How to enable or disable File Explorer preloading for faster launch times on Windows 11

• Windows 11 now includes File Explorer preloading to improve startup speed.
• The feature caches parts of File Explorer in memory before launch.
• Users can enable or disable preloading from Folder Options.
• The feature was tested successfully on Windows 11 build 26200.8328 from the May 2026 Security Update.

Windows 11 can now preload File Explorer in the background to reduce the time it takes for folders and windows to open. The feature works by caching parts of the app in memory before you launch it, making File Explorer feel faster during startup. However, some users may want to disable the feature to reduce background resource usage, while others may prefer to keep it enabled for quicker access.

Microsoft recently confirmed that File Explorer preloading is one of several performance improvements coming to Windows 11. According to the company, the optimization is designed to improve launch times, while additional engineering changes address deeper issues such as slow folder navigation, thumbnail rendering delays, unnecessary disk reads, and interface lag.

In this guide, I’ll explain how to turn on or off File Explorer preloading in Windows 11, so you can decide whether prioritizing faster startup performance or minimizing background memory usage works best for your setup.

• Enable window preloading on File Explorer (ViveTool)
• Enable File Explorer preloading features on Windows 11
• Disable File Explorer preloading features on Windows 11
• Pureinfotech’s Take

Enable window preloading for faster launch times on File Explorer (ViveTool)

To enable the preview for the window preloading feature on File Explorer using the ViveTool, follow these steps:

1. Open the GitHub website.

2. Download the ViveTool-vx.x.x.zip file to enable the window preloading feature.

3. Double-click the zip folder to open it with File Explorer.

4. Click the Extract all button.

   

5. Click the Extract button.

6. Copy the path to the folder.

7. Open Start.

8. Search for Command Prompt, right-click the top result, and select the Run as administrator option.

9. Type the following command to navigate to the ViveTool folder and press Enter:

   cd c:\folder\path\ViveTool-v0.x.x

   In the command, remember to change the path to the folder with your path.

10. Type the following command to enable the File Explorer window preloading feature and press Enter:

    vivetool /enable /id:58778013

11. Restart the computer to apply the changes.

Once you complete the steps, the command should enable the feature in the “Folder Options” page to manage preloading on File Explorer.

I tested this ViveTool configuration on Windows 11 build 26200.8328, released as part of the May 2026 Security Update, and confirmed that it works as expected.

If you want to undo the changes, you can follow the same instructions outlined above, but in step 10, run the vivetool /disable /id:58778013 command.

Enable File Explorer preloading features on Windows 11

To enable File Explorer window preloading, follow these steps:

1. Open File Explorer (Windows key + E).

2. Click the See more (three dots) button and click on Options.

   

3. Click the View tab.

4. Check the “Enable window preloading for faster launch times” option.

   

5. Click the Apply button.

6. Click the OK button.

After you complete the steps, the next time you restart your computer, the system will preload specific components in the background during startup to make File Explorer launch faster.

Disable File Explorer preloading features on Windows 11

To disable File Explorer window preloading, follow these steps:

1. Open File Explorer.

2. Click the See more (three dots) button and click on Options.

   

3. Click the View tab.

4. Clear the “Enable window preloading for faster launch times” option.

   

5. Click the Apply button.

6. Click the OK button.

Once you complete the steps, the next time you restart your computer, Windows will no longer preload File Explorer in the background.

Pureinfotech’s Take

Microsoft recently confirmed that Windows 11 now preloads parts of File Explorer in the background to improve startup performance, but the feature has sparked debate because it also increases background memory usage.

Personally, I think the criticism around the extra memory usage is a bit overblown. On most modern devices, several megabytes of memory impact is insignificant, especially if it helps File Explorer open faster and feel more responsive. The bigger issue has always been the sluggishness after the app launches, such as slow folder rendering, thumbnail loading, and delayed context menus.

What matters to me is that the company appears to finally recognize that caching alone is not enough. Microsoft is now talking about deeper optimizations, including reducing unnecessary disk activity and trimming interface overhead. That’s important because Windows 11’s File Explorer has often felt heavier than previous versions due to the mix of modern interface frameworks layered on top of legacy Win32 components.

At the same time, I still believe that the software giant is avoiding the bigger conversation. File Explorer probably needs a complete rebuild from the ground up instead of years of incremental patches layered on top of decades-old code. The current hybrid approach keeps introducing modern visuals while carrying technical debt from older versions of Windows, and that’s likely one reason performance continues to feel inconsistent. A truly modern File Explorer designed specifically for Windows 11 could probably deliver better responsiveness, cleaner animations, and lower resource usage without relying on aggressive preloading tricks.

I would personally leave the feature enabled unless you’re running low-end hardware or you prefer disabling every unnecessary background process. Faster startup with such a small memory trade-off makes sense for most users, but I still think Microsoft’s long-term solution should be to create a new version of File Explorer, rather than continue to optimize around architectural limitations.