External applications

By default FreeFileSync opens the operating system's file browser on each mouse double-click by invoking "explorer /select, "%item_path%"" on Windows and "xdg-open "%item_folder%"" on Linux.

However you may integrate other external applications into FreeFileSync: navigate to Menu → Advanced → Global settings: External Applications and add or replace a command. The first entry is executed when double-clicking a row or pressing ENTER on main grid while all other entries can only be accessed via the context menu shown after a right-click. The following internal macros are available:

%item_path%     - full file or folder name
%item_folder%   - folder part only
%item2_path%    - Counterpart of %item_path% on the opposite grid
%item2_folder%  - Counterpart of %item_folder% on the opposite grid

Examples:

• Start visual difference tool:
  "C:\Program Files\WinMerge\WinMergeU.exe" "%item_path%" "%item2_path%"
   

• Show file in Windows Explorer:
  explorer /select, "%item_path%"
   

• Open file in associated application:
  cmd /c start "" "%item_path%" or simply "%item_path%"
   

• Open console dialog:
  cmd /k cd /D "%item_folder%"
   

Note
Don't forget to use quotation marks if file names contain spaces!