YOU’LL NEED
Windows 11 File Explorer plus some optional free apps to give you additional or improved functionality: WizFile, TeraCopy, ViVeTool, Win Subst, and TreeSize Free
There’s no getting away from it: a core part of Windows 11 is File Explorer, the tool used to navigate and manipulate the files and folders on your PC. But for all the time you’re using it, are you maximising your use of File Explorer? It has come on leaps and bounds in the last few iterations of Windows, and there may be some hidden features you aren’t aware of that could revolutionise the way you interact with your PC’s drives.
That’s where this latest collection of tips and tricks comes in. We’ll start by highlighting some of the lesser-known tools within File Explorer that can help make your life easier. We’ll explore third-party tools to fill in some of the gaps or even improve areas of File Explorer further – such as through faster file transfers or by allowing you to map local folders to drive letters for quick and easy access. We’ll also give you a sneak peek at what’s coming in the next major update as tabs make their long-awaited appearance, and point you towards some alternatives to File Explorer if it fails to meet your file-management needs.
"One of the most visible changes in Windows 11’s File Explorer is the stripped-back ribbon."
A new streamlined ribbon
One of the most visible changes in Windows 11’s File Explorer is the stripped-back ribbon. Gone are the tabs of options and tools, replaced by a single row of buttons comprising the most used options, from cutting, copying, and pasting to renaming, deleting, and sharing.
You’ll also see that the New, Sort, and View
