Windows 11 has garnered its fair share of criticism, particularly regarding the sluggish performance of its File Explorer. Users have reported a range of issues, from unresponsive commands to unexpected crashes. This has contributed to the continued popularity of Windows 10, which, despite being out of support, still holds over 30% of the desktop Windows market share. However, there is a straightforward solution that can enhance the speed of File Explorer with minimal drawbacks.
Disabling Folder Type Discovery to speed up File Explorer
One of the features that Microsoft has retained since the era of Windows XP is the “Automatic Folder Type Discovery.” This feature automatically scans folders, analyzes their contents, and assigns a view type accordingly. For instance, a folder filled with audio files will adopt an audio template, while a collection of images will switch to a Picture view. While this functionality aids in organizing files, it can also be a culprit in slowing down your system. The scanning process can occur each time you access a folder, leading to delays, especially in folders with numerous files. To mitigate this issue, disabling Folder Type Discovery is a viable option.
To turn off Folder Type Discovery on Windows, you will need to make adjustments in the Registry Editor. It is advisable to back up the Registry before proceeding. Here’s how to do it:
- Open the Search menu, type “Registry Editor,” and confirm by clicking “Yes” in the prompt.
- In the Registry Editor, click on “File,” select “Export,” choose a location for the backup, and click “Save.”
Once the backup is complete, you can safely disable Folder Type Discovery by following these steps:
- Navigate to the following path in the Registry Editor: HKEYCURRENTUSER > Software > Classes > Local Settings > Software > Microsoft > Windows > Shell > Bags > AllFolders > Shell.
- Right-click in the blank space, select “New,” then “String Value,” and name it FolderType.
- Double-click the newly created string, enter NotSpecified in the Value data field, and click “OK” to save your changes.
- Finally, restart your PC or reboot File Explorer to apply the changes.
By implementing this adjustment, users should experience a noticeable improvement in the loading speed of File Explorer. The trade-off is that folders will now display a generic view rather than one tailored to specific file types. However, all folders may default to a Details-type view, which can be manually adjusted as needed.
