Windows 11 File Explorer gets smarter tabs and several bug fixes

A few days ago, a new Windows 11 preview (Build 22635.4515) began rolling out to Windows 11 Insiders on the Beta Channel.

This new update for Insiders includes several new features and improvements, like the ability to resume OneDrive files on your PC with a single click from your phone, or new API support for third-party passkey providers to move Windows 11 into a passwordless future.

But some changes weren’t documented.

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As reported by Windows Latest, the File Explorer can now open folders in new tabs, similar to how new tabs are opened in a web browser. Previously, if a folder was opened from the desktop or the Start menu while File Explorer was already open, it would open in a separate File Explorer window. (If you want a folder to open in a new window, you now just have to hold Ctrl while opening it.)

Other File Explorer improvements include bug fixes for not being able to navigate by typing into the address bar, unexpected overlaps while in full-screen mode, and various issues that caused crashes.

Another stealthily added feature is the ability to now pause the reminders that prod you to create file backups using Microsoft’s OneDrive cloud storage service. You can either choose to pause the OneDrive backup reminders for one month or disable them altogether.

These new features, plus all the other documented fixes and improvements, are currently only available to Windows 11 Insiders on the Beta Channel. It isn’t yet known when they’ll be push to the stable channel and made available to all Windows 11 users.

Further reading: Why join the Windows Insider program?