On Windows 11 build 25290 and higher releases, you can now turn on an option that enables the ability to drag a tab out of File Explorer to open a location in a new window.
The feature is still under development, and you can only drag out one tab from File Explorer (via @PhantomOcean3). You cannot select multiple taps with the “Ctrl” key to create a new window. In addition, once you create a new separate window, you cannot drag the tab back to the previous window like when using web browsers.
If you want to get hands-on with the new feature, you can use a third-party tool called “ViveTool” created by Rafael Rivera and Lucas on GitHub, to enable the option on your computer.
This guide will teach you the steps to turn on this new feature on Windows 11.
Enable drag tabs out of File Explorer on Windows 11
To drag tabs out of File Explorer to a separate window, use these steps:
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Download the ViveTool-vx.x.x.zip file to enable the tab drag-out feature.
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Double-click the zip folder to open it with File Explorer.
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Click the Extract all button.
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Click the Extract button.
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Copy the path to the folder.
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Open Start.
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Search for Command Prompt, right-click the top result, and select the Run as administrator option.
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Type the following command to navigate to the ViveTool folder and press Enter:
cd c:\folder\path\ViveTool-vx.x.x
In the command, remember to change the path to the folder with your path.
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Type the following command to enable the ability to drag tabs out of File Explorer and press Enter:
vivetool /enable /id:39661369
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Restart the computer.
Once you complete the steps, the next time you open multiple tabs on File Explorer, you will be able to drag tabs out to create a new window.
If you change your mind, you can revert the changes with the same instructions, but on step 10, make sure to use these commands: vivetool /disable /id:39661369 and then restart the device.
Mauro Huculak is a Windows How-To Expert who started Pureinfotech in 2010 as an independent online publication. He has also been a Windows Central contributor for nearly a decade. Mauro has over 14 years of experience writing comprehensive guides and creating professional videos about Windows and software, including Android and Linux. Before becoming a technology writer, he was an IT administrator for seven years. In total, Mauro has over 20 years of combined experience in technology. Throughout his career, he achieved different professional certifications from Microsoft (MSCA), Cisco (CCNP), VMware (VCP), and CompTIA (A+ and Network+), and he has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for many years. You can follow him on X (Twitter), YouTube, LinkedIn and About.me. Email him at [email protected].