Finder vs Haemil Explorer for Windows users
Updated
Finder can do some of this already. ⇧⌘G takes you to a typed path, ⌘C then ⌥⌘V moves a file, and ⌘[ goes back. What it does not have is an always-visible address bar, ⌘X to cut files, Backspace for Back, or Windows-style views.
Haemil Explorer is a macOS app that puts those where a Windows File Explorer user expects them, and the basics are free. Dual panes, the disk space map, the duplicate finder and folder compare are Pro, and you can try them free for the first 14 days. It runs next to Finder rather than replacing it, so if Finder already works for you, there is no reason to switch.
Differences at a glance
The Finder column follows Apple's Mac keyboard shortcuts page and the Mac User Guide. The Haemil column is version 0.9.35. The Finder side was checked on October 23, 2026 and the Haemil side on October 24.
| Task | In Finder | In Haemil Explorer | Haemil free or Pro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Go to a typed path | Go › Go to Folder (⇧⌘G) | Type in the always-visible address bar (⌘L, F4, ⇧⌘G), with ~/ and Tab completion | Free |
| See where you are | Turn on the path bar (⌥⌘P) | Path segment buttons in the address bar | Free |
| Move files | ⌘C, then ⌥⌘V where you want them | ⌘X, then ⌘V (cut works inside Haemil only) | Free |
| Back and up | ⌘[ and ⌘↑ | ⌫ or ⌥←, and ⌘↑ or ⌥↑ | Free |
| Views | Icons, list, columns, gallery | Windows' eight views plus columns and gallery (⌥⌘0), remembered per folder | Free |
| Find by content | Spotlight | Content search (processed on the Mac only, off at first) | Free |
| Two folders side by side | Open two windows | Dual pane (⌘\) | Pro |
| Where the space goes | "Calculate all sizes" in List view | Disk space treemap | Pro |
| Look inside a ZIP | Double-click extracts it next to the ZIP | Open it like a folder without extracting | Pro |
| Find identical files | Not available | Duplicate finder (SHA-256) | Pro |
| Rename many files | Rename (replace text, add text, format) | Batch rename (stacked steps, live preview, ⌘Z) | Pro |
| Compare and sync two folders | Not available | Folder compare and sync (one ⌘Z undoes it all) | Pro |
Address bar and typing a path
Finder has no address bar like the one in Windows File Explorer. You paste a path into Go to Folder (⇧⌘G), or turn on the path bar (⌥⌘P) to show where you are at the bottom of the window.
Haemil Explorer always has an address bar at the top. Click a path segment to go there, or click the empty space to type. It takes paths starting with ~/, relative paths such as Downloads/, and file:// addresses, with Tab completion. ⌘L, ⌥D and F4 jump to it, and ⇧⌘G works too if your fingers already know Finder.
Moving files (cut)
Finder has no Cut for files. Copy with ⌘C, then press ⌥⌘V in the destination folder to move them.
In Haemil Explorer, ⌘X then ⌘V moves files as on Windows, and ⌘Z undoes it. Copy and paste share the clipboard with Finder, but cut works only inside Haemil windows.
Dragging follows the same rules as Finder: a move on the same disk, a copy to another disk, and always a copy when you hold ⌥.
Back, forward and up
Finder goes back with ⌘[, forward with ⌘], and up to the enclosing folder with ⌘↑.
Haemil goes back with ⌫ as on Windows, and also takes ⌥← · ⌥→ and ⌘[ · ⌘]. Up is ⌘↑ or ⌥↑. There are Back, Forward and Up buttons as well.
Views: remembered per folder, with groups
Finder has four views: icons, list, columns and gallery. People have long reported that Finder does not keep view settings per folder.
Haemil has Windows' eight views (extra large icons, large icons, medium icons, small icons, list, details, tiles and content) plus a Finder-style column view and gallery view (⌥⌘0). It remembers the view you pick for each of the last 1,000 folders, and a folder you never set follows the nearest folder above it.
Group by, in the Sort menu, works like Group by in Windows: by name, date modified (Today, Yesterday, Earlier this week, Last week …), type or size. Details view writes dates and sizes the Windows way.
Search: names, contents and apps
Finder search and Spotlight find files by name and content, with nothing to turn on.
Haemil's search box finds names in the current folder and below, and type buttons such as PDF, Images and Videos filter the results. It uses the Spotlight index and walks folders directly where there is no index.
Turn on content search and you can also find files by what is in a photo, the text of PDFs and documents, or recordings and videos. Indexing and search run on the Mac only. It is off at first and downloads an AI model once when you turn it on. Apps appear at the top of the results.
Using it alongside Finder
Haemil runs next to Finder and does not turn it off or replace it. Open and save dialogs in other apps, and the desktop, are still Finder.
It reads and sets Finder color tags (⌃1–7), and has Recents, the Trash with Put Back and Empty, Duplicate (⌘D), Make Alias (⌃⌘A), Share and AirDrop, and Connect to Server (⌘K), all working as they do in Finder. Space opens the same macOS Quick Look window Finder uses.
Where Finder is better
It is already installed and free. There is nothing to download.
It is part of macOS. Open and save dialogs in other apps, the desktop and folders in the Dock always behave the Finder way.
It runs on Intel Macs and on macOS 13 and earlier. Haemil needs Apple Silicon and macOS 14 or later.
Spotlight content search works out of the box. Haemil's content search is off at first, and turning it on means downloading an AI model and building an index.
Who each one suits
Finder suits long-time Mac users whose hands know its shortcuts, anyone on an Intel Mac, and people who do not handle many files.
Haemil Explorer suits people who use Windows at work or school and a Mac at home, people who want to paste a path and go, people who want ⌘X to move files, and people who set a view per folder.
If you move files to and from remote servers a lot, or you already like commander-style dual panes, another app may fit better. The dual-pane file manager comparison covers those.
Pro features and the 14-day trial
Pro includes dual panes, disk space analysis, the duplicate finder, batch rename, folder compare and sync, browsing ZIP files, date and size filters, saved searches, saved tab sets, the file shelf and batch image resize.
From the first day you run it, you can use every Pro feature free for 14 days. When the trial ends, the basics stay free.
System requirements
macOS 14 or later on an Apple Silicon (M1 or later) Mac. The app is in Korean and English.
Sources
Finder shortcuts (Go to Folder, ⌥⌘V, ⌘[, ⌘↑, path bar, the four views): support.apple.com/en-us/102650
Finder tabs: support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/mchlp1032/mac. Renaming several items: support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/rename-files-folders-and-disks-mchlp1144/mac. Zipping and unzipping: support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/zip-and-unzip-files-and-folders-on-mac-mchlp2528/mac
Finder folder sizes: discussions.apple.com/thread/255219734. Reports that Finder forgets view settings: forums.macrumors.com/threads/finder-wont-remember-viewing-settings.218338
Haemil Explorer: the app at version 0.9.35 and its documentation (checked October 24, 2026). The Finder sources were all checked on October 23, 2026.
FAQ
Do I have to remove or turn off Finder?
No. Haemil Explorer runs alongside Finder. Finder stays as it is, and you can copy and paste between the two.
Is Haemil Explorer the same as Windows File Explorer?
No. It matches the address bar, shortcuts, views and date format so Windows users feel at home, but it is a Mac app that uses macOS Quick Look, iCloud Drive and tags. Haemil Explorer is not affiliated with Microsoft.
Can I paste files copied in Finder into Haemil?
Yes. Copy (⌘C) and paste (⌘V) share the clipboard with Finder. Cut (⌘X) works only inside Haemil windows.
Does it run on Intel Macs?
No. It currently needs Apple Silicon (M1 or later) and macOS 14 or later.