# File Browser

The Browser lets you move through folders and quickly inspect files.

## Open the Browser

Press **F4**.

- If the Browser is hidden, F4 opens it beside the active file.
- If it is visible but not focused, F4 moves focus to it.
- If it already has focus, F4 closes it.

Run `browser:reveal-active-document` from the command palette when you want to reveal the active file directly.

## Preview or keep a file

- Arrow keys and a single click show a temporary preview.
- **Enter** and a double-click keep the selected file open.
- Editing a preview also keeps it open.

Clean previews share one tab. This makes browsing fast without filling the tab bar.

## Move around

| Key | Action |
| --- | --- |
| Up or Down | Select another item |
| Page Up or Page Down | Move one page |
| Home or End | Select the first or last item |
| Right | Expand a folder |
| Left | Collapse a folder |
| Enter | Open a file or toggle a folder |
| Shift+Enter | Use the selected folder as the Browser root |
| Backspace | Return to the previous Browser root |
| Escape | Return focus to the editor |

Escape leaves the Browser visible.

## Follow the active file

When you open the Browser, it uses the active file's folder. Switching to a file on another drive and pressing F4 makes the Browser follow that file instead.

## Network and WSL folders

The Browser supports normal Windows UNC paths:

```text
\\server\share\folder
```

It also supports both common WSL forms:

```text
\\wsl.localhost\Ubuntu-24.04\home\user
\\wsl$\Ubuntu-24.04\home\user
```

These paths must keep both leading backslashes and the server and share names.

Files in a WSL Linux filesystem live inside WSL's virtual disk. Open or copy them through WSL, Explorer's Linux view, or these UNC paths. Do not edit the virtual disk file directly.

## Unreadable files

Some system files, links, and network items cannot be read through Windows.

The Browser keeps working. It shows an empty read-only preview and a short warning. Select the file again to retry.
