Recommended Free Tools
iTechGuides is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Learn more
Windows 11 File Explorer is ready to use immediately, but a few changes make it much easier to work with: open it to the location you actually use, show file extensions, restore useful panes, configure search, and pin your working folders. The instructions below apply to current Windows 11 builds, including the redesigned Home page and tabbed File Explorer.
Open File Explorer and identify its main areas
Press Windows logo key + E, select the folder icon on the taskbar, or search for File Explorer from Start.
A File Explorer window has four important areas:
| Area | What it does |
|---|---|
| Navigation pane | Lists Home, pinned folders, OneDrive, drives, network locations, libraries, and other locations. |
| Address bar | Shows the current path and lets you type a folder path such as C:UsersYourNameDownloads. |
| Content pane | Displays the files and folders in the selected location. |
| Preview or Details pane | Shows a preview or information about the selected file. |
If the navigation pane is missing, select View > Show > Navigation pane. You can also enable View > Show > Libraries if you use Documents, Pictures, Music, or Videos libraries. Libraries are hidden in the navigation pane by default.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
Set File Explorer to open to Home or This PC
New Windows 11 installations normally open File Explorer to Home. Home contains pinned folders and recent files, and may also display recommended Microsoft 365 content. The old Quick access landing page was renamed Home in Windows 11 version 22H2, although commands such as Pin to Quick access still use the older wording.
#1 Best Overall
If you prefer to see your drives and standard folders first:
- Open File Explorer.
- Select the See more (…) button on the command bar.
- Select Options.
- In the Folder Options window, find Open File Explorer to:.
- Choose This PC.
- Select Apply, then OK.
This PC is useful when you regularly switch between drives, USB devices, or network locations. Home is usually more convenient if your work is organized around a small set of pinned folders and recent files.
Configure Home and pinned folders
To add a frequently used folder to File Explorer, browse to it, right-click the folder, and select Pin to Quick access. It will appear in Home and in the navigation pane.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsTo remove a pinned folder, right-click it and select Unpin from Quick access. To remove a recent or recommended item without deleting its original file, right-click the item and select Remove from Quick access.
If you want Home to show pinned folders without recent files and frequent folders:
- Select See more (…) > Options.
- In Folder Options, clear the privacy options for showing recently used files and frequently used folders.
- Select Apply.
The exact privacy wording can vary slightly between Windows 11 builds. A pinned item is only a shortcut to its real location. If you need to cut or move a file shown in Home, right-click it and choose Open first. Then use Cut and Paste from the actual folder.
Choose a useful file and folder layout
Open a working folder and select View on the command bar. You can choose icon sizes, List, Details, and other layouts. Details is generally the best setup for documents because it shows columns such as Name, Date modified, Type, and Size.
In Details view, select a column heading to sort the folder. Select it again to reverse the order. Sorting by Date modified is useful for finding the latest version of a document; sorting by Size helps locate large files.
For a denser layout, select View > Compact view. You can also hold Ctrl and rotate the mouse wheel to change the size of icons.
Turn on file extensions and hidden items
Showing extensions makes filenames more transparent and helps prevent you from opening a misleading file. In File Explorer, select:
View > Show > File name extensions
You will then see names such as report.docx, photo.jpg, and setup.exe. An extension identifies the associated file type; renaming photo.jpg to photo.png does not convert the image.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →To show hidden files and folders, select:
View > Show > Hidden items
Hidden items are not necessarily safe to delete. Showing hidden files is also not the same as displaying protected operating-system files. Avoid removing unfamiliar files from Windows or application folders simply because they have become visible.
Enable the Preview and Details panes
The Preview pane can show the contents of supported files without opening the associated application. Toggle it with Alt + P, or select View > Show > Preview pane.
The Details pane is separate. It displays information about the selected item, such as its file type, dimensions, and date modified. Enable it from View > Show > Details pane.
Do not confuse either pane with the file’s storage location. For example, Gallery is a virtual photo view over images in selected folders; it is not a folder in which those images are stored.
After security updates released in October 2025 or later, Windows may block Preview-pane rendering for files downloaded from the Internet and display a security warning. This is intentional protection for files carrying Internet-origin information, not necessarily a fault with File Explorer.
Use tabs for related folders
Windows 11 File Explorer supports tabs. Select the + button at the top of the window to open another tab. This is useful when copying files between locations without managing several separate windows.
Useful tab and window shortcuts include:
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| Ctrl + T | Open a new tab |
| Ctrl + W | Close the active tab or window |
| Ctrl + N | Open a new File Explorer window |
| Ctrl + Shift + N | Create a new folder |
| Alt + Up Arrow | Go to the parent folder |
| Alt + Left Arrow | Go back |
| Alt + Right Arrow | Go forward |
Set up search properly
Search from Home to look across relevant local and cloud locations available to your account. Search from inside a folder to search that folder and its child folders by default.
- Open the folder where you expect the file to be.
- Select the search box, or press Ctrl + E or Ctrl + F.
- Type part of the filename or another search term.
- Press Enter to open the complete results list.
- Use available filters such as Date modified, Kind, or Size to narrow the results.
If results are incomplete, check Settings > Privacy & security > Searching Windows. Indexing makes searches faster, but newly added files or locations may take time to appear in the index. Also check that you started the search from the correct folder and that the relevant Microsoft account is signed in.
There is an important OneDrive limitation: File Explorer can find the names of online-only Files On-Demand items, but it cannot search their contents while those contents are not stored locally.
Understand OneDrive status icons
OneDrive folders appear in File Explorer after you sign in and configure OneDrive. The icons tell you whether a visible file is actually stored on the computer:
| Icon | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Blue cloud | Online-only; it does not use local disk space and requires an Internet connection to open. |
| Green check | Available locally. |
| Green circle with white check | Marked Always keep on this device. |
To prepare a file for offline use, right-click it and select Always keep on this device. To remove the local copy while retaining the file in OneDrive, select Free up space. A file being visible in File Explorer does not prove that its contents are stored on the PC.
Learn the basic file operations
Most everyday operations are available on the command bar or in the right-click menu:
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
- Create: select New > Folder, type a name, and press Enter.
- Rename: select an item, choose Rename, type the new name, and press Enter. F2 is faster.
- Copy: select the item, press Ctrl + C, open the destination, and press Ctrl + V.
- Move: select the item, press Ctrl + X, open the destination, and press Ctrl + V.
- Undo: press Ctrl + Z after an accidental file operation.
- Delete: select the item and choose Delete. The result can differ for local, removable, network, and synchronized cloud files.
Windows 11’s compact right-click menu shows common commands near the top. If an older application command is missing, select Show more options to open the traditional context menu. Registry changes are not needed for ordinary access to these commands.
Rank #4
Create and extract archives
To create a ZIP file, right-click a file or folder and choose Show more options > Send to > Compressed (zipped) folder. On some builds, Send to is available directly in the menu.
To extract a complete ZIP archive, right-click it and select Extract All…, choose a destination, and follow the prompts. To extract only one item, open the archive and drag that item to another folder.
Windows 11 version 24H2 includes built-in File Explorer support for ZIP, RAR, 7z, and TAR archives, but encrypted archive operations remain unsupported. Use a tool such as 7-Zip or WinRAR for password-protected archives. Also take care when placing encrypted files into a normal ZIP: the extracted copies may not retain encryption.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Share a file
Select a file and choose Share on the command bar, or right-click it and choose Share. Select the sharing method and follow the prompts.
For a OneDrive file or folder, sharing can create a link. Check whether the link grants viewing or editing access before sending it, particularly when the file contains personal or work information.
Useful File Explorer shortcuts
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| Windows logo key + E | Open File Explorer |
| Alt + D | Focus the address bar |
| F2 | Rename the selected item |
| F3 | Search in File Explorer |
| F4 | Display the address-bar list |
| F5 | Refresh the current view |
| Alt + Enter | Open Properties |
| Ctrl + X / Ctrl + C / Ctrl + V | Cut / copy / paste |
| Ctrl + Z | Undo the last operation |
| Ctrl + Shift + E | Display folders above the selected folder |
Fix common File Explorer problems
File Explorer will not open
First go to Start > Settings > Windows Update, select Check for updates, install available updates, and restart the PC. A restart is also worth trying before more involved troubleshooting.
A right-click command is missing
Right-click the item and select Show more options. Older shell extensions and commands are commonly placed there.
A OneDrive file will not open offline
Look at the status icon. A blue cloud means the file is online-only. Connect to the Internet or right-click the file and select Always keep on this device before going offline.
Best Value
Search cannot find a file
Search from the correct folder or from Home/This PC, remove restrictive filters, confirm that the relevant account is signed in, and allow Windows indexing to finish. If the file is an online-only OneDrive item, search can find its name but not its contents.
Files seem to have disappeared after an upgrade
Confirm that you are using the expected Windows user profile. Then check hidden items, protected system locations, and search indexing. Windows upgrades can occasionally move files or leave them under a different profile.
Recommended setup for most users
- Set Open File Explorer to Home if you mainly use a few folders, or This PC if you work across multiple drives.
- Pin active project folders with Pin to Quick access.
- Enable File name extensions.
- Use Details view for document-heavy folders.
- Enable the Preview pane only when you need it, particularly for large folders.
- Learn Ctrl + Shift + N, F2, Ctrl + C, Ctrl + X, and Ctrl + V.
- Check OneDrive status icons before assuming a file is available offline.
FAQ
How do I make File Explorer open to This PC in Windows 11?
Open File Explorer, select See more (…) > Options, set Open File Explorer to: to This PC, and select Apply.
Outdated Drivers Are Slowing You Down
One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchPC Slower Than It Used to Be?
A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11What happened to Quick access in Windows 11?
The File Explorer landing page was renamed Home in Windows 11 version 22H2. Pinning commands still commonly say Pin to Quick access.
How do I show file extensions?
Select View > Show > File name extensions. Remember that renaming an extension does not convert the file.
How do I show hidden files in File Explorer?
Select View > Show > Hidden items. Do not delete unfamiliar hidden files, especially those in Windows or application folders.
Why can I see a OneDrive file but not open it offline?
The file is probably online-only. A blue cloud icon means it is not stored locally. Right-click it and select Always keep on this device while connected to the Internet.
How do I get the old right-click menu back?
Right-click an item and select Show more options. This opens the traditional menu without Registry modifications.
Does Windows 11 File Explorer support RAR and 7z files?
Windows 11 version 24H2 supports ZIP, RAR, 7z, and TAR archives in File Explorer. Encrypted archive operations still require a third-party archive utility.
The Bottom Line
The most useful File Explorer setup is simple: choose Home or This PC as the startup location, pin the folders you actually use, enable file extensions, select Details view where appropriate, and understand whether OneDrive files are local or online-only. These changes reduce navigation, make file types visible, and prevent common copy, search, and offline-access mistakes.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
