diff --git src/org/openstreetmap/josm/gui/widgets/AbstractFileChooser.java src/org/openstreetmap/josm/gui/widgets/AbstractFileChooser.java
index 815c33918..8794931f4 100644
--- src/org/openstreetmap/josm/gui/widgets/AbstractFileChooser.java
+++ src/org/openstreetmap/josm/gui/widgets/AbstractFileChooser.java
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import java.awt.HeadlessException;
 import java.io.File;
 import java.util.Locale;
 
+import javax.swing.ActionMap;
 import javax.swing.filechooser.FileFilter;
 
 /**
@@ -214,4 +215,12 @@ public abstract class AbstractFileChooser {
      * @see java.awt.GraphicsEnvironment#isHeadless
      */
     public abstract int showSaveDialog(Component parent);
+
+    /**
+     * Gets the list of action names.
+     *
+     * @return a <code>ActionMap</code> array containing all the action names
+     *
+     */
+    public abstract ActionMap getActionMap();
 }
diff --git src/org/openstreetmap/josm/gui/widgets/FileChooserManager.java src/org/openstreetmap/josm/gui/widgets/FileChooserManager.java
index 32d60db52..0973c2fd0 100644
--- src/org/openstreetmap/josm/gui/widgets/FileChooserManager.java
+++ src/org/openstreetmap/josm/gui/widgets/FileChooserManager.java
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import java.util.Collection;
 import java.util.Collections;
 import java.util.function.Predicate;
 
+import javax.swing.Action;
 import javax.swing.JFileChooser;
 import javax.swing.filechooser.FileFilter;
 
@@ -36,6 +37,11 @@ public class FileChooserManager {
             // Native dialogs do not support file filters, so do not set them as default, except for OS X where they never worked
             PlatformManager.isPlatformOsx());
 
+    /**
+     * Property to use the details view in file dialogs.
+     */
+    public static final BooleanProperty PROP_USE_DETAILS_VIEW_FILE_DIALOG = new BooleanProperty("use.details.view.file.dialog", false);
+
     private final boolean open;
     private final String lastDirProperty;
     private final String curDir;
@@ -302,6 +308,10 @@ public class FileChooserManager {
             fc = new NativeFileChooser(f);
         } else {
             fc = new SwingFileChooser(f);
+            if (PROP_USE_DETAILS_VIEW_FILE_DIALOG.get()) {
+                Action details = fc.getActionMap().get("viewTypeDetails");
+                details.actionPerformed(null);
+            }
         }
 
         if (title != null) {
diff --git src/org/openstreetmap/josm/gui/widgets/SwingFileChooser.java src/org/openstreetmap/josm/gui/widgets/SwingFileChooser.java
index 8ec6a7d2f..bf6ccb037 100644
--- src/org/openstreetmap/josm/gui/widgets/SwingFileChooser.java
+++ src/org/openstreetmap/josm/gui/widgets/SwingFileChooser.java
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ package org.openstreetmap.josm.gui.widgets;
 import java.awt.Component;
 import java.io.File;
 
+import javax.swing.ActionMap;
 import javax.swing.JFileChooser;
 import javax.swing.filechooser.FileFilter;
 
@@ -105,4 +106,9 @@ public class SwingFileChooser extends AbstractFileChooser {
         jFileChooser.setLocale(locale);
         return jFileChooser.showSaveDialog(parent);
     }
+
+    @Override
+    public ActionMap getActionMap() {
+        return jFileChooser.getActionMap();
+    }
 }