General Change Folder to Open File Explorer to by Default in Windows 11

This tutorial will show you how to set File Explorer to open to either This PC, Home (Quick access), OneDrive, Downloads, or a custom location by default for your account in Windows 11.

File Explorer opens to Home (Quick access) by default in Window 11, but you can change File Explorer to open to This PC, Mobile Device (phone), OneDrive, or Downloads instead.

Starting with Windows 11 build 22593, Quick access is now called Home. The name Quick access has been repurposed for the pinned/frequent Folders section and Pinned files is now called Favorites to align with Office and OneDrive. Recent and pinned files displayed in Home are now searchable using the search box in File Explorer even if they are not local files, so you can find Office files recently shared with you.

Home (Quick access) shows your pinned and frequent folders and recent files.

• Quick access (Frequent folders) = Displays up to 11 folders that you pinned or frequently opened on the system.
• Favorites = Pinned files.
• Recent (Recent files) = Displays up to 26 files that you most recently opened.

This PC displays your Desktop, Documents, Downloads, Music. Pictures, and Videos folders in addition to the usual devices and drives (hard drives, optical drives, and removable devices) and network locations.

OneDrive can sync files between your computer and the cloud, so you can get to your files from anywhere - your computer, your mobile device, and even through the OneDrive website at OneDrive.com. If you add, change, or delete a file or folder in your OneDrive folder, the file or folder is added, changed, or deleted on the OneDrive website and vice versa. You can work with your synced files directly in File Explorer and access your files even when you’re offline. Whenever you’re online, any changes that you or others make will sync automatically.

Downloads opens to your account's Downloads folder.

Starting with Windows 11 build 26220.6972 (Dev 25H2), build 26120.6972 (Beta 24H2), build 26100.7296 (24H2 RP), and build 26200.7296 (25H2 RP), you can now directly access your mobile devices in File Explorer.





EXAMPLE: Open File Explorer to "Home", "This PC", Mobile Device, "OneDrive", or "Downloads" by default










1 Open Folder Options.

2 In the General tab, select Home (default), This PC, mobile device (ex: "Brink S23+"), or OneDrive (personal) in the Open File Explorer to drop menu for what you want, and click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)

This option will not work while Administrator protection is turned on.

1 Do step 2 (Home), step 3 (This PC), step 4 (Mobile Device or OneDrive), or step 5 (Downloads) below for what you would like to do.

This is the default setting.

(Contents of REG file for reference)






(Contents of REG file for reference)

This will open your Mobile Device (CrossDevice) or OneDrive depending on which one is listed first alphabetically under the SyncRootManager key in the registry path below.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\SyncRootManager

(Contents of REG file for reference)






(Contents of REG file for reference)


6 Save the .reg file to your desktop.

7 If you have Smart App Control turned on, you will need to unblock the downloaded REG file.

8 Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.

9 When prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.

10 You can now delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.


That's it,
Shawn Brink