File Explorer is the main file manager of the Windows operating system. Formerly called Windows Explorer, Microsoft renamed this tool and has made significant changes to it over the past decade. From adding a new recommended section and a dual context menu, to serving ads and sprinkling a light dose of AI functionality on top of the ever-growing application.
In the latest Insider build of Windows 11 released by Microsoft, the company admitted something it doesn’t usually do: that Windows was lacking a component in the performance department.
Here especially, Microsoft admitted The launch performance of File Explorer was subpar and it is introducing preloading of File Explorer to resolve the issue.
Note that this has nothing to do with select folders opening slowly in File Explorer. There is a fix you can apply to make it faster, but it’s independent of what Microsoft is trying to fix and introduce.
According to Microsoft, this should not be visible to users, but it is too early for a final decision on the change. After all it has been introduced in beta builds and that means most of the testing ultimately happens on user devices.
Admittedly, depending on the PC system used, File Explorer may take a second or two to open, even if you use the handy shortcut Windows-E to launch it.
The good news is that users can turn off preloading. This can be useful if you don’t notice any difference in the first or regression.
Here’s how it’s done:
- Open File Explorer on the concerned PC.
- Choose View > Folder Options.
- Remove the checkmark from “Enable window preloading for faster launch times”.
This should take care of preloading and return status quo. Microsoft plans to enable preloading by default, which means you’ll need to be active to turn it off again.
Tests will show whether preloading has a positive effect on the launch of File Explorer. Also, if the change will have negative consequences, for example prolonging system start or increasing RAM usage.
It will take some time for changes to arrive in stable versions. Microsoft has not yet revealed when this is going to happen, it could happen in the coming months or as part of a 2026 feature update for Windows.
Now You: Do you use File Explorer as a Windows user, or have you switched to a third-party file manager? How fast does File Explorer load on your system? Feel free to leave a comment below.
Thanks for reading..
