-
To use tabs on File Explorer, use
Ctrl + T
to create or
Ctrl + W
to close tabs and
Ctrl + Tab
(or
Ctrl + number
) to cycle through. - You can also right-click a tab to access the context menu, close or duplicate tabs, and you can drag tabs in and out of the window.
Similar to tabs in a web browser, File Explorer on Windows 11 features tabs that let you open several folders or drive locations in a single window. Your productivity will increase, your work will be more organized, and your desktop will be less cluttered thanks to this function.
The ability to open and handle many folders at once without opening separate instances of File Explorer is one of the main advantages of tabs. Organizing and focusing your workspace can also be achieved by grouping related files and folders together. You can move between projects or locations fast without losing context. Lastly, maintaining and navigating your files is simple thanks to the well-known tabbed interface.
I’ll walk you through the simple process of using File Explorer’s tabs in Windows 11 in this tutorial.
How to use tabs on File Explorer
It should be the case that Windows 11 22H2 and later versions automatically allow tabs. If not, you can enable the feature on your computer by following these steps.
Create new tabs
Use these methods to open a new tab in Windows 11’s File Explorer:
Next to the tab that is currently open, click the “new tab” icon.
While hovering over a folder, press the mouse’s middle button.
Choose the “Open in new tab” option when you right-click on a folder.
Make use of the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + T.
Additionally, you can open locations from the left navigation bar using the middle button and right-click options.
Although the Ctrl + N keyboard shortcut is also an option, it performs the same function as the Windows key + Eaction, which launches a new File Explorer window.
Close open tabs
Use these procedures to exit tabs in File Explorer:
Click the tab’s Close (X) button.
Hover your mouse pointer over the tab and click the mouse’s center button.
To close the tab, right-click on it and choose the Close tab option.
To shut all tabs except the one you right-clicked on, right-click the tab and choose the shut other tabs option.
To close the tabs on the right while leaving the tabs on the left open, right-click the tab and choose the Close tabs to the right option.
To end the current tab, use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + W.
The Close (X) button in File Explorer can be used to close all tabs at once.
Browse open tabs
You can move between open tabs in File Explorer by doing the following:
To move a tab, drag it to the left or right.
To switch between the open tabs, use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + Tab.
To go to the tab position, use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + number. For instance, using Ctrl + 3 will take you to the third tab, and using Ctrl + 1 will take you back to the first tab.
Use the left and right buttons to navigate through the tabs if you have more than one open.
Drag the file over the new tab and drop it in the new position if you wish to copy a file between directories. You can copy or relocate the file by using the context menu that appears when you right-click and drag the file.
Although you can’t disable tabs in File Explorer, you might still be able to do so with this solution if you like the classic experience.
Duplicate tab
Follow these instructions to duplicate a tab in File Explorer:
Select the “Duplicate tab” option by right-clicking on any tab.
Drag tabs out to open a new window
Follow these instructions to launch a new window from a File Explorer tab:
To drop a tab out of the window, click and drag it.
To switch windows, click and drag a different tab, then drop into it.
To join tabs together, click, drag, and drop the tab into another tab.
By taking these steps, a tab will be removed from a window and regrouped within the same window.
The number of tabs you can open in File Explorer is unrestricted with Windows 11. The overflow buttons to switch between tabs will show up on the right and left if the application is unable to display more tabs.
Update August 21, 2024: To guarantee accuracy and take into account modifications to the procedure, this guide has been revised.