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To show or hide File Explorer’s bottom status bar in Windows 11, open File Explorer > … > Options > View. Check Show status bar to display it, or clear the box to hide it, then select OK.

Change the status bar setting

  1. Open File Explorer.
  2. Select the … (three-dot) menu on the command bar, then select Options.
  3. In the Folder Options or File Explorer Options dialog, select the View tab.
  4. Scroll through the advanced settings to Show status bar.
  5. Check the box to show the bottom bar, or clear it to hide the bar.
  6. Select OK to apply the change.

Microsoft’s File Explorer guide describes the current Windows 11 command bar and Options route, though it does not document this particular checkbox. The steps above are given in Microsoft Q&A guidance.

Make sure you mean the bottom bar

This setting controls the narrow status bar along the bottom edge of a File Explorer window. It is different from a status column in the file list, the Details pane, or OneDrive sync indicators shown in the address bar. Those are separate interface elements and are not controlled by Show status bar.

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If the setting does not seem to stick

Reopen Options > View and check that the intended setting is selected, then choose OK. Also confirm that you are looking for the bottom bar rather than a status column in the file list.

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In a separate Microsoft Q&A discussion dated April 27, 2025, an advisor suggested applying folder view settings to folders of the same type. Treat that as a possible thing to try, not a guaranteed fix for every Windows 11 build; the discussion does not establish it as a universal solution for status-bar persistence.

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