Microsoft revamps File Explorer with new tabs in beta release

Microsoft is working on further changes to File Explorer in Windows 11. As noted in the Beta test version for insiders, new tabs are appearing in the quick access menu, allowing users to access recent, favourite, and network-shared documents more easily.

The Neowin service highlights the changes in Windows 11 File Explorer, citing a post on the X service by user PhantomOcean3. The modified Windows 11 File Explorer was observed in Beta build 22635.3640 and is disabled by default. Upon activation, it splits the view horizontally, adding shortcuts to files the user might want to find more quickly.

At this moment, everything indicates that the additional split in File Explorer in Windows 11 would only appear within the "Home View" tab, where recent or favourite files can already be displayed, but only in a less visually appealing list form. The horizontal split, like tabs, can help access desired documents faster in Windows 11.

Since we are dealing with a test version of Windows 11, it is currently difficult to confirm that the presented change will make it to a stable release, but this is quite likely. Microsoft may want to implement this File Explorer interface modification with the 24H2 release of Windows 11, which we expect to see on the first computers in the year's second half.

After publishing the presented change in File Explorer on the X service, users noted that Microsoft should first focus on other interface elements that still remember the days of Windows systems from decades ago. For example, the properties window of a folder or file has not been visually modernized for many years.