Windows 11’s refreshed File Explorer gets tabs, favorites, and a new homepage

Image: Microsoft

A refreshed design and tabs for the File Explorer in Windows 11 will make it easier to quickly access folders or find favorite files. The tabs feature was first spotted in Windows 11 test builds last month, and now Microsoft is making it official at a hybrid work event for Windows 11 today.

The ability to move tabs around is one of the new features in the updated File Explorer design. Under a feature called Sets, Microsoft started testing tabs in Windows 10 apps. Microsoft canceled the project and never shipped it to Windows 10 users.

Image: Microsoft

A new favorites option, Quick Access folders, and recent documents are included in the new File Explorer homepage. You will soon be able to right-click a file to add it to favorites, and it will appear on the home page of File Explorer. An updated share dialog lets you send to recent contacts or apps like Teams, Outlook, and OneDrive, with improved sharing options for files.

We don't know when we will see the updated File Explorer. Microsoft is teasing it as part of a number of Windows 11 improvements that are on the way, and the company hasn't committed to a release date yet. The refreshed File Explorer could be added to the operating system in a monthly update.