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To make Windows reopen your File Explorer folders after you sign out, restart, or shut down, enable Restore previous folder windows at logon. In Windows 11, open File Explorer, select the three-dot menu, choose Options, open View, check the setting under Advanced settings, then select Apply and OK. Windows 10 uses the same checkbox through View > Options. The setting applies only to the currently signed-in user, and Microsoft community reports indicate that it does not reopen every Explorer window reliably on every Windows 11 build, so test it on your own PC.
What does “Restore previous folder windows at logon” do?
This is a per-user File Explorer preference. When enabled, Windows records open folder windows and attempts to restore them when that user logs on again after signing out, restarting, or shutting down.
The option concerns traditional File Explorer folder windows. It is not a general startup manager and does not launch unrelated applications. It is also different from Windows features that offer to reopen applications after an update or restart. Those controls can coexist, but changing one does not configure the others.
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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsThe setting is stored for the current Windows profile. If several people use the same computer, each person must configure it in their own account. A value changed under one account does not automatically change another user’s profile.
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How do I restore File Explorer windows in Windows 11?
Use the classic Folder Options dialog rather than the main Windows Settings app. The complete path is File Explorer, three-dot menu, Options, View, and then the restore checkbox.
- Open File Explorer from the taskbar, Start menu, or by pressing
Windows+E. - Select the three-dot menu on the File Explorer command bar.
- Choose Options. This opens File Explorer Options, sometimes called Folder Options in older documentation.
- Select the View tab.
- Scroll through Advanced settings until you find Restore previous folder windows at logon.
- Check the box.
- Select Apply, then OK to close the dialog.
The checkbox is the control described in the Macomb Community College IT Knowledge Base instruction to “make sure the box Restore previous folder windows at logon is checked.” No separate Windows Settings switch is required.
How do I enable the same option in Windows 10?
Windows 10 uses the same preference, but the route to Folder Options is different.
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- Open File Explorer.
- Select the View tab on the ribbon.
- Select Options. You can also search Windows for Change folders and search options and open that result.
- In Folder Options, select the View tab.
- Under Advanced settings, check Restore previous folder windows at logon.
- Select Apply, then OK.
The wording and checkbox are shared with Windows 11; only the way you reach the dialog changes.
How can I test whether the setting worked?
Test with a normal sign-out or restart after saving the option. A controlled test makes it easier to tell whether Explorer restoration works on your particular Windows build.
- Open two or more ordinary folder windows, such as Documents and Pictures. Use locations that are available locally so an unavailable drive does not complicate the test.
- Leave those windows open and confirm that the checkbox was saved by reopening File Explorer Options.
- Sign out from Start > your account picture > Sign out, or restart from Start > Power > Restart.
- Sign back into the same Windows account.
- Wait for the desktop and File Explorer to finish loading, then check whether the folder windows return.
A sign-out test avoids confusion with an application that was merely left running during a fast user switch. If you test after a restart, use the same account and allow the desktop to finish loading before deciding that restoration failed.
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Why is the checkbox enabled but my folders do not reopen?
The feature is not guaranteed to restore every Explorer window on every Windows 11 installation. Community reports describe systems where the box remains checked but no windows return, and the available documentation does not establish one confirmed cause or a build-specific success guarantee.
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Open File Explorer Options again and inspect the View tab. If the box is clear, select it, choose Apply, and then OK again. Closing the dialog with the window’s close button before applying can leave the previous value in place.
Test the same user profile
Because the preference is per user, a test performed under a different account can produce a different result. Sign out completely and sign back into the account that enabled the option. On a shared computer, repeat the configuration for each account that needs it.
Use a normal restart or sign-out
Do not judge the feature from a forced power-off or a crash. Those events do not provide the normal logon transition the setting is intended to handle. Close any unsaved work, use Windows’ own Sign out or Restart command, and test again.
Distinguish folder restoration from startup-app recovery
Windows has separate controls for startup applications and for offering to reopen certain applications after a restart. Those controls do not replace Restore previous folder windows at logon. If a program, rather than a folder window, is missing after logon, investigate that program’s startup behavior separately.
Check what you expect to be restored
The documented behavior concerns File Explorer folder windows. Do not treat it as a promise that every tab, preview, dialog, or application state will return exactly as it was. The available reports specifically warn against assuming universal restoration of every Explorer tab or window.
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Try the registry value as a verification step
If the graphical setting appears inconsistent, inspect the per-user value described below. A value of 1 corresponds to the enabled checkbox, while 0 corresponds to disabling it. This does not prove that a particular Windows build will restore windows, but it confirms which preference is recorded for the account.
What is the registry or PowerShell method?
For repeatable setup, the setting is represented by the per-user DWORD value PersistBrowsers under HKCUSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExplorerAdvanced. Setting it to 1 enables restoration; setting it to 0 disables restoration.
Enable restoration with PowerShell
Open PowerShell under the Windows account that should receive the setting and run:
Set-ItemProperty -Path 'HKCU:SoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExplorerAdvanced' -Name PersistBrowsers -Type DWord -Value 1HKCU: means “HKEY_CURRENT_USER.” The command therefore changes only the profile of the account running PowerShell. It does not configure every user on the computer.
Disable restoration with PowerShell
To turn the preference off, run:
Set-ItemProperty -Path 'HKCU:SoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExplorerAdvanced' -Name PersistBrowsers -Type DWord -Value 0After changing the value, sign out or restart before evaluating the result. The next logon is when the preference is expected to affect Explorer windows.
Read the current value
You can check the recorded DWORD without changing it:
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Get-ItemProperty -Path 'HKCU:SoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExplorerAdvanced' -Name PersistBrowsersIf the command reports PersistBrowsers : 1, the per-user value is enabled. A reported 0 is disabled. If the value is absent, use the File Explorer Options checkbox or create it with the enable command above.
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- Press
Windows+R, typeregedit, and pressEnter. - In Registry Editor, go to
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExplorerAdvanced. - Find the DWORD named
PersistBrowsers. - Set its value data to
1to enable or0to disable. - Close Registry Editor and sign out or restart to test the change.
Registry editing is less forgiving than the checkbox. Change only the named value, and keep a record of the original value if you are applying the change as part of a managed configuration. The NinjaOne configuration guide notes that this change affects only the current user.
Which method should I use?
The graphical method is the simplest choice for one computer. PowerShell or the registry is useful when the same per-user preference must be applied repeatedly or checked in a script.
| Approach | Ease of use | Scope | Reversibility | Reliability consideration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Windows 11 File Explorer Options | Highest; no command line | Current signed-in user | Uncheck the box | Still depends on the Windows build and normal logon behavior |
| Windows 10 File Explorer Options | Highest; uses View > Options | Current signed-in user | Uncheck the box | Same feature and limitations as Windows 11 |
| PowerShell | Requires an exact command | Current user represented by HKCU |
Run the command with value 0 |
Good for repeatable configuration, not a guarantee of restoration |
| Registry Editor | More technical | Current user represented by HKEY_CURRENT_USER |
Change the DWORD back to 0 |
A wrong edit can change another Explorer preference, so limit the change to PersistBrowsers |
Can this be deployed for several users or computers?
The registry and PowerShell approaches are suitable for repeatable configuration, but the setting is still per user. A command run in an administrator account changes that administrator’s HKCU hive, not automatically the profiles of everyone who later signs in.
For a managed rollout, run the command in the intended user context or otherwise provision each user’s profile. Verify the resulting value for that account, then perform a normal sign-out or restart test on the Windows edition and build used by your organization. The available evidence does not establish a universal deployment guarantee across Windows builds.
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- It is not a backup: the preference asks Windows to restore folder windows; it does not save files, unsaved edits, or a complete desktop session.
- It is not global: the value belongs to the current user profile.
- It is not a startup replacement: application startup and restorable-app controls are separate Windows features.
- It is not guaranteed for every window or tab: user reports show inconsistent behavior on some Windows 11 systems.
- It is build-dependent in practice: no authoritative restoration-success percentage or universal Windows-build guarantee is established.
If reopening folders is essential to your workflow, keep a simple list of the locations you need and test the setting after each major Windows update. That gives you a practical fallback when the built-in restoration does not behave as expected.
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How do I turn the feature off later?
Return to the same File Explorer Options > View dialog, clear Restore previous folder windows at logon, select Apply, and then OK. If you configured it by script, set PersistBrowsers to 0 for the same user. Sign out or restart once so the changed preference takes effect at the next logon.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will Windows reopen every File Explorer tab exactly as I left it?
No guarantee covers every tab or window. The documented preference is intended to restore folder windows, while reports from some Windows 11 users describe incomplete restoration, so treat tabs and other Explorer state as best-effort.
Does enabling this setting change what other people see on the PC?
No. The preference is stored in the signed-in user’s profile. Another person who uses the computer must enable it separately in that person’s account.
Is this the same as enabling startup apps in Windows?
No. Startup-app settings control programs that launch with Windows, whereas this preference concerns previously open File Explorer folder windows. Changing one does not configure the other.
Can I set the option without opening File Explorer?
Yes. Set the per-user DWORD named PersistBrowsers to 1 with PowerShell or Registry Editor. Run the change in the account that should receive it, then test after a normal sign-out or restart.
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