Yazi

A terminal file manager with image previews and Lua plugins

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Built by @sxyazi on GitHub. This page was written by @iluxav from public sources, last updated for v26.8.15 (2026-08-15), and may lag behind new releases.

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v26.8.15 / 2026-08-159 things you can do8 changes to know before upgrading Follow (Atom feed)

Browse and manage files in the terminal with Vim-like keys, preview images, videos, PDFs and archives, work on remote servers over SFTP, and extend it with Lua plugins.

What you can do with it

Browse and manage files with Vim-like keys, tabs, visual mode and selection across directories.

Present at v25.3.2

Preview images, videos, PDFs, archives, code with highlighting, and directories in a scrollable pane.

Good to know

Image previews need a terminal with an image protocol (kitty, iTerm2, Sixel) or Überzug++/Chafa; videos, PDFs and archives need external tools such as ffmpeg, poppler and 7-Zip.

Present at v25.3.2

Copy, move and delete files in the background with progress and cancellation.

Present at v25.3.2

Find files and jump to directories with fd, ripgrep, fzf and zoxide.

Good to know

Needs those tools installed.

Present at v25.3.2

Extend or restyle the interface with Lua plugins and themes, installed with a package manager.

Present at v25.3.2

Rename many files at once in your editor.

Present at v25.3.2

Use Yazi as a file picker for other programs, such as an editor.

Present at v25.3.2

Move files to the trash, then browse, preview, restore or empty the trash bin inside Yazi.

Present at v25.3.2

Browse, preview and transfer files on remote servers over SFTP.

Good to know

SFTP is the built-in provider; the PR notes known issues to be fixed in later releases.

Since v26.1.4

Who it is for

Terminal users who want a keyboard-driven file manager with previews, including Neovim and Helix users

What it needs

A terminal; optional tools for previews and search (ffmpeg, 7-Zip, jq, poppler, fd, ripgrep, fzf, zoxide, ImageMagick); a terminal with an image protocol for image previews.

How mature it is

Releases since 2023 (versions named by date since v25.2.7); v26.9.1 is the newest. The README says it is in heavy development and to expect breaking changes, and most releases rename config keys or Lua APIs.

New in v26.8.15

Open the trash bin inside Yazi to preview, restore or empty it.

Also: Image previews in Zellij via the kitty protocol; H/M/L motions.

2026-08-15

Works with

HelixWorks with: Since v25.4.8 Yazi runs directly inside Helix as its file manager (Helix command extensions).

Before you upgrade

Newest first

v26.8.152026-08-15

Rename `[services.domain]` sections to `[sftp.domain]`.

Action requiredAffects: `vfs.toml` files with SFTP services

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v26.8.152026-08-15

Rename `<BackTab>` to `<S-Tab>`; drop `help:filter` (the filter is always on); use `copy dirpath` and `backward wide`/`forward wide`; in `[help]`, `on` becomes `chord`, `run` and `desc` become `action`, and `footer` is removed.

Action requiredAffects: Keymaps that use `<BackTab>`, `help:filter`, `copy dirname` or `backward`/`forward --far`, and themes with a `[help]` section

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v26.5.62026-05-06

The default key for a new tab is now `t` then `t` (was `t`), since `t` then `r` renames a tab.

Behavior changed

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Show 5 older

v26.5.62026-05-06

`title_format` is removed (use the `ind-app-title` DDS event), `micro_workers`/`macro_workers` are removed, and the fetcher rule `id` is renamed `group`; Lua is now 5.5.

Action requiredAffects: Configs that set `title_format`, `micro_workers`, `macro_workers` or a fetcher rule `id`, and plugins that rely on Lua 5.4 behavior

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v26.1.42026-01-04

Rename `name` to `url` in those rules, and the `mime` fetcher to `mime.local`.

Action requiredAffects: `yazi.toml` rules (open, fetchers, spotters, preloaders, previewers, filetype) and icon `globs` rules that use `name`, and fetcher rules for `mime`

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v26.1.42026-01-04

Move `hovered` and `preview_hovered` to `[indicator]` as `current` and `preview`; `$0` is removed from opener rules and `$n`/`$@` are deprecated in favor of the new shell formatting.

Action requiredAffects: Themes that set `hovered` or `preview_hovered` under `[mgr]`, and opener or shell rules that use `$0`, `$n` or `$@` (`%n`, `%*` on Windows)

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v25.5.312025-05-31

Rename `[manager]` to `[mgr]`; the old name is deprecated.

Action requiredAffects: `yazi.toml` and `theme.toml` files with a `[manager]` section

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v25.5.312025-05-31

Move `tab_active` and `tab_inactive` into the new `[tabs]` section of `theme.toml`; drop `tab_width` and `sixel_fraction`, which are removed.

Action requiredAffects: Themes and flavors that style tabs, and configs that set `tab_width` or `sixel_fraction`

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Release history 7

v26.8.152026-08-15

Open the trash bin inside Yazi to preview, restore or empty it.

Details

A trash bin view (`g` then `t`) with restore and empty, drag and drop, bulk create, a help menu that works as a command palette, input history, and automatic dark/light theme switching. SFTP sections in `vfs.toml` move from `[services.domain]` to `[sftp.domain]`.

Also: Image previews in Zellij via the kitty protocol; H/M/L motions.

v26.8.15; official APT repository for Debian and Ubuntu.

Improved: Move files to the trash, then browse, preview, rest…Improved: Browse and manage files with Vim-like keys, tabs, v…Action required: Browse, preview and transfer files on remote server…Action required: Extend or restyle the interface with Lua plugins an…

Seeded by @iluxav with Claude Code (canido)

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v26.5.62026-05-06

Name your tabs and resize panes by dragging with the mouse.

Details

Custom tab names (`t` then `r`), drag-resizing panes, a spotter for several files, and `app:theme` to reload themes live. Lua is upgraded to 5.5. Creating a tab moves from `t` to `t` `t`.

v26.5.6.

Improved: Browse and manage files with Vim-like keys, tabs, v…Behavior changed: Browse and manage files with Vim-like keys, tabs, v…Action required: Extend or restyle the interface with Lua plugins an…

Seeded by @iluxav with Claude Code (canido)

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v26.1.222026-01-22

Preview the contents of compressed tarballs as a tree.

Details

The archive previewer shows a tree and reads `.tar.gz`, `.tar.bz2` and similar; the file list refreshes when the terminal regains focus.

v26.1.22.

Improved: Preview images, videos, PDFs, archives, code with h…

Seeded by @iluxav with Claude Code (canido)

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sxyazi/yazi/blob/v26.1.22/CHANGELOG.md

v26.1.42026-01-04

Manage files on remote servers over SFTP as if they were local.

Details

A virtual file system with an SFTP provider brings remote file management; shell formatting replaces `$n`/`$@` in shell and opener rules; preview images can be zoomed; each task shows its own progress. Groups v25.12.29 and v26.1.4.

Also: `.deb` packages; `casefy` action for case conversion.

v26.1.4.

Added: Browse, preview and transfer files on remote server…Improved: Preview images, videos, PDFs, archives, code with h…Action requiredAction required: Extend or restyle the interface with Lua plugins an…

Seeded by @iluxav with Claude Code (canido)

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v25.5.312025-05-31

See a directory's size update live as it is calculated, in redesigned tabs.

Details

Tabs are redesigned (`tab_active`/`tab_inactive` move to a `[tabs]` theme section), the spotter shows a directory's size in real time, password input is masked, `ya pkg` replaces `ya pack`, and `[manager]` is renamed `[mgr]`. Groups v25.5.28 and v25.5.31.

Also: Embedded covers in video previews; `quit --code` sets the exit code.

v25.5.31.

Improved: Browse and manage files with Vim-like keys, tabs, v…Action requiredAction required: Extend or restyle the interface with Lua plugins an…Action required: Extend or restyle the interface with Lua plugins an…

Seeded by @iluxav with Claude Code (canido)

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v25.4.82025-04-08

Use Yazi as the file manager inside Helix, without Zellij or tmux.

Details

Helix (with command extensions) can run Yazi directly. Keymaps can be platform-specific; the new `follow` action jumps to a symlink's target; `arrow prev` and `arrow next` wrap around. `z` now opens fzf and `Z` zoxide.

v25.4.8; the Helix integration needs a Helix build with command extensions.

Improved: Use Yazi as a file picker for other programs, such…Behavior changed: Find files and jump to directories with fd, ripgrep…Action required: Browse and manage files with Vim-like keys, tabs, v…Action required: Extend or restyle the interface with Lua plugins an…Action required: Extend or restyle the interface with Lua plugins an…

Seeded by @iluxav with Claude Code (canido)

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v25.3.22025-03-02
Starting point

Manage files in the terminal with Vim-like keys while previewing images, videos, PDFs and code.

Details

Starting point: a terminal file manager with asynchronous file operations, built-in previews, tabs, a Lua plugin system and a package manager (`ya pack`).

Binary releases, most Linux package managers, Homebrew, Cargo. Optional tools enable previews and search.

Added: Browse and manage files with Vim-like keys, tabs, v…Added: Preview images, videos, PDFs, archives, code with h…Added: Copy, move and delete files in the background with…Added: Find files and jump to directories with fd, ripgrep…Added: Extend or restyle the interface with Lua plugins an…Added: Rename many files at once in your editor.Added: Use Yazi as a file picker for other programs, such…Added: Move files to the trash, then browse, preview, rest…

Seeded by @iluxav with Claude Code (canido)

Read the evidence

sxyazi/yazi/blob/v25.3.2/README.md