Microsoft is speeding up and decluttering File Explorer in Windows 11

Microsoft is making some changes to File Explorer in Windows 11 that will make it less cluttered and run faster. the Latest Dev Preview builds Windows 11 includes preloading of File Explorer to “help improve File Explorer launch performance,” and changes to the context menu to reduce the amount of space consumed by less frequently used actions.

Preloading File Explorer should mean that Microsoft’s file and folder management tool launches faster on systems where performance is constrained. On modern computers, it’s almost instantaneous, but I’ve definitely seen it load slower on less powerful devices like Windows mobiles and tablets.

You will be able to disable file explorer preloading so that it does not always run in the background. After all, most computers won’t need File Explorer preloaded. It’s similar to work Microsoft did with its Office applications Earlier this year, it improved the startup speed of Word with a scheduled task that runs silently when you turn on your computer to quickly open Office applications.

File Explorer context menu changes will be welcome across fast and slow computers. Microsoft is reducing context menu clutter by moving rarely used actions to submenus. There’s a new file management pop-up menu that includes compressing files to a ZIP file, copying them as a path, setting them as desktop wallpaper, and rotating them left or right.

The cloud file options have also been moved to a separate cloud provider pop-up menu, where you’ll also find Send to My Phone. The changes mean that the context menu now looks cleaner, and it should be easier to find frequently used actions.

All of these changes are being tested in the latest Dev Preview builds of Windows 11, so they should roll out to all Windows 11 users in early 2026.