> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.otter-shell.org/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# otter-files

> Native Wayland file manager for local paths, SFTP, and SMB. Tabs, splits, thumbnails, archives, and trash.

`otter-files` is a native Wayland file manager. Browse local disks, SFTP, and SMB. Tabs, split panes, thumbnails, archives, trash, and bulk rename come with it.

## Usage

```bash theme={null}
otter-files
otter-files ~/Documents
otter-files --new-tab sftp://host/home
```

Launch from [otter-launcher](/desktop/otter-launcher) or the **Otter Files** desktop entry. Locations accept local paths plus `file://`, `sftp://`, `smb://`, and `archive://` URIs.

Archive URIs look like `archive:///path/file.zip!/member`. Opening a supported archive shows a read-only virtual folder. Back and Up work as usual.

| Flag           | Description                                  |
| -------------- | -------------------------------------------- |
| `--new-window` | Open locations in a new window               |
| `--new-tab`    | Open locations as tabs in an existing window |
| `--select`     | Select item locations in their parent folder |
| `--properties` | Show properties for item locations           |
| `--help`       | Print usage and exit                         |

## Remote locations

Press <kbd>Ctrl+K</kbd> or use the blank-area context menu to open **Connect to Server** for SFTP and SMB. Leave the SMB credential form empty to request anonymous access. The dialog does not store credentials. Bookmark a remote location yourself with <kbd>Ctrl+B</kbd> or the context menu if you want it saved.

UDisks2 mount, unmount, and eject go through the running desktop polkit agent.

## File operations

Copy, move, rename, create, trash, delete, undo/redo, and conflict handling. Bulk Rename supports find/replace and templates (`{name}`, `{ext}`, `{n}`, `%n`, `###`). It preserves extensions by default, previews four entries, and will not overwrite existing names.

Create a symbolic link from the selected-item context menu or <kbd>Ctrl+Shift+L</kbd>. Links are relative to the current folder and work locally or over native SFTP.

Open in Terminal follows `xdg-terminal-exec`, keeps the selected folder as the child working directory, and falls back to [otter-term](/apps/otter-term) when that helper is missing.

## Archives and thumbnails

Create and extract tar (gzip/bzip2/xz/zstd), zip, 7z, and RAR/CBR. Archive members are browsable but not launched directly. Use **Extract Here** on the containing archive to open them.

`bsdtar`, `tar`, `zip`, and `unzip` are detected at runtime. Install `7z` and `unrar`/`rar` for 7z and RAR. RAR creation needs `rar`.

Image thumbnails decode natively. Video and other formats use bounded thumbnailers, including remote SFTP/SMB files by default.

## Configuration

Config file: `~/.config/otter-shell/otter-files.conf`

Edit it in [otter-settings](/desktop/otter-settings) on the **Files** tab (shown when `otter-files` is installed), or by hand.

Remote thumbnails are on by default and capped by `remote_thumbnail_limit_mb` (16 MiB). Set `thumbnail_policy` to `local_only` or `never` to opt out.

```conf theme={null}
thumbnail_policy = always
remote_thumbnail_limit_mb = 16
```

## Dependencies

The packaged `otter-files` depends on `desktop-file-utils`, `shared-mime-info`, and `ffmpegthumbnailer` (video thumbnails), plus Otter shared libraries and fonts.