Microsoft is currently piloting an innovative feature designed to enhance the performance of File Explorer on Windows 11 systems. This optional enhancement aims to preload the application in the background, thereby reducing launch times and improving overall user experience.
Once activated, this feature will automatically load File Explorer without any noticeable changes for users. The primary benefit will be a significant increase in the speed at which users can access their files and folders, making the navigation experience more seamless.
For those who prefer to maintain control over their system settings, disabling the preloading feature is straightforward. Users can simply uncheck the option labeled “Enable window preloading for faster launch times” found within the Folder Options under the View tab of File Explorer.
The Windows Insider Program Team shared their enthusiasm for this development, stating, “We’re exploring preloading File Explorer in the background to help improve File Explorer launch performance.” They also encouraged users to provide feedback, inviting them to report any issues through the Feedback Hub under the relevant categories for File Explorer performance.
This initiative follows the successful rollout of Startup Boost in May 2025, which similarly aimed to enhance the loading times of Office applications. Startup Boost operates by launching a scheduled task in the background during system logon, keeping the applications in a paused state until they are needed, thus optimizing resource usage.
Context menu updates
In addition to the preloading feature, Microsoft is also refining the File Explorer context menu to streamline user interactions. The goal is to reduce clutter while ensuring that less frequently used actions remain easily accessible. This reorganization involves grouping menu items based on similar tasks.
For example, actions such as ‘Compress to ZIP file,’ ‘Copy as Path,’ ‘Set as Desktop Background,’ and image rotation options have been consolidated into a new “Manage file” flyout menu. Furthermore, cloud provider options like ‘Always Keep on this Device’ and ‘Free Up Space’ are now conveniently located within their respective cloud provider flyouts, alongside the ‘Send to My Phone’ option. The ‘Open Folder Location’ command has also been strategically repositioned for better accessibility.
Microsoft has indicated that the label for the ‘Manage file’ menu may evolve based on user feedback collected through the Feedback Hub, specifically under the Desktop Environment > Right-Click Context Menu section.
These enhancements are currently being rolled out to Windows Insiders in the Dev and Beta channels who are running Windows 11 25H2 and have installed the 26220.7271 (KB5070307) preview build.
