are only accessible to logged-in users who possess the WordPress <code>upload_files</code> capability.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Who is this plugin for?</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Course creators who need a simple, branded downloads area.</li>
<li>Agencies and freelancers who share files with clients.</li>
<li>Site owners who want a lightweight, Explorer-like file manager in WordPress.</li>
</ul>


Frontend File Explorer

A modern, Windows Explorer–inspired file manager for WordPress with admin interface and frontend shortcode.

Silkalns

WP Chill

Mike Jolley

Barry Kooij

<h3>Powerful Download Manager Plugin for WordPress</h3>
<p>Download Monitor is a powerful download manager plugin for handling downloadable files, adding download links to your posts or pages, and tracking downloads.</p>
<p>Download Monitor has been featured on the websites of some of the most popular and leading businesses in the WordPress ecosystem, such as WPBeginner, Pagely, Jilt, WP Fusion & Kinsta.</p>
<h4>See how easy it is to list a download on your WordPress site</h4>
<p><span class="embed-youtube" style="text-align:center; display: block;"><iframe loading="lazy" class="youtube-player" width="750" height="422" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/xEbliDziMrU?version=3&rel=1&showsearch=0&showinfo=1&iv_load_policy=1&fs=1&hl=en-US&autohide=2&wmode=transparent&listType=playlist&list=PLM2tOjfhVrZfvMiJ3ib1GqvWBpYpBeQaS" allowfullscreen="true" style="border:0;" sandbox="allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox"></iframe></span></p>
<h3>Download Monitor Extensions available when purchasing a Pro plan</h3>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://download-monitor.com/extensions/buttons/?utm_source=wordpress.org&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=description&utm_term=Buttons" rel="nofollow ugc">Buttons</a>: Create beautiful, fully customizable download buttons for your files.</li>
<li><a href="https://download-monitor.com/extensions/downloading-page/?utm_source=wordpress.org&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=description&utm_term=Downloading+page" rel="nofollow ugc">Downloading Page</a>: Serve your downloads from a separate page.</li>
<li><a href="https://download-monitor.com/extensions/google-drive/?utm_source=wordpress.org&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=description&utm_term=Google+drive" rel="nofollow ugc">Google Drive</a>: Lets you use the files hosted on your Google Drive as Download Monitor files.</li>
<li><a href="https://download-monitor.com/extensions/advanced-access-manager/?utm_source=wordpress.org&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=description&utm_term=Advanced+access+manager" rel="nofollow ugc">Advanced Access Manager</a>: Create advanced download limitations per download and on a global level.</li>
<li><a href="https://download-monitor.com/extensions/email-notification/?utm_source=wordpress.org&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=description&utm_term=Email+notification" rel="nofollow ugc">Email Notification</a>: Trigger an email notification whenever one of your files is downloaded.</li>
<li><a href="https://download-monitor.com/kb/page-addon/?utm_source=wordpress.org&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=description&utm_term=Page+addon" rel="nofollow ugc">Document Library Manage</a>: Display files in fast, searchable tables or grids with sorting, filters, and flexible styling. Your documents, easy to find.</li>
<li>Lock downloads option: Set restrictions to your download functionality using <a href="https://www.download-monitor.com/extensions/mailchimp-lock/?utm_source=wordpress.org&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=description&utm_term=Mailchimp+lock" rel="nofollow ugc">MailChimp Lock</a>, <a href="https://www.download-monitor.com/extensions/email-lock/?utm_source=wordpress.org&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=description&utm_term=Email+lock" rel="nofollow ugc">Email Lock</a>, <a href="https://download-monitor.com/extensions/captcha/?utm_source=wordpress.org&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=description&utm_term=Captcha" rel="nofollow ugc">CAPTCHA</a>, </li>
<li><a href="https://www.download-monitor.com/extensions/gravity-forms/?utm_source=wordpress.org&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=description&utm_term=Gravity+forms" rel="nofollow ugc">Gravity Forms Gated Content</a>: easily create a download gate with Gravity Forms. Require users to fill-in a form before accessing a download.</li>
<li><a href="https://download-monitor.com/extensions/ninja-forms/?utm_source=wordpress.org&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=description&utm_term=Ninja+forms" rel="nofollow ugc">Ninja Forms Lock</a>: if you are an user of Ninja Forms, you can also use this to require users to fill-in of a form before accesing a download.</li>
<li><a href="https://download-monitor.com/kb/wpforms-integration/?utm_source=wordpress.org&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=description&utm_term=WPForms" rel="nofollow ugc">WPForms Gated Content</a>: gate your downloads by first requesting users to submit a form build using WPForms.</li>
<li><a href="https://download-monitor.com/kb/contact-form-7/?utm_source=wordpress.org&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=description&utm_term=CF7" rel="nofollow ugc">Contact Form 7 Lock</a>: request the submission of a Contact Form 7 form before providing access to the download.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Documentation</h3>
<p>We have a large Knowledge Base on our <a href="https://www.download-monitor.com/kb/?utm_source=wordpress.org&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=description&utm_term=knowledge+base" rel="nofollow ugc">Download Monitor website</a> that contains documentation about how to how to setup and use Download Monitor.</p>
<h3>How-to Guides</h3>
<p>Are you a new Download Monitor user? Read these articles on how to get your files ready for download with Download Monitor:<br />
<a href="https://www.download-monitor.com/kb/install-and-activate-download-monitor/?utm_source=wordpress.org&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=description&utm_term=how+to+install" rel="nofollow ugc">How to install Download Monitor</a><br />
<a href="https://www.download-monitor.com/kb/adding-downloads-to-your-website/?utm_source=wordpress.org&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=description&utm_term=how+to+add" rel="nofollow ugc">How to add your first download in Download Monitor</a><br />
<a href="https://www.download-monitor.com/kb/shortcode-downloads/?utm_source=wordpress.org&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=description&utm_term=how+to+list" rel="nofollow ugc">How to list your first download on your website with the download shortcode</a></p>
<p>More advanced topics that a lot of people find interesting:<br />
<a href="https://www.download-monitor.com/kb/content-templates/?utm_source=wordpress.org&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=description&utm_term=style+buttons" rel="nofollow ugc">Learn more about the different ways you can style your download buttons</a><br />
<a href="https://www.download-monitor.com/kb/overriding-content-templates/?utm_source=wordpress.org&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=description&utm_term=customize+buttons" rel="nofollow ugc">Learn more about how to customize your download buttons</a><br />
<a href="https://www.download-monitor.com/kb/action-and-filter-reference/?utm_source=wordpress.org&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=description&utm_term=action+filter" rel="nofollow ugc">Learn more about what actions and filters are available in Download Monitor</a></p>
<h4>Contributing and reporting bugs</h4>
<p>You can contribute code to this plugin via GitHub: <a href="https://github.com/WPChill/download-monitor" rel="nofollow ugc">https://github.com/WPChill/download-monitor</a><br />
You can contribute localizations via Transifex <a href="https://www.transifex.com/projects/p/download-monitor/" rel="nofollow ugc">https://www.transifex.com/projects/p/download-monitor/</a></p>
<h3>Help & Support</h3>
<ul>
<li>Search our extensive <a href="https://download-monitor.com/kb/?utm_source=wordpress.org&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=description&utm_term=knowledge+base" rel="nofollow ugc">knowledge base</a> for documentation about installing the plugin/the extensions, available settings and how to use them.</li>
<li>Browse <a href="https://wordpress.org/plugins/download-monitor/" rel="ugc">Download monitor’s WordPress forum</a> to find answers to your queries or create a new topic.</li>
<li><a href="https://download-monitor.com/contact/?utm_source=wordpress.org&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=description&utm_term=contact+us" rel="nofollow ugc">Contact us</a> directly for support.</li>
</ul>
<h3>3rd party or external service disclaimer</h3>
<p>The plugin connects to our website through an API call (https://download-monitor.com/?dlm-all-extensions=true) in order to request a list of available extensions.</p>
<p>IT DOES NOT SEND ANY DATA NOR DO WE COLLECT INFORMATION FROM THE REQUEST</p>
<p>Our privacy policy can be found at this URL https://download-monitor.com/privacy-policy/</p>


Download Monitor

Excellent Support

Nice


I'm using it for years in some projects and it's the best tool I have ever tested.I now use it as soon as I have to offer downloads on a website.


Best download management plugin

Powerful Download Manager Plugin for WordPress

Frontend File Explorer vs Download Monitor