Clover — Give Windows Explorer Chrome-Style Tabs, Say Goodbye to a Screen Full of Folder Windows
In a word: Adds multi-tab browsing, a bookmarks bar, and mouse gestures directly to Windows Explorer — manage all your folders in one window.
You Have Eight Folder Windows Open on Your Desktop, and Finding One Takes Forever
You’re organizing a file. You need to drag from this folder to that folder. So you open: the Downloads folder, the project folder, the image素材 folder, the backup folder, the USB drive folder. Eight Explorer windows stacked on your taskbar. You click one — wrong. Click another — still wrong.
You think to yourself: why can a browser have multiple tabs in one window, but Explorer can’t?
Clover is the direct answer to this question. It brings Chrome’s tab browsing experience to Windows Explorer. After installation, a tab bar appears at the top of your Explorer — exactly like a browser. You can open multiple folders in one window, Ctrl+T to open a new tab, Ctrl+W to close a tab, Ctrl+Tab to switch tabs. The eight Explorer windows on your desktop are now merged into one.
What Can Clover Do?
1. Multi-Tabs: Core Feature
After installing Clover, every Explorer window you open has a built-in tab bar:
- Ctrl+T opens a new tab (opens “This PC”)
- Ctrl+W closes the current tab
- Ctrl+Tab / Ctrl+Shift+Tab switches to the next/previous tab
- Click the X on a tab to close it
- Drag a tab to reorder
- Drag a tab out → becomes an independent window
- Drag a tab from one window to another → merges tabs
If you’re used to Chrome’s tab operations, Clover’s tab behavior is identical — no learning required.
2. Bookmarks Bar: Pin Frequently Used Folders Below the Address Bar
Clover’s bookmarks bar works just like Chrome’s, located below the address bar. You can drag your most frequently accessed folders to the bookmarks bar — project folders,素材 libraries, USB drive root, NAS shared folders — one-click access afterward.
Press Ctrl+D to add the current folder to bookmarks. Press Ctrl+Shift+B to show/hide the bookmarks bar. Identical to browser behavior.
3. Mouse Gestures: Draw a Line with Right-Click to Execute Actions
Clover includes built-in mouse gestures. Hold the right mouse button and draw a line on the screen — Clover executes an action based on the direction:
- Draw right → Forward
- Draw left → Back
- Draw down → Close current tab
- Draw up → Refresh
- Draw an L shape → New tab
This feature is very handy for users already accustomed to browser mouse gestures. Can be disabled in settings if not needed.
4. Seamless Integration with Windows Explorer
Clover doesn’t “replace” Explorer — it “integrates” with it. You’re still using Windows Explorer itself, just with an extra tab bar at the top. This means:
- All file operations (copy, paste, delete, rename, etc.) work exactly the same
- Other Explorer extensions you have installed (like WinRAR right-click menu, Git icon overlays, Dropbox status icons) continue to work normally
- Ctrl+C / Ctrl+V shortcuts remain unchanged
- The address bar, search box, and navigation pane remain unchanged
Important Considerations Before Using Clover
1. Source Concerns
Clover was developed by a Chinese company called “EasyTech” and is closed-source software (no source code available). Its distribution channels have changed several times, and there’s currently no independent official domain website. Common download channels include Softonic and Software Informer.
This means: you can’t verify the code’s safety from an official GitHub or other open-source channel.
2. Installation Bundling Concerns
Historical versions of Clover’s installer have been reported to bundle promotion software. If you decide to install, be sure to choose “Custom Installation” (not “Quick Install”) and carefully uncheck all unrelated options.
3. Windows 11 Already Has Built-in Tabs
Microsoft added built-in tab support to File Explorer in the Windows 11 2022 Update (22H2). If you’re using Windows 11, the system’s built-in tabs are sufficient — no need to install Clover.
4. Recommended Alternatives
If you have concerns about Clover’s safety and source, QTTabBar is a better choice — open source, more features, and still actively updated. See the “Comparison with Similar Tools” section for details.
Professional Media and User Reviews
| Source | Review |
|---|---|
| How-To Geek | ”Clover brings browser-style tabs to Windows Explorer — but Windows 11 users no longer need it” |
| Ghacks | ”Clover is useful, but users should be cautious about installation options and bundled software” |
What Real Users Say
“Used Clover for three years during the Windows 10 era. The tab feature was very satisfying. But after upgrading to Windows 11, the built-in tabs were sufficient, so I uninstalled Clover. It’s still valuable for Win10 users — provided you can accept its installation approach.” — User who migrated from Clover to Win11, V2EX
“Clover turned my Explorer into Chrome — tabs, bookmarks, gestures — productivity skyrocketed. But at the same time, I know the controversy around this software. Let’s just say: the features are genuinely good, the source is genuinely opaque. Weigh it yourself.” — Productivity Tools User, Zhihu
“After installing Clover, Explorer frequently lagged for 2-3 seconds before opening. Online research suggested conflicts with certain Windows updates. Eventually switched to QTTabBar and haven’t experienced any lag since.” — Former Clover User, Coolapk
Comparison with Similar Tools
| Dimension | Clover | QTTabBar | Windows 11 Built-in Tabs | Groupy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tab Function | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Complete | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Most complete | ⭐⭐⭐ Basic | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Full-window tabs |
| Bookmarks Bar | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Yes | ⭐⭐⭐ Limited | Not available | Not available |
| Mouse Gestures | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Yes | ⭐⭐ Needs separate config | Not available | Not available |
| Stability | ⭐⭐⭐ Sometimes lags | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Stable | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Native | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Stable |
| Open Source | Closed | Open source | System native | Closed |
| Installation Safety | ⭐⭐ Watch for bundling | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Clean | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ System built-in | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Clean |
| Supported Systems | Win7-11 | Win7-11 | Win11 22H2+ only | Win10/11 |
| Price | Free | Free | Free | $9.99/one-time |
Selection advice:
- Windows 11 users → Don’t need any extra tools, built-in tabs are sufficient
- Windows 10 users + value open source safety → QTTabBar (more features, open source, no bundling)
- Windows 10 users + want maximum simplicity → Clover (features just enough, but watch for installation bundling)
- Want to tabify ALL windows (not just Explorer) → Groupy (paid, but adds tabs to every window)
Download and Installation Guide
Download Methods
Clover is mainly distributed through the following channels:
| Channel | Download Address | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Softonic | clover.en.softonic.com | Currently the main download channel |
Important Reminders:
- Clover does not have an independent official website — this is a negative in security assessment
- During installation, be sure to choose “Custom Installation” and uncheck all options unrelated to Clover (promotion software)
- If you use Windows 11 22H2 or higher, the system has built-in tab functionality — no need to install Clover
- Safer alternative: Recommended to use QTTabBar (open source, GitHub download)
If You Still Want to Use Clover
- Open the Clover download page on Softonic
- Download the installer
- Choose “Custom Installation” → carefully uncheck unwanted options
- After installation, open any folder → the tab bar appears at the top
- Ctrl+T new tab, Ctrl+W close, Ctrl+Tab switch
FAQ
Q: After installing Clover, Explorer opens very slowly / lags. What should I do? A: This is a known issue with Clover, triggered on certain Windows versions and system updates. Try: 1) Uninstall and reinstall the latest version; 2) Disable mouse gestures and the bookmarks bar in settings to reduce memory usage. If the problem persists, switch to QTTabBar.
Q: Do Windows 11 users need to install Clover? A: No. Windows 11 22H2 and later have built-in tab functionality in File Explorer (Ctrl+T new tab, Ctrl+W close tab), behaving similarly to Clover. The only difference is that Win11 doesn’t have a bookmarks bar or mouse gestures — but installing risky third-party software just for these two features isn’t worth it.
Q: Which is better, Clover or QTTabBar? A: QTTabBar has more features (supports tab grouping, tab preview thumbnails, customizable appearance, etc.), is open source and safe, and has a clean installer. However, QTTabBar’s setup is more complex and requires time for initial configuration. If you’re willing to spend half an hour configuring, QTTabBar is the comprehensive upgrade. If you want something that works right out of the box, Clover is faster to get started with (provided you can accept its security risks).
Clover is like sticking Chrome’s tab bar onto Windows Explorer — it solved a need that Microsoft took 20 years to address in the Windows 10 era. Now that Windows 11 has finally built in this feature, Clover’s historical mission is largely complete. For users still on Windows 10, it still has value — but please be sure to download from reliable sources, pay attention during installation, or consider the safer alternative QTTabBar.