Working with files

Use an Explorer tab to browse folders and manage files. The actions offered depend on the selected items and the storage location’s capabilities.

Select files

Press and hold a file or folder to start a selection, then tap other items to add them. The action bar shows actions for the selection. File options provide additional actions for an individual item.

Check the selection before a destructive action, especially when working across several tabs.

Copy and move

1. Select the files or folders in the source location.
2. Choose Copy to keep the originals, or Cut to move them.
3. Navigate to the destination, in the same Explorer or another tab.
4. Paste the items and review any conflict or permission prompts.

Two Explorer tabs in separate panes can make it easier to keep the source and destination visible. See Tabs and panes.

Transfers may need access to both locations. Network storage and storage supplied by another app can have different capabilities from local storage. If a transfer fails, inspect its result before retrying; some files may already have been processed.

Follow an operation

The operations bar shows work in progress. Open an operation for more detail, or use History to inspect its result afterward. Read reported problems rather than assuming every selected file was processed.

Canceling an operation stops further work; it does not undo work that has already completed. Keep the source storage and any network connection available until the operation finishes.

Delete and restore

Butler has its own trash, enabled by default. Review its settings under Settings, Explorer settings. There are limits on how long items stay and how much space trash can use.

When trash is enabled, deleting files on the device’s own storage moves them to trash instead of removing them permanently. Folders opened through the system picker and network locations have no trash; deleting there is permanent. If Butler cannot use trash for an item, read the prompt before agreeing to permanent deletion.

To restore an item, open Trash from Explorer’s home, select it and choose Restore. Butler restores it to its original location, which must still be available and writable. Resolve any name conflicts shown by the app.

Trash is not a backup. Trashed files are kept in Butler’s own app folder. Expiration, emptying trash, clearing Butler’s storage or uninstalling Butler removes them.

Trashed files still use device storage until you delete them permanently from trash. Files deleted permanently cannot be recovered through Butler.

Search and edit

Create a Search tab to find files. Select the locations you want to search and use filters to narrow the results. Filename matching and searching inside files are different tasks; check your search options. Regex is available for more specific patterns.

Open text in Editor when you want to change it. Save your changes before leaving, and keep a separate copy of important files before editing. Having permission to read a file does not necessarily give permission to save it.

Network locations

Butler supports SMB shares, SFTP servers and WebDAV servers. Add a network location from Explorer and enter the server details supplied by its administrator. Adding and testing a location is free; browsing it requires Pro.

• SMB is commonly used by Windows shares and NAS devices.
• SFTP uses SSH. Check the server’s host-key fingerprint with its administrator before trusting a new or changed key.
• WebDAV is used by Nextcloud, ownCloud and many NAS devices. If the server’s certificate is self-signed or not trusted by the device, Butler shows its fingerprint and asks before trusting it. If a trusted certificate later changes, Butler stops and asks again; only accept it if you know why it changed.

The device must be able to reach the server, for example through the same network or an appropriate VPN. Butler does not make a private server reachable from the internet. Do not expose a server publicly just to fix a connection problem.

Keep passwords and private keys out of screenshots, public issues and shared logs. If access fails, check the address, credentials, server permissions and network connection.

When a folder will not open

Start with Setup & permissions. All files access, a system-folder grant and elevated access are different mechanisms; granting one does not automatically unlock every location.

If the issue persists, collect the folder path, operation and exact error for a bug report. Redact personal names or other private path details before posting publicly.