Why Carrots exists.
Most creative software organizes things the same way: an expandable list. Think of layers in design apps, outliners in 3D and animation tools, bins in video editors and Finder's list view on a Mac. You open what you need, close what you don't and see everything at once. File browsing on Windows never worked like that. Carrots does.
Carrots is built for creatives first: motion designers, animators, editors, photographers and 3D artists.
Windows file browsing hasn't moved on.
- You click into a folder, then back out, then into the next one.
- The sidebar tree shows folders, but you only ever see one folder's files at a time.
- You open another window or tab just to see two folders at once.
- You lose your place in big projects.
- You remember paths instead of seeing them.
One list, opened as far as you need.
In Carrots, folders expand in place in the main list. You can work across several folders at once, drag files between them and always see where you are.
Everything else you'd expect is there too: tabs, windows, drag and drop and a full right-click menu. Carrots works alongside Windows File Explorer.
Why it's useful every day.
The core is simple: folders that open in place. Everything else grew out of real creative work, one daily annoyance at a time.
Folders open in place.
Expand folders right in the main list, like a layers panel or Finder's list view, and work across a whole project without clicking in and out.
Press Space to preview.
Images, video, audio, PDFs, Office files, fonts and 3D models open in one preview. Arrow through a folder, or compare two images side by side.
Image sequences as one row.
Render sequences show as a single row instead of hundreds of frames. Play them in the preview, or convert them to video.
Ratings, tags and labels.
Mark your picks with stars, color tags and labels, and add columns for dimensions, duration and codec.
Quick media jobs.
Convert images and video in batches, make smaller copies for sharing, export GIFs, and crop, resize or trim without opening another app.
Batch rename and calculators.
Rename a whole batch of files at once, with a render calculator, an aspect ratio calculator and unit converters built in.
Favorites and the File Hopper.
Pin the folders you use most, jump back to recent ones, and collect files from different folders in the File Hopper.
Tabs, windows and the basics.
Tabs, multiple windows, drag and drop with other apps, and a full right-click menu that includes your other apps' items.
Built by an animator.
I'm an animator. About 10 years ago I switched from Mac to PC as my main workstation, and the biggest pain point in my workflow was Windows File Explorer. Finder and my 3D, video, image and web apps all organize things the same way: lists that open in place. Windows file browsing was the one place that didn't, so I built Carrots.
The core came together in February 2026, and I've used Carrots every day since. Whenever my work needed something, I added it right inside Carrots: first Quick Preview for reviewing assets, references and media, then simple tools like batch renaming, file conversion, quick image and video edits, calculators and file management.
I'm not a programmer. I built Carrots with AI coding tools, so every build gets tested on my own projects first and checked by over 1,000 automated tests. The app is code signed and on the Microsoft Store.
My goal is to build the best file browser I can for creative work on Windows. It has made a huge difference in my daily work, and I hope it does the same for you. I would love to hear what you think and how Carrots works for you. All feedback and feature requests are welcome on the Feedback page.
Founder of Carrots
Your files stay on your PC.
No account, no tracking.
There's no sign-up and no tracking in the app. Carrots only goes online to check for updates. This website uses basic visitor analytics; see the Privacy Policy.
Deletes go to the Recycle Bin.
The same Recycle Bin Windows File Explorer uses. On drives that can't recycle, like some network or USB drives, Carrots warns you first.
Signed and tested.
Code signed by Carrots LLC and on the Microsoft Store. Over 1,000 automated tests run before every release.
Frequently asked questions.
Who is Carrots for?
Creatives who manage a lot of media on Windows: motion designers, animators, editors, photographers and 3D artists. It works as an everyday file browser too.
What is Carrots?
A file browser for Windows where folders expand in place, the way Finder and most creative apps organize things. It also has tabs, drag and drop, a full right-click menu, Quick Preview and tools for everyday file jobs.
How is this different from Windows File Explorer's folder tree?
The tree in Windows File Explorer only shows folders, and the main window shows one folder's files at a time. In Carrots, folders and their files expand together in the main list, so you can work across several at once.
Does it replace Windows File Explorer?
No. It works alongside it, and you can use both.
How much does it cost?
Free during the beta. The paid release has a 30-day trial, and early adopters lock in $39/yr. During the beta, each build is extended in 30- to 60-day steps, so just install the latest build to keep going.
Does Carrots collect any data?
No. There's no account and no tracking in the app, and your files never leave your PC. Carrots only goes online to check for updates.
This website uses basic visitor analytics. See the Privacy Policy for details.
Which file types can it preview?
More than 50, including images (JPG, PNG, WEBP, GIF and HEIC), video (MP4, MOV, WEBM, MKV), 3D models (OBJ, FBX, STL, GLB), PDFs, Office files, and text and code files.
Does it work with Dropbox, OneDrive, Google Drive or Box?
Yes. Carrots works with your Dropbox, OneDrive and Google Drive folders, and custom cloud folders can point at any directory, so Box and other synced services work too. Network drives and NAS are supported.
What are the system requirements?
Windows 10 (version 1809 or later) or Windows 11 on an x64 PC, 4 GB RAM (8 GB recommended), DirectX 11 and about 200 MB of disk space. The download is 48 MB.
How do I install it?
Get the installer from the Download page, run the .exe and follow the prompts. No account needed. It's also on the Microsoft Store.
Where do I report bugs or get help?
Use the Feedback form, or email support@carrots-app.com.
Try it on your own folders.
Windows 10/11 · 48 MB · No account
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