- File Explorer is finally getting tabs on Windows 11.
- Microsoft hasn’t confined the release date for this feature.
- The file manager app is also expected to get many other tweaks.
Microsoft has officially confirmed that tabs for File Explorer will be coming to Windows 11 in addition to some other tweaks and design changes. In its “Windows Powers the Future of Hybrid Work” event, the company officially announced that File Explorer will finally get support for tabs.
The new support isn’t a secret. It has already been spotted as a hidden feature in the latest preview builds of Windows 11, but now, it’s official.
Tabs for File Explorer are expected to work similarly to tabs in the web browser. Instead of having multiple instances of the app, you will now be able to use one instance to navigate multiple folders and drive locations. You will also be able re-arrange and create new tabs as needed.
Microsoft is not trying to do this for the first time either. In the past, the company started testing a feature called “Sets” that was supposed to bring tabs for all apps, but the project was then canceled on Windows 10.
In addition to tabs, File Explorer will also receive various improvements, as already seen in test previews. Some of these changes include the ability to pin files to the “Quick Access” page and file sharing improvements like contacts suggestions through OneDrive, Teams, Outlook, and more.
Although this around, Microsoft seems onboard to bring tabs to the default file manager, it’s not clear when it will happen. Since version 22H2 is almost complete, the company may push the feature for version 23H2.
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].