Getting Started
Get up and running with EmpiricCommander in just a few minutes.
1. Installation
EmpiricCommander is available directly from our website or from the App Store.
From our website (macOS)
- Download the latest version from the download page
- Open the downloaded DMG file
- Drag EmpiricCommander to your Applications folder
- Launch from Applications or Spotlight
From the App Store (macOS, iPad, iPhone)
- Search for "EmpiricCommander" on the App Store
- Tap or click Get to download
- The app installs automatically
2. First Launch
When you first open EmpiricCommander, you may need to grant a few permissions:
Full Disk Access:To browse all files on your system, go to System Settings > Privacy & Security > Full Disk Access and enable EmpiricCommander.
The main interface consists of:
- Dual panes -Two file browser panels side by side for efficient file operations
- Toolbar -Quick actions like copy, move, delete, new folder, and view options
- Shelf bar -A staging area to collect files from multiple locations before performing bulk operations
3. Basic Navigation
Navigate your files quickly with these essentials:
- Opening folders — Press → or Enter to open
- Go to parent — Press ← or Backspace
- Back / Forward — Press Cmd+← / Cmd+→
- Switching panes — Press Tab
- Creating tabs — Press Cmd+T to open a new tab
- Quick Look — Press Cmd+Y to preview a file
Navigation
| ↑ / ↓ | Move cursor (+ Shift = extend selection) |
| ← / Backspace | Go up (parent folder) |
| → / Enter | Open focused item |
| Cmd+← / Cmd+→ | Back / Forward |
| Tab | Switch pane |
| Space | Toggle selection |
| Escape | Deselect all |
F-Keys (Norton Commander Style)
| F2 | Rename |
| F5 | Copy to other pane |
| F6 | Move to other pane |
| F7 | New folder |
| F8 | Delete |
| F9 | Toggle terminal |
Cmd Shortcuts
| Cmd+C / X / V | Copy / Cut / Paste files |
| Cmd+A | Select all |
| Cmd+Y | Quick Look |
| Cmd+O | Open in external app |
| Cmd+F | Filter |
| Cmd+R | Refresh |
| Cmd+. | Toggle hidden files |
| Cmd+Delete | Delete |
| Cmd+T / Cmd+W | New tab / Close tab |
| Cmd+3 / Cmd+4 | Next / Previous tab |
| Cmd+1 / Cmd+2 | Single pane / Dual pane |
| Cmd+[ / Cmd+] | Switch pane |
| Cmd+` | Toggle terminal |
Cmd+Shift Shortcuts
| Cmd+Shift+F | Global search |
| Cmd+Shift+N | New folder |
| Cmd+Shift+H | Go home |
| Cmd+Shift+Delete | Permanent delete |
| Cmd+Shift+B | Toggle sidebar |
| Cmd+Shift+P | Toggle preview panel |
| Cmd+Shift+G | Toggle view mode (grid/list) |
| Cmd+Shift+S | Add to shelf |
| Cmd+Shift+T | External terminal |
4. Connecting to Remote Servers
EmpiricCommander Pro supports SFTP, FTP, S3, and Azure storage connections.
- Open the connection manager from the toolbar or press Cmd+K
- Click Add Connection and choose SFTP (or your protocol)
- Enter your server hostname, port, username, and password
- Click Connect to open the remote directory in one of the panes
- Browse, copy, and move files between local and remote just like local file operations
Tip: Saved connections sync across devices via iCloud, so you can access your servers from your Mac, iPad, or iPhone.