In the 2010s, the file explorer apps Android phones came with were, frankly, pretty bad. Then came ES File Explorer, which quickly garnered millions of downloads thanks to getting the basics right and offering a fully-featured file explorer system for Android.
But as they say, you either die a hero or live long enough to see yourself become the villain. ES File Explorer turned into something much darker, and if you still have this app on one of your Android devices, you need to remove it.
ES File Explorer went from essential Android app to security nightmare
Same name, much worse contents
The problem isn’t that ES File Explorer is old, many old Android apps work just fine. The issue is that the app’s reputation collapsed after years of increasingly questionable behavior. Look at this official promo video from 2016, and you’ll get a sense of why it was so beloved.
You could FTP onto your Android device, see a breakdown of content type, clear your junk, and preview compressed file contents without unzipping then with the slow processors of the time.
The problem is that, over time, ES File Explorer transformed from a lightweight utility into something bloated with aggressive advertising, intrusive features, and suspicious background activity. Critical vulnerabilities were uncovered, and ultimately the app was removed from the Google Play Store, never to return. This was probably due to the presence of adware, and ad fraud where the app would click on ads without the user’s intervention.
In short, the app was now bad news and destroyed its credibility and trust. The problem is that you can still sideload the APK file for ES File Explorer. The ability to sideload potential malware is one of the key reasons Google has added a 24-hour delay before you can sideload an app.
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Modern Android doesn’t need third-party file managers the way it used to
Standard doesn’t mean bad
It’s strange how we can get used to certain apps being a fact of life. We learn that some apps are good to have by reputation. It must be why some people still have ES side-loaded on their phones. But the truth is that Android has come a long way and so have the phone makers who customize it for each phone brand and model.
The standard file explorer app that comes with your phone is perfectly adequate for 99% of anyone’s needs. Third-party file explorers for Android are only justifiable for power users at this point, and ES File Explorer hardly qualifies by modern standards. In fact, there are several features that make Android’s default file manager better than third party alternatives.
There are safer alternatives that do the same job without the baggage
There’s no reason to take a chance
If you really must use a different file explorer, then there are far better choices that come without the baggage. There are several open-source Android file managers that don’t spy on you and don’t show you ads. Fossify File Manager is a great place to start, but there are many more options.
Generally, if an app is on the official Play Store, then it’s most likely not harmful thanks to Google’s Play Protect technology. Given how much access we give file explorer apps though, it’s a good idea to do some research on a new app before installing it.
Hanging on to old Android apps is becoming a broader security problem
Having an old app like ES Explorer still knocking around on Android phones today is a symptom of a larger problem. One part of it is just human nature. We like familiar things. We stick to brands and interfaces we know. However, that’s an issue because the owners of the brand can change hands. Alternatively, the idea might always have been to abuse a trusted relationship by providing software that’s genuinely good to get an install base, and then opening the slop gates.
Android itself has become much more security conscious to make up for our lapses. Old apps that you never deleted eventually lose their privileges, apps that have unusual new patterns are flagged. But even so you still need to do your part for your own protection.
